Subsistence User’s Guide

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

I N S I D E

2 Map of Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve 

3 Subsistence Eligibility

4 Customary & Traditional 

Use 

Fishing

5 Hunting

6 Trapping 

7 Designated Hunter/Fisher

 Migratory Birds

8 Harvest of Timber, Plants 

 and Berries

 Handicrafts

9 Private Property

 Food Storage Rules

10-11 Methods of Access

12 The Role of SRCs and

 Changes to Federal 

 Subsistence Regulations

13 Contacts and Further 

 Information

14-15 Navigating the McCarthy

 and Nabesna Roads

National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Mason Reid photo

Subsistence in Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, along with other several 

conservation units in Alaska, was established in 1980 when the United 

States Congress passed and the President signed the Alaska National 

Interest Lands Conservation Act, commonly known as ANILCA. In 

setting aside approximately 100 million acres of land and resources 

throughout Alaska for enduring protection, ANILCA recognized the 

economic and cultural importance of the harvest of fish, wildlife and other 

wild resources to both Native and non-Native rural residents. Specifically, 

it provided the opportunity for those engaged in a traditional subsistence 

way of life on these federal lands to continue to do so. Subsistence harvest 

of fish and wildlife is allowed on federal public lands and waters in 

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve by qualified subsistence 

users subject to federal subsistence management regulations. Other aspects 

of subsistence, such as plant and timber harvest and access, are governed 

by National Park Service (NPS) regulations.

This guide has been developed to provide important information about 

subsistence activities in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. It 

describes eligibility for hunting, trapping, and fishing; key provisions for 

hunting, trapping and fishing; regulations about the harvest of firewood, 

plants and berries; collection of non-edible animal parts and plants for 

handicrafts; ways to access the park and preserve for subsistence activities; 

and ways to participate in the regulatory process.

For information about subsistence hunting, fishing, and trapping 

opportunities on other federal public lands and waters in Alaska, you 

should consult both the federal subsistence management regulations and 

the agency managing the lands, such as the Bureau of Land Management 

and the USDA Forest Service, about subsistence on the lands that they 

manage.

Some lands in Wrangell-St. Elias are designated as national park, while 

others are designated as national preserve. The map on page 2 shows the 

location of park and preserve lands along with the location of non-federal 

lands within Wrangell-St. Elias. Both Wrangell-St. Elias National Park 

and Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve are open to subsistence hunting, 

fishing and trapping under the Federal Subsistence Management Program 

regulations administered by the Federal Subsistence Board. The eligibility 

requirements for hunting and fishing in the national park, as well as 

allowed means of access, are different from those for the national preserve.
2 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

About the Map:

• Non-federal lands include Alaska Native Corporation conveyed lands, Native allotments, small isolated private tracts, University

of Alaska lands, and State of Alaska lands (e.g., lands managed by the Department of Natural Resources).

• Federal subsistence regulations do not apply to non-federal lands.

• Note that land status may change and that the maps in this brochure may not provide sufficient detail for you to locate non-federal

lands or access easements on the ground. Contact the park or the landowner (for Alaska Native Corporation lands) for further

information about land status.

• The maps in this brochure only show land status within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve. For

information about the location of other federal public lands in the area that are open to subsistence, contact the appropriate federal

land management agencies – the Bureau of Land Management, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the USDA Forest Service.

Map of Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve

p. 6

p. 14-15

p. 10

p. 14-15

(Unit)
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 3

Subsistence Eligibility in Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park and Preserve

Subsistence opportunities under ANILCA apply to rural 

Alaska residents. Eligibility is based on the physical 

location of your primary permanent residence, not on a 

mailing address, and seasonal residents do not qualify. 

Who is Eligible to Hunt, Trap, or Fish in the 

National Park?

To be eligible to hunt, fish or trap in Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park, you must be a rural Alaska resident with a 

positive customary and traditional use determination for 

the species and area you wish to hunt, trap or fish, and 

live either in a resident zone community or inside the 

park boundary, or have a 13.440 subsistence use permit

(see more information below).

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park has 23 resident zone 

communities: Chisana, Chistochina, Chitina, Copper 

Center, Dot Lake, Gakona, Gakona Junction, 

Glennallen, Gulkana, Healy Lake, Kenny Lake, Lower 

Tonsina, McCarthy, Mentasta Lake, Nabesna, Northway/

Northway Village/Northway Junction, Slana, Tanacross, 

Tazlina, Tetlin, Tok, Tonsina and Yakutat. Maps of the 

resident zone community boundaries for Dot Lake, 

Healy Lake, Northway, Tanacross, and Tetlin are on file 

at park headquarters and also available on the park 

website https://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/management/

subsistence-maps.htm. The other resident zone 

communities do not have established boundaries.

