Things to do nearKennecott Mines National Historic Landmark

Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark preserves one of the most significant copper-mining operations in American history, tucked deep inside Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve near the small community of McCarthy. The mines operated from around 1903 to 1938, extracting extraordinarily rich deposits of copper ore from the surrounding mountains and shipping it out via a purpose-built railroad that crossed some of the most challenging terrain in North America. At its peak, the site functioned as a self-contained company town, complete with a hospital, school, recreation facilities, and a 14-story concentration mill that still dominates the skyline today.

The National Park Service manages the landmark and has undertaken extensive preservation work to stabilize the iconic red and white structures, which include the mill building, power plant, and several bunkhouses. Rangers offer guided tours that take visitors inside the mill, explