Best Things to Do in Copper Center
1. Copper Center Visitor Center
For a more challenging trek, adventure into the Nabesna Valley
Get some insight into the massive Wrangell-St. Elias National Park at its Visitor Center. Explore the bookstore and theater, then stop in next door at the Ahtna Cultural Center for some insight into the Alaska Natives from this area. Finish your visit by walking one of the short hiking trails, like the half-mile loop that includes an overlook of the stunning Wrangell Mountains. You can even opt for a guided walk led by a park ranger.
2. Museums
Thanks to Russians and miners, the Copper River Valley area has had a very rich history. Get a unique look at the 19th century here by visiting the George Ashby Memorial Museum, which is set in rustic log cabins. Explore the past through exhibits of early gold and copper mining, as well as a treasure trove of Russian artifacts. Then check out the Copper Center Museum, which features more mementos from miners and other cool finds from Alaska’s pioneer days.
3. Fishing & Rafting
This area plays host to some of the best fishing and rafting in the country, thanks to fast-running glacial-carved rivers, like the Klutina and Copper. Just book a trip and go! You can find fishing charters where you angle for famous (and delicious) Copper River salmon, as well as grayling and trout. And you can choose from rafting trips that range from mild to wild, with plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife along the way!
Enjoy a comfortable stay at the Copper River Princess Lodge
See fish wheels in action at the Copper River Watershed. Photo by Wayne Renfrow.
4. Stay a Few Days
Exploring America’s largest national park could take a lifetime, so don’t shortchange your time here! Make the 85-room Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge your home base and you’ll enjoy amazing mountain and valley views of mountains, as well as outstanding food. Interested in camping instead? Check out our list of RV parks and campgrounds.
5. Copper River Watershed
The watershed lies at the heart of the Copper River region is an absolutely spectacular area that’s home to tons of salmon, fascinating history, and of course America’s largest national park. Hiking, rafting, fishing, driving, flightseeing: Whatever your passion, you can indulge it here. Use our guide to the area to plan the ultimate trip!
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Things to Do in Copper Center
Copper Center Day Tours View All
This intimate, 85-room lodge with amazing views is the perfect place to stay on the way to America’s largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias. Look out your window to the junction of the Klutina and Copper Rivers, 200 acres of wilderness, and the park’s awe-inspiring mountains.
Exploring the rivers of Copper Center, around 4 hours from Anchorage and right on the edge of gorgeous Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, brings opportunities for everything from mild floats to Class III and IV rapids. Since the Copper River Basin is a little more remote than other areas, you’ll be able to truly appreciate the wilderness as you enjoy a relaxing day on the water.
Experience a full- or half-day sport-fishing trip the way it was meant to be: with a relaxing visit to an uncrowded fishing hole. Depending on the season, you can try for kings, sockeye, trout, or Arctic grayling, as you angle with fishing guides who know the ins and outs of these cold, glacial drainages.
Get a taste of early 19th-century Alaska in Copper Center. This small community located at the confluence of the Klutina and Copper Rivers, was established in 1898 as a camp for prospecting gold miners. After the Richardson Highway route opened in 1900, roadhouses sprung up every 15 to 20 miles, providing services for travelers between Valdez and Fairbanks. You could get meals, lodging, mail service, medical help, hay for your horse, gasoline… ...more
The museums are housed in historical cabins at the Copper Center Lodge. They contain early Russian religious articles, Athabascan baskets, telegraph equipment, mineral displays, copper and gold mining memorabilia and trapping articles from the early-day Copper Valley. A short walk takes you to the Stampeders Cemetery.
Eight signs will guide you through the Copper River watershed landscape. See if you can visit all eight signs on your tour through this upriver basin formed by the ancient, glacial Lake Atna!
Follow in the footsteps of the original prospectors and native Alaskan inhabitants by going for a hike or mountain bike ride along the Klutina River. This trail covers the 23 miles between Copper Center and Klutina Lake, which was part of the original prospecting trail from Valdez to the Copper River. The river is fed by the massive glaciers of the Chugach Mountains to the south, and the beautiful turquoise color of the water indicates the… ...more
Overlooking the peaks of Wrangell St Elias National Park, this restaurant serves Alaska seafood dinners and hearty breakfasts in a relaxed atmosphere. It’s the nicest restaurant within 100 miles, with a dedication to fresh Alaska foods — including seasonal produce and meat from local farms. Yet the dining room maintains a casual ambience, making it a great place to start or finish your day. Fuel up for a day of sport fishing or hiking with the… ...more
Housed in rustic log cabins, the museum offers the visitor a unique look at the varied past of the Copper River Valley area. Exhibits include early mining of gold and copper, and Russian artifacts.
Historic Copper Center is one of the oldest non-native communities in Alaska’s Interior. Founded as a government agricultural experimental station, it later served as a transportation center for gold rush prospectors. Also find the interpretive sign where you’ll learn about the local fish species that make their home in different habitat niches of Copper River watershed creeks and rivers.
This 17b Easement provides access to public lands around Klutina Lake across privately owned Native land. A 60-foot wide easement proceeds approximately 23 miles along the Klutina River and bluffs and terminates at a one-acre site easement where visitors can camp and park for up to 24 hours. It is recommended for high clearance or 4‑wheel drive vehicles only. This easement extends about 7 miles through private lands, so camping or parking… ...more
Just off the lobby of the Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge, the Whistle Stop serves up tasty pub fare and Alaska seafood; it also has a full bar, featuring Alaska brewed beers on tap and 45 wines. Stop in for a reindeer burger or fish and chips, or enjoy sunset with a pint of Alaskan amber on the bustling deck overlooking the Wrangell St. Elias Range. The Whistle Stop is the only lunch option in the lodge and offers the same menu for… ...more
A pleasant trail system meanders through the forest around the campus of the Wrangel-St. Elias Visitor Center near Copper Center, offering an introduction to the local ecosystem as well as extraordinary views of three volcanoes and the Copper River Valley.
Copper Center Parks & Trails View All
Follow in the footsteps of the original prospectors and native Alaskan inhabitants by going for a hike or mountain bike ride along the Klutina River. This trail covers the 23 miles between Copper Center and Klutina Lake, which was part of the original prospecting trail from Valdez to the Copper River. The river is fed by the massive glaciers of the Chugach Mountains to the south, and the beautiful turquoise color of the water indicates the… ...more
A pleasant trail system meanders through the forest around the campus of the Wrangel-St. Elias Visitor Center near Copper Center, offering an introduction to the local ecosystem as well as extraordinary views of three volcanoes and the Copper River Valley.
The museums are housed in historical cabins at the Copper Center Lodge. They contain early Russian religious articles, Athabascan baskets, telegraph equipment, mineral displays, copper and gold mining memorabilia and trapping articles from the early-day Copper Valley. A short walk takes you to the Stampeders Cemetery.