Rural residents who live outside the park or resident 

zone communities may apply to the superintendent for a 

subsistence use permit established under 36 Code 

of Federal Regulations (CFR) §13.440, also known 

as a 13.440 permit. To receive this permit you must 

demonstrate that you have or are a member of a family 

that has a history or pattern of using the national park for 

subsistence purposes at the time ANILCA was passed in 

1980 without using aircraft for access. This can be done 

in writing or by telephone or face-to-face interview with 

park staff. The permit is valid for all permanent 

residents of your household provided that you continue 

to live in a rural community. A positive customary and 

traditional use determination for the species and area you 

wish to hunt, trap or fish is also required.

Who is Eligible to Hunt, Trap, or Fish in the 

National Preserve?

To be eligible to hunt, trap or fish under federal 

subsistence regulations in Wrangell-St. Elias National 

Preserve, you must be a local rural resident. A local 

rural resident is any person who maintains their primary 

permanent home in or near the preserve. People who 

are eligible to harvest fish or wildlife under federal 

subsistence regulations in the park are considered local 

rural residents and are also eligible to subsistence hunt, 

trap and fish in the preserve. You must also have a 

positive customary and traditional use determination for 

the area and species you intend to harvest. 

ANILCA specifies that preserves are to be managed 

in the same way as parks and monuments with the 

exception that sport hunting is allowed in preserve areas. 

As a result, guided and unguided sport hunting under 

non-conflicting State of Alaska regulations is permitted 

in Wrangell-St. Elias National Preserve. Additionally, 

fishing under State of Alaska regulations is allowed in 

both the park and the national preserve. This presents 

subsistence users with a choice in the preserve; they can 

hunt, trap or fish under federal subsistence regulations or 

under state regulations. The primary difference being that 

federal regulations often have longer seasons and larger 

harvest limits than state regulations to provide a greater 

subsistence opportunity.

Note that you may not add harvest limits from state and 

federal harvests or from different areas to increase your 

total harvest limit unless the regulations specifically 

allow for this.

Fish wheel at Chitina. NPS photo
4 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Customary & Traditional Use

Fishing 

What are Customary and Traditional 

Use Determinations?

Customary and traditional use determinations (C&T) are 

made by the Federal Subsistence Board and are based on 

the community or area in which you live. They identify 

wildlife populations and fish stocks taken customarily 

and traditionally for subsistence purposes. A positive 

customary and traditional use determination means only 

residents from certain regions, communities, fishery 

management areas or game management units (referred 

to as "units" in the federal subsistence regulations) may 

harvest a species in a particular area.

Customary and traditional use determinations are listed 

in the Federal Subsistence Management Program 

regulation booklets for the harvest of wildlife and the 

harvest of fish and shellfish. Before going out to hunt, 

trap or fish for subsistence in the park or preserve, check 

to see if the community or area where you live has a 

“positive” C&T determination for where you intended to 

harvest fish or wildlife. The park and preserve are 

located in the Prince William Sound, Yakutat, and 

Yukon-Northern fishery management areas and overlap 

multiple units including 5A, 5B, 6A, 11, 12, and 13C.

When there is not enough of a species in an area for all 

user groups to harvest, C&T determinations identify 

who has priority to take that species under the federal 

subsistence program. Additionally, ANILCA §804

includes the following criteria to differentiate among

qualified users in times of shortage:

1. Customary and direct dependence upon the fish or

wildlife populations as the mainstay of livelihood;

2. local residency; and

3. availability of alternative resources.

Fishing

You don’t need a State of Alaska resident fishing 

license to subsistence fish under the federal subsistence 

regulations; however, a federal subsistence permit is 

required to fish for most species and waters in the park 

and preserve under federal subsistence regulations. 

Federal subsistence fishing regulations also apply to 

federal waters of the Copper River. Federal fishing 

permits for the Upper Copper River are available to 

federally qualified subsistence users at the Visitor Center 

in Copper Center, at the Slana Ranger Station, at the 

Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge office in Tok, and from 

the Ranger Staff in the Kennecott/McCarthy area. For 

information about federal subsistence fishing permits for 

park and preserve waters outside of the Upper Copper 

River District and the Batzulnetas Area, contact the 

fisheries biologist at park headquarters at (907) 

822-5234. Please bring a photo ID such as a driver’s

license and proof of local physical address when

applying for federal subsistence permits.

