Fodor's Expert Review Copper River Delta

This 35-mile-wide wetlands complex east of Cordova, a crucial habitat for millions of migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway, is one of North America's most spectacular vistas. The delta's nearly 700,000 acres are thick with marshes, forests, streams, lakes, and ponds. Numerous terrestrial mammals, including moose, wolves, lynx, mink, and beavers, live here, and the Copper River salmon runs are world-famous. When the red and king salmon hit the river in spring, there's a frantic rush to net the tasty fish and rush them off to markets and restaurants all over the country. The delta is connected by the Million Dollar Bridge, an impressive feat of engineering notable for its latticework.

The Forest Service had built an imposing viewing pavilion across the Copper River from Childs Glacier—famous for the spectacle of its calving icebergs and tidal waves—but in 2011, a natural change in the river's flow compromised Bridge 339 at Mile 36, and then several years later it washed out at Mile 44. With every new administration, there are talks of reconstructing the bridge and road, but due to continued budgetary constraints and the hefty price tag of repair, it is unlikely road access will be recreated any time in the near future. The only way to see the glacier now is to book a private helicopter or plane tour or float the 140 miles or so from Chitina. The rules for these float trips are continually changing, but while you're in town, it's worth investigating if there are any motorboat outfitters currently permitted to give rides upriver to the glacier. This difficulty of getting to Childs Glacier has only slightly deterred visitors, as travelers from all over the world still come just to see the awe-inspiring glacier; though in recent years, it has ceased to calve with much frequency due to the receding of the ice and the lowering of river waters.