River Running

Cordova-based Alaska River Expeditions (907/424-7238 or 800/776-1864, www.alaskarafters.com [1]) leads a variety of rafting trips inside the park, including a five-day float ($1,850) on the powerful Copper River, and 10-day trips ($2,500) that begin in McCarthy [2] and continue all the way to the Million Dollar Bridge [3] near Cordova [4].

Operating from McCarthy, in the heart of the park, Copper Oar (907/554-4453 or 800/523-4453, www.copperoar.com [5]) offers a float-and-fly day trip that includes a float down the Kennicott [6] and Nizina Rivers followed by a flight back to McCarthy for $275. The company also runs a wide variety of longer floats.

Gakona-based River Wrangellers (907/822-3967 or 888/822-3967, www.riverwrangellers.com [7]) has Class III trips down the Klutina River ($99 for 4 hours), and the accessible Tonsina River ($199 for 8 hours). They also rent out rafts and other river gear, and provide shuttles for do-it-yourselfers.

St. Elias Guides (907/554-4445 or 888/933-5427, www.steliasguides.com [8]) has multiday raft trips in the Wrangells, starting with a three-day trip down the Chitina River for $990.