Why the Fourth of July in McCarthy, Alaska Is Unlike Anywhere Else
Wings Over the Wrangells - Fourth of July, 2026
There are bigger Fourth of July celebrations out there. There are certainly louder ones. But we'd argue there aren't many more unique than the one in McCarthy.
By the time Independence Day rolls around, summer in Wrangell–St. Elias is in full swing. The days are long, the flights are full, and the little town at the end of the road suddenly feels like the center of the universe. Pilots, guides, seasonal workers, longtime locals, and visitors from around the world all find themselves in the same place at the same time, ready for one of McCarthy's favorite traditions: the twice-around-town parade.
This year's float theme was Wings Over the Wrangells, a fitting tribute in a place where small planes are as much a part of life as muddy boots and late sunsets. It also had us reminiscing about Fourths of July gone by.
Over the years, our parade floats have celebrated all kinds of things. There was our 30th anniversary, a well-deserved tribute to our longtime mechanic Steve, a delightfully nerdy homage to the Wrangellia geologic terrane that helped shape these mountains, and even a "Surf's Up" edition of Wrangell Mountain Air. Like many things in McCarthy, some of those memories live on in photographs, while others seem to have drifted off into local legend.
That's part of what makes this community special. Every summer writes its own stories. The faces change, the themes evolve, and every year someone digs through old photos and remembers a float we'd nearly forgotten.
Meanwhile, the flying doesn't stop. Independence Day usually marks the beginning of our busiest stretch of the season. While the parade winds its way around town, our aircraft continue shuttling visitors into the park for glacier hikes, backpacking trips, packrafting adventures, flightseeing tours, and remote cabins tucked deep in the Wrangells.
It's a funny contrast that feels perfectly Alaskan: a tiny parade in a tiny town, surrounded by one of the largest protected landscapes on Earth.
We wouldn't have it any other way.
Happy Fourth of July from all of us at Wrangell Mountain Air! However you're spending the holiday, we hope it's filled with good company, a little adventure, and maybe a reason to look up when you hear an airplane overhead.
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