The primary fish species harvested by subsistence users 

in the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 

and in the Upper Copper River are salmon, burbot, lake 

trout, whitefish, and Arctic grayling. Allowed methods 

for subsistence harvest of fish under federal regulations 

may vary between streams and regulatory areas. Harvest 

methods may include fish wheels, dip nets, other types of 

nets, spears, and rod and reel. See the federal subsistence 

management regulations booklet for information specific 

to the area you intend to fish. Wrangell-St. Elias National 

Park and Preserve lies within three fishery management 

areas: Yakutat, Prince William Sound, and YukonNorthern.

State of Alaska subsistence fishing is also permitted in 

the Upper Copper River District downstream of Indian 

River. Contact the Alaska Department of Fish and 

Game for permits, any license requirements, and other 

information about the state subsistence and personal use 

fisheries in the Upper Copper River District. Fishing 

under state regulations within the park and preserve is 

only allowed using a closely attended hook and line. 

Chumming (placing fish eggs or parts, food, or other 

substances in the water to attract fish) is prohibited.

Moose meat and salmon hanging on a drying rack. NPS photo
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 5

Hunting

Hunting

Regardless of the type of hunt -- whether a general hunt 

under State of Alaska hunting regulations or a federal 

subsistence hunt -- a State of Alaska resident hunting 

license is required for hunters age 18 and older. A 

permanent identification card issued by the Alaska 

Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) to residents 

age 60 and older also satisfies the requirement for a 

state license. 

In addition, some hunts require a federal or state 

registration permit or a state harvest ticket. Consult the 

federal subsistence regulation booklet to determine 

whether a federal registration permit is required for a 

particular area and animal. When a federal registration 

permit is required for a given area, subsistence users are 

not required to have state permits or harvest tickets. 

Federal registration permits can be obtained in person 

during hunting season at the Visitor Center in Copper 

Center, at the Slana Ranger Station, at the Yakutat 

Ranger Station, and from the Ranger Staff in Kennecott/

McCarthy. Hunters 18 years of age or older should bring 

their hunting license or permanent ID card (for those 60 

years of age or older) along with photo ID such as a 

drivers license and proof of local physical address when 

applying for federal subsistence permits.

If a federal registration permit is not required, federal 

subsistence hunters must possess and comply with the 

provisions of any required state permit or harvest ticket. 

For example, there is no federal registration permit 

for the regular season sheep hunts in Units 11 and 12. 

Consequently, federal hunters are required to obtain 

a state harvest ticket for sheep and comply with the 

sealing requirements associated with that harvest ticket. 

Similarly, check state regulations for state harvest ticket 

or permit requirements when a federal permit for bear or 

moose is not required. State harvest tickets and some 

permits are available through the ADF&G website. 

They may also be obtained from ADF&G offices. 

Everyone issued a registration permit, including those 

who did not hunt or were unsuccessful, must turn in a 

harvest report within the time period specified on the 

permit. Harvest reports provide resource managers 

important information about the relative health and 

abundance of wildlife populations as well as harvest 

effort.

If you have both a state harvest ticket or permit and a 

federal registration permit when hunting in the preserve 

and you harvest an animal, submit only one successful 

harvest report for a given hunt area in accordance with 

the appropriate state or federal season and harvest limit. 

Please do not double report a successful harvest! Your 

other permit or ticket would report that you did not hunt.

In Units 11 and 12, hunters 60 years of age or older 

may hunt sheep under federal subsistence regulations 

either on their own or together with a youth aged 8 to 

15 years during an extended season. Note that the use 

of designated hunters is not allowed for sheep in these 

units.

Sealing of Hides or Skulls

If you harvest a bear, beaver, lynx, marten, otter, sheep, 

wolf, or wolverine you may need to have it sealed. 

Sealing means having an authorized representative of 

the Alaska Department of Fish and Game place a seal on 

an animal hide, skull, or both. These requirements apply 

to animals harvested under both hunting and trapping 

regulations. Sealing requirements vary by species and 

area, so check the federal subsistence regulation booklet 

for the harvest of wildlife for information relative to 

your particular harvest to see whether there are sealing 

requirements.

NPS Regulations on the Use of Bait to 

Harvest Bears

Federally qualified subsistence users may bait for bears in 

the park and preserve under federal subsistence 

regulations, provided that the bait used is either parts of 

legally taken native fish or wildlife that are not required to 

be salvaged or the remains of native fish or wildlife that 

died of natural causes. The Wrangell-St. Elias 

Superintendent may issue individual, annual permits 

allowing the use of human-produced food items as bait 

upon a finding that such use is compatible with the 

purposes and values for which the area was established 

(e.g., does not create a user conflict) and that the applicant 

does not have reasonable access to the natural bait 

described above. In the national preserve, subsistence 

users also have the option to bait for bears under State of 

Alaska regulations.
6 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Map of NPS Federal Public Lands in Unit 13C

Trapping

Trapping

To trap wildlife in the park or preserve under federal 

subsistence regulations, you must have a state trapping 

license and comply with federal subsistence trapping 

regulations, which can be found in the back of the 

federal subsistence regulations booklet for the harvest of 

wildlife. 

Additionally, NPS regulations define a trap as “a 

snare, trap, mesh, wire or other implement, object or 

mechanical device designed to entrap or kill animals 

other than fish.” For this reason, free-ranging furbearers 

may not be taken with a firearm or bow and arrow on 

NPS lands, including the park and preserve, under a 

trapping license. However, free-ranging furbearers 

may be taken with a firearm under a hunting license 

consistent with seasons and harvest limits in the federal 

subsistence hunting regulations. A firearm may also be 

used to dispatch a furbearer that is caught in a trap.

Established trails in the park may be used by others. 

Please trap in ways that minimize conflicts between 

trapping and other users, for example, avoid situations 

where you might catch a domestic dog or cat, such as 

near homes or trails frequently used by skiers, skijorers, 

or mushers. At the end of the season, please remove all 

litter from the trapline.

Engaging in trapping activities as the employee of 

another person is prohibited.

Tanned furs for sale in local shop. NPS photo

Note: NPS lands in Unit 13 start at the edge of the road right-of-way, 

NOT at the edge of the road. The boundary is at least 150 feet south of the 

centerline of the Tok Cutoff.

(Unit)
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 7

Ducks are singed to remove feathers. NPS photo

Designating Another to 

Hunt or Fish for You

If you are a federally qualified subsistence user, you may 

designate another federally qualified subsistence user 

to hunt moose or caribou or take fish on your behalf. 

Additionally, unit-specific provisions allow for the use 

of a designated hunter for goat in Unit 5 only. Use of a 

designated hunter to harvest sheep is not allowed. Using 

a designated hunter or fisher allows residents who are 

unable to hunt or fish for themselves to acquire the meat 

and fish they need for subsistence.

You can designate only one person to hunt or fish for 

you at one time. Designated hunters and fishers may 

hunt or fish for more than one recipient, but cannot have 

more than two harvest limits in their possession at any 

one time unless otherwise specified in the regulations. 

All designated hunters and fishers must get a designated 

harvest permit and return a completed harvest report.

Wildlife and fish taken by designated hunters and fishers 

count toward the person’s harvest limit for whom the 

wildlife or fish is taken. Any species of fish allowed 

for subsistence uses in an area may be taken under a 

designated harvest permit.

Any person designated to harvest moose, caribou, goat 

(Unit 5 only) or fish for another federally qualified 

resident must deliver the meat or fish promptly to the 

recipient. In addition, they cannot charge for their 

services or claim any part of the wildlife or fish for 

themselves. 

Subsistence Harvest 

of Migratory Birds

The harvest of migratory birds in Alaska for subsistence 

during the spring and summer is regulated by the 

Migratory Bird Treaty Act and associated regulations. 

Permanent residents of some but not all of the park’s 

resident zone communities are eligible to participate in 

this harvest. As of 2020, the eligible communities are as 

follows: Chistochina, Chitina, Copper Center, Dot Lake, 

Gakona, Gulkana, Healy Lake, Mentasta Lake, 

Northway, Tanacross, Tazlina, Tetlin, Tok, and Yakutat 

(glaucous-winged gull egg gathering only).

The spring/summer subsistence harvest is managed by 

the Alaska Migratory Bird Co-Management Council, 

which is comprised of representatives from the U.S. Fish 

and Wildlife Service, the Alaska Department of Fish 

and Game, and Alaska’s indigenous inhabitants. For 

specific regulations on the spring-summer subsistence 

harvest, including which communities can participate 

in which areas, consult the Alaska Subsistence Spring/

Summer Migratory Bird Harvest booklet. For additional 

information contact the Alaska Migratory Bird CoManagement Council at (907) 786-3887. Or see their 

web site: http://www.alaskamigratorybirds.com/.

Local rural residents may harvest waterfowl in 

the preserve during the fall under State of Alaska 

regulations. Contact the Alaska Department of Fish and 

Game for harvest regulations and other information 

about the fall harvest.

