About Us

Luxury camping in McCarthy, Alaska

Welcome to Camp McCarthy!

About Camp McCarthy

My name is Denise, and I first came to McCarthy in 1993. It’s been my favorite place on Earth ever since.

After starting — and later passing on — The Potato, and building McCarthy Cabins, I found myself dreaming of something different: a camp where guests could fully immerse themselves in the wild beauty of Wrangell–St. Elias, yet still crawl into a truly comfortable bed at night. Camp McCarthy had been a dream of mine since 2008, and opening it in 2022 felt like bringing that vision full circle.

We kept it simple: four canvas tents on a bluff overlooking the Kennicott Valley, a timber-framed pavilion for morning coffee and evening campfires, hot showers, and epic views. No WiFi. No crowds. Just the mountains, the midnight sun, and the kind of peace you can't find anywhere else.

Camp McCarthy is for adventurers who spend their days hiking glaciers and exploring ghost towns, then return to a real bed beneath canvas and mountain skies. It’s for those who find joy in simple evenings — a campfire, a good book, unhurried conversation. It’s for anyone willing to make the journey to one of Alaska’s most remote and remarkable corners.

McCarthy isn’t easy to reach — and that’s part of its magic. When you make the trip, I want your stay to feel deeply worth the miles.

I run Camp McCarthy with a small crew who love this valley as much as I do. We're here to help you unplug, slow down, and discover why this place has held my heart for over 30 years.

— Denise Jantz

P.S. If you prefer a private log cabin with cooking facilities, check out McCarthy Cabins at Mile 56.5 on the McCarthy Road.