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Wrangell - St Elias · October
October is one of the best times to visit Wrangell - St Elias — quieter than September, about as busy as November.
Expect light crowds (1/10) and about 10 hours of daylight.
Crowd score
Well below this park's peak — easy parking, open trails, short lines.
About 2% 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
October draws about 1% 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
FAQ
October rates 1/10 for crowds (Quiet) at Wrangell - St Elias National Park & Preserve — about 2% of its busiest month. Typical recreation visits: 530.
In October, Wrangell - St Elias averages a high of 0°F and a low of 0°F, with about 1.6 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-October, Wrangell - St Elias gets about 10 hours of daylight, with sunrise around 6:14 AM and sunset around 4:16 PM.