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Wrangell - St Elias · January

Wrangell - St Elias in January

January is one of the best times to visit Wrangell - St Elias — about as busy as December, about as busy as February.

Expect light crowds (1/10), highs near 6°F, and about 6.4 hours of daylight.

Crowd score

How busy it gets

1/10
Quiet

Well below this park's peak — easy parking, open trails, short lines.

About 0% of this park's busiest month.

Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, 2023–2025

Data: NPS visitation 2023–2025 · crowd scores computed Oct 2026. How this is calculated →

Computed from federal data · Methodology by Sharon Ben-Moshe

Visitation

Typical January visits vs. the year

January (typical)25
Peak — July31,254
Quietest — January25

January draws about 0% of Wrangell - St Elias’s yearly visitors.

Typical monthly recreation visits, averaged over the most recent three full years.

Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, 2023–2025

Weather

January weather

Avg high
6°F
Avg low
-9°F
Precipitation
0.9"
Sunrise
8:28 AM
Sunset
2:52 PM
Daylight
6.4h

Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, MCCARTHY 3 SW, AK US

What's open

Wrangell - St Elias in January: access

The park and public lands are always open but visitor facilities have limited seasons: Open in Summer. Call ahead for hours: Copper Center (907) 822-7250, Slana (907) 822-7401, Chitina (907) 823-7250 and Kennecott (907) 205-7106. CLOSED Mid-September through April.

No seasonal road or area closures reported for this park.

Source: NPS Data API

Conditions

Current alerts

No current alerts or closures reported for this park.

Source: NPS Data API

Context

Wrangell - St Elias crowds across the year

January: 1/10 crowd1JanFebruary: 1/10 crowdFebMarch: 1/10 crowdMarApril: 1/10 crowdAprMay: 2/10 crowdMayJune: 7/10 crowdJunJuly: 10/10 crowdJulAugust: 8/10 crowdAugSeptember: 3/10 crowdSepOctober: 1/10 crowdOctNovember: 1/10 crowdNovDecember: 1/10 crowdDec

FAQ

Wrangell - St Elias in January

How busy is Wrangell - St Elias in January?

January rates 1/10 for crowds (Quiet) at Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve — about 0% of its busiest month. Typical recreation visits: 25.

What is the weather like at Wrangell - St Elias in January?

In January, Wrangell - St Elias averages a high of 6°F and a low of -9°F, with about 0.9 inches of precipitation.

How much does it cost to visit Wrangell - St Elias?

Entry to Wrangell - St Elias is free.

When is Wrangell - St Elias least crowded?

Wrangell - St Elias is quietest in January and February. If your dates are flexible, those months bring the thinnest crowds of the year.

How many hours of daylight does Wrangell - St Elias get in January?

In mid-January, Wrangell - St Elias gets about 6.4 hours of daylight, with sunrise around 8:28 AM and sunset around 2:52 PM.