In addition to hunting licenses, waterfowl hunters 18 

years of age or older must have a current State of Alaska 

Duck Stamp, except for disabled veterans, those 60 

years or older, and those that qualify for a low-income 

license. Under a 2014 law, Alaska subsistence hunters 

are exempt from the requirement to carry a Federal Duck 

Stamp while hunting migratory waterfowl in the state of 

Alaska. To qualify for this exemption, you must be a 

permanent rural Alaska resident as defined in the Federal 

Regulations for the Alaska Subsistence Spring/Summer 

Migratory Bird Harvest (50 CFR Part 92.4) or in the 

Federal Subsistence Management Regulations (50 CFR 

Part 100.23) or an eligible person (defined in 92.4) 

living in an included area (defined in 92.5(a)). If you 

qualify for this exemption, you may hunt migratory 

waterfowl without a Federal Duck Stamp during any 

waterfowl season in Alaska for which you are qualified.

Designated Hunters/Fishers

Migratory Birds
8 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Harvest of Timber, Plants and Berries

Local rural residents may gather dead or downed timber 

for firewood without a permit. Non-commercial cutting 

of standing timber greater than three inches in diameter 

at ground height is allowed for appropriate subsistence 

uses such as house logs, when certain criteria are met. A 

permit is required and can be applied for through park 

headquarters in Copper Center. No commerical use of 

house logs or firewood harvested or collected in the park 

and preserve is allowed. Standing timber less than three 

inches in diameter may be harvested by NPS-qualified 

subsistence users without a permit.

No permit is required for the non-commercial gathering 

of berries, mushrooms, and other plant materials by 

NPS-qualified subsistence users.

Handicrafts

Under regulations finalized in 2017, NPS-qualified 

subsistence users may collect and use nonedible fish 

and wildlife parts, such as horns and antlers, and 

plant materials from park and preserve lands to make 

handicrafts for personal use or to exchange through 

customary trade or barter. (“Customary trade’’ means 

the exchange of handicrafts or furs for cash to support 

personal or family needs; and does not include trade 

which constitutes a significant commercial enterprise.) 

Eligibility to collect plants or nonedible animal parts 

follows the same criteria for other subsistence uses in 

national parks, monuments and preserves. Collection 

of nonedible wildlife parts is limited to NPS-qualified 

subsistence users who are residents of communities 

or areas with a federally recognized customary and 

traditional use determination for each species in the 

game management unit where the collection occurs. In 

other words, if an NPS-qualified subsistence user can 

lawfully harvest the wildlife species in a particular area 

for subsistence uses, then they are allowed to collect 

nonliving, nonedible parts of that same species they 

encounter in the area. 

The superintendent has authorized in writing the 

collection of nonedible animal parts throughout 

Wrangell-St. Elias. The sale of raw, unworked plant 

materials or animal parts collected from park and 

preserve lands is prohibited, as is the use of paid 

employees to collect animal parts. The regulations 

also allows NPS-qualified subsistence users to collect 

nonedible animal parts and plants on behalf of another 

NPS-qualified subsistence user or for cultural or 

educational programs that are qualified under federal 

subsistence program regulations at 50 CFR 100.25(g). 

Designated collectors must obtain a permit from the 

superintendent. 

Harvest of Timber, Plants & Berries

Handicrafts

Hand-woven birch bark basket. NPS photo 

Freshly picked lowbush cranberries. NPS photo 
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 9

Please Be Aware of and Respect 

Private Property

Approximately 1 million of the 13 million acres of land 

within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National 

Park and Preserve are non-federal lands belonging to 

Alaska Native Corporations, other private owners, the 

University of Alaska, and the State of Alaska. Significant 

amounts of these non-federal lands are located along 

the McCarthy Road and along the east bank of the 

Copper River (see maps pages 14 & 15). Federal 

subsistence harvest regulations do not apply to state and 

private lands, which fall under the jurisdiction of state 

regulations.

Subsistence users are responsible for being aware of and 

respecting the ownership status of lands where they are 

engaged in subsistence activities. Crossing private lands, 

other than legally reserved public access easements, 

without the permission of the landowner, as well as 

camping or hunting on such lands without permission 

is trespassing. Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 

(ANCSA) 17(b) easements cross lands belonging to 

Alaska Native Corporations in order to provide access 

to public lands and waters. Other uses within the 17(b) 

easements, including hunting, trapping, fishing and 

camping require permission and possibly a permit from 

the landowner. And in some cases these activities are 

prohibited.

Contact the park or the landowner for further information 

about land status within the park and preserve 

boundaries. For information about Native Corporation 

lands, contact the Lands Department at Ahtna, Inc., at 

(907) 822-3476 and the Chitina Native Corporation at

(907) 823-2223. Interactive maps of Ahtna lands can be

viewed at: http://ahtna-inc.com/lands/.

Food Storage Rules

Throughout the park, all food (except legally taken 

game) and beverages, food and beverage containers, 

garbage, harvested fish and equipment used to cook 

or store food must be stored in a bear resistant food 

container (BRFC) or secured—

● Within a hard sided building;

● Within lockable and hard sided section of a vehicle,

vessel, or aircraft; or

● By caching a minimum of 100 feet from camp and

suspending at least 10 feet above the ground and

4 feet horizontally from a post, tree trunk or other

object on a line or branch that will not support a

bear’s weight.

These rules apply to everyone, including subsistence 

users. For information about approved bear resistant 

food containers contact the park or visit the park website 

at: https://www.nps.gov/wrst/planyourvisit/bearresistant-food-containers.htm. Bear resistant food 

containers may be available for loan free of charge from 

the Copper Center Visitor Center, the Kennecott Visitor 

Center, and the Slana Ranger Station. 

This provision does not apply to:

● Clean dishes and cooking equipment that are free of

food odors.

● Food that is being transported, consumed or prepared

for consumption.

● The use of bait for trapping and hunting under the

provisions of state and federal law.

● Food carried by persons climbing or traveling above

the firn line on snow covered terrain.

The intent of these designations is to prevent bears and 

other wildlife from obtaining and becoming conditioned 

to food and garbage, thus protecting wildlife and park 

visitors alike.

Private Property

Food Storage Rules

Park resident and federally qualified subsistence user Fred Denner 

harvests fresh produce from his garden. NPS Photo.
10 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Off-Road Vehicles

Any permanent resident of a resident zone community, 

resident of the park, or holder of a 13.440 permit may 

use an off-road vehicle (ORV), including an all-terrain 

vehicle (ATV), for subsistence access within the park 

and preserve north of the Bagley Ice Field providing 

resource damage does not occur. A permit is not 

required, but is recommended. Trail maps and permits 

are available at the Slana Ranger Station and the Visitor 

Center in Copper Center. To minimize resource damage, 

it is recommended that ORV users travel on established 

trails and dry river beds.

The following types of vehicles are prohibited off-road 

for subsistence and recreational uses:

● Nodwells or other tracked rigs greater than 5.5 feet

in width or 4,000 pounds curb weight;

● Street-legal highway vehicles;

● Custom 4x4 jeeps, SUVs, or trucks designed for offroad use;

● Original or modified ‘’deuce and a half’’ cargo

trucks;

● Dozers, skid-steer loaders, excavators, or other

construction equipment;

● Motorcycles or dirt bikes; and

● Log skidders.

Wheeled vehicles (including all-terrain/off-road vehicles, 

utility vehicles, and Argos) must weigh less than 1,500 

pounds curb weight, not including trailers. Curb weight 

refers to the weight of the vehicle without accessories, 

passengers, cargo, or fluids.

Methods of Access

FEIS Wilderness Area Designated Trails Map

NPS-acquired 

easement provides 

access across private 

property at Copper 

Lake. Easement 

allows for legal 

access to Black 

Mountain trails.
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 11

Additional rules apply to subsistence ORV use in the 

Slana-Nabesna area. For trails in the Black Mountain 

area and the southern portions of the Tanada Lake 

Trail (formally called the Final Environmental Impact 

Statement Nabesna Off-Road Vehicle Management Plan 

(FEIS) Wilderness Area), subsistence ORV users must 

stay on trails or, for the purpose of game retrieval only, 

within identified trail corridors (1/2 mile on either side 

of the trail). ORV use outside of these designated trail 

corridors in the FEIS Wilderness Area is prohibited. 

These boundaries of the FEIS Wilderness Area are 

shown on the map on page 2. The designated trails and 

trail corridors are identified on the map on page 10. The 

old Soda Lake Trail is closed to subsistence ORV use 

except during periods of adequate snow cover. Adequate 

snow cover is defined snow of sufficient depth, generally 

6-12 inches or more, or a combination of snow and frost

depth sufficient to protect the underlying vegetation and

soil.

Subsistence ORV use is prohibited on Wrangell-St. Elias 

managed lands south of the Bagley Ice Field and Seward 

Glacier, including on the Malaspina Forelands above 

mean high tide.

Visiting friends and relatives from outside the area, 

sport hunters, and local rural residents not engaged in 

subsistence may only use ORVs on designated trails, 

must travel outside of designated wilderness, and must 

obtain a recreational ORV permit. 

Airplanes 

Fixed wing airplanes may be used to access Wrangell-St. 

