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Wrangell - St Elias · May
May is one of the best times to visit Wrangell - St Elias — busier than April, quieter than June.
Expect light crowds (2/10) and about 17.6 hours of daylight.
Crowd score
Well below this park's peak — easy parking, open trails, short lines.
About 17% of this park's busiest month.
Source: NPS Visitor Use Statistics, 2023–2025
Data: NPS visitation 2023–2025 · crowd scores computed Jul 2026 · alerts checked Jul 10, 2026. How this is calculated →
Computed from federal data · Methodology by Sharon Ben-Moshe
Visitation
May draws about 6% 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
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, May Creek, AK US
What's open
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
A recently observed landslide across the Lakina River is creating a debris hazard on a popular packrafting route. The river water is cutting its way through, but is highly dynamic and should be expected to remain that way through the boating season.
Source: NPS Data API
Context
Alternatives
FAQ
May rates 2/10 for crowds (Quiet) at Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve — about 17% of its busiest month. Typical recreation visits: 5,297.
In May, Wrangell - St Elias averages a high of 0°F and a low of 0°F, with about 0.8 inches of precipitation.
Entry to Wrangell - St Elias is free.
Wrangell - St Elias is quietest in January and February. If your dates are flexible, those months bring the thinnest crowds of the year.
In mid-May, Wrangell - St Elias gets about 17.6 hours of daylight, with sunrise around 2:40 AM and sunset around 8:15 PM.