Elias National Preserve for the taking of fish or wildlife 

under federal subsistence regulations. However, taking 

ungulates, bear, wolves, wolverine, or other furbearers 

with a firearm or other weapon before 3 AM following 

the day in which airborne travel occurred is prohibited, 

except for flights in regularly scheduled commercial 

aircraft between regularly maintained public airports. 

Airplanes may also be used to access the preserve 

to harvest fish and wildlife under state regulations. 

Airplanes may not be used to access the national park 

to take fish or wildlife for subsistence uses, although 

accessing the national park to sport fish under state 

regulations is allowed. Subsistence users may not land 

outside the park, in the preserve, or on private lands 

such as inholdings or Native allotments and walk into 

the national park to take fish and wildlife for subsistence 

purposes. Residents of Yakutat may request a permit 

under an exception in ANILCA to access the Malaspina 

Forelands Area using aircraft for subsistence purposes. 

Contact the Yakutat Ranger Station or park headquarters 

for permit information. 

Snowmachines, Motorboats and 

Nonmotorized Means of Surface 

Transportation

Motorboats and nonmotorized means of surface 

transportation, such as dog teams, may be used to access 

both the park and the preserve for any purpose, including 

subsistence. Snowmachines may be used for traditional 

activities, including subsistence, and for travel to and 

from villages and homesites when there is adequate 

snow cover (at least 6 to 12 inches of snow). 

The use or possession of domestic goats or sheep, 

including as pack animals, is prohibited. Use or 

possession of llamas, alpacas, or any other domestic 

animal of the Camelidae or Bovidae family within NPS 

administered areas as pack animals is only allowed 

in accordance with written authorization from the 

superintendent. Authorized pack or saddle animals may 

graze in NPS areas without a permit for less than 14 

days per calendar year provided that the grazing is in 

conjunction with their use as a pack or saddle animal and 

any feed brought into the park conforms to the Alaska 

Weed Free Forage Certification. 

Methods of Access

Unloading ORV at the trailhead. Photo courtesy D. Sarafin
12 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

What is the Role of the 

Subsistence Resource Commission?

The Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Subsistence 

Resource Commission (SRC) provides a venue for local 

subsistence users to have input into the management 

of subsistence resources in Wrangell-St. Elias 

National Park. The purpose of the Commission is to 

recommend to the Governor of Alaska and the Secretary 

of the Interior a program for subsistence hunting 

within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Since the 

establishment of the Federal Subsistence Management 

Program in 1990, the SRC has also been making 

recommendations on proposals for hunting, trapping 

and fishing regulations (e.g., harvest limits, seasons, and 

customary and traditional use determinations) affecting 

the park directly to the federal subsistence Regional 

Advisory Councils (RACs) and the Federal Subsistence 

Board.

The commission is comprised of nine local rural 

residents representing geographic, cultural, and user 

diversity from within the region. SRC members are 

appointed by the Governor (3 members), the Secretary 

of the Interior (3 members), and the federal subsistence 

RACs (one each from the Southcentral, Eastern Interior 

and Southeast RACs). The SRC generally meets twice 

a year in September/October and February/March. 

Meetings are open to the public, and public comments 

are welcome. For a list of the current members or 

information about how to apply for a seat on the SRC, 

contact park headquarters or see the park’s web site at 

https://www.nps.gov/wrst/learn/management/

subsistence.htm. 

How Changes are Made to 

Federal Subsistence Regulations

The Federal Subsistence Board determines which 

subsistence wildlife and fish species are open to harvest, 

which communities and areas are eligible to harvest, 

the harvest limits and seasons, the methods by which 

an animal or fish may be taken, and other management 

measures. The Board consists of officials from the 

National Park Service, the Fish and Wildlife Service, 

the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Indian 

Affairs, and the Forest Service, along with two public 

members who possess personal knowledge of and direct 

experience with subsistence uses in rural Alaska. A 

representative appointed by the Secretaries of Interior 

and Agriculture serves as the chair.

The Federal Subsistence Board relies heavily on the 

input from local subsistence users when considering 

regulatory changes. Subsistence users can participate in 

the development and review of regulations by submitting 

proposals to change regulations, commenting on 

proposals submitted by others, and testifying at public 

meetings. Regulations are subject to change every two 

years.

Opportunities to participate in the development of 

federal subsistence regulations occur throughout the 

year. The regulatory cycle starts with a call for proposals 

in January. The call for proposals to change hunting and 

trapping regulations is issued in odd numbered years, 

and for fishing regulations the call is issued in even 

numbered years. Anyone can submit a proposal. Once a 

proposal book is released, comments may be submitted 

directly to the Federal Subsistence Board; as public 

testimony at meetings of the Regional Advisory Councils 

and SRCs, typically in the fall; and as testimony at 

the Federal Subsistence Board regulatory meeting that 

occurs in January (for fisheries proposals) or April (for 

wildlife proposals) of the following year. To find out the 

specific date when proposals must be submitted, meeting 

dates, deadlines for comments, or for more information 

consult the Federal Subsistence Management regulations 

booklet, the program website at https://www.doi.gov/

subsistence, or call the Federal Subsistence Management 

Program staff at 1-800-478-1456 or (907) 786-3888. 

NPS regulations may supersede all federal and state 

subsistence hunting, trapping and fishing regulations.

The Role of SRCs 

Changes to Federal Subsistence Regulations

Wrangell-St. Elias SRC meets in Copper Center. NPS photo
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 13

Contacts and Further Information

For More Information

More information, including federal subsistence hunting 

and fishing permits, can be obtained from Wrangell-St. 

Elias National Park and Preserve offices:

Park Headquarters and Visitor Center

P.O. Box 439 / Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway

Copper Center, AK 99573

Phone: (907) 822-5234

Fax: (907) 822-3281

Email: wrst_subsistence@nps.gov

Slana Ranger Station

P.O. Box 885 / Mile 0.2 Nabesna Road

Slana, AK 99586

Phone: (907) 822-7401

Fax: (907) 822-5248

Stop here for ORV/ATV permits, federal subsistence 

registration permits, trail locations, regulation booklets, 

maps, and road conditions. Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. 

to 5 p.m., June through September. By appointment only 

October through May.

Yakutat Ranger Station

P.O. Box 137

Yakutat, AK 99689

Phone: (907) 784-3295

During the summer, federal subsistence hunting and 

fishing permits are also available from the Ranger Staff

in the Kennecott/McCarthy area.

Other Useful Information that 

May Be Obtained at Park Offices

Federal Subsistence Management Regulation 

Booklets: These booklets list the seasons, harvest limits, 

and customary and traditional use determinations for 

each game management unit and fishery management 

area in the state. Permit and other requirements are listed 

in the booklets as well as any special restrictions or 

information relating to specific harvests. These booklets 

are updated every two years in coordination with the 

regulatory cycle. They are available at the Visitor Center 

in Copper Center, at the Slana Ranger Station, and on the 

web at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence.

National Park Service Regulations: The National Park 

Service regulations that apply to Alaska parks are 

contained in 36 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 

13. These regulations were first established in 1981 and

change infrequently.

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Subsistence Plan:

The plan describes subsistence issues in the park that the 

NPS and Subsistence Resource Commission are 

addressing. The plan may be viewed at park headquarters 

in Copper Center.

Orange delicious mushrooms, NPS photo

Canning is one way rural Alaskans preserve their salmon harvest. 

NPS photo
14 Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Navigating the McCarthy and Nabesna Roads

McCarthy Road Mileposts*

Mile 14.5 Access road on the north to backcountry trails. 

Please respect private property by staying on 

the road.

Mile 15.8 Park on both sides of road for next 4 miles.

Mile 19.8 Park on north side of road. Preserve on south 

side of road.

Mile 25.5 Preserve on both sides of road.

Mile 43.9 Road crosses Lakina River.

Mile 60.0 Road ends at the Kennicott River.

Notes: 

Much of the land adjacent to the McCarthy Road is private 

property, or owned by the University of Alaska or the State 

of Alaska. Please respect the rights of private property 

owners.

Mileposts are based on existing road markers. 

* Mileage may vary slightly from vehicle to vehicle. Look

for signs marking land status changes.

Nabesna Road Mileposts*

Mile 0.2 Slana Ranger Station. See page 13 for more 

information.

Mile 1.7 Game Management Unit 11 boundary.

Mile 2.5 National Preserve boundary. The south side of 

the road forms the northern boundary of the 

Preserve for the next 1.3 miles.

Mile 3.8 Land on both sides of the road is Preserve.

Mile 5.4 National Park boundary. The south side of the 

road is Park and the north side of the road is 

Preserve.

Mile 25.0 Game Management Unit 12 boundary.

Mile 27.8 Kendesnii Campground

Mile 28.7 Preserve is on both sides of the road.

Mile 41.8 End of state maintenance of Nabesna Road.

Nabesna Road

McCarthy Road
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve 15

(Unit)
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

Subsistence User’s Guide

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve

P.O. Box 439

Copper Center, Alaska 99573-0439

Phone: 907-822-5234 

Fax: 907-822-3281

Web: www.nps.gov/wrst

Email: wrst_subsistence@nps.gov

Smoking salmon at a Copper River fish camp. NPS photo

Revised Sept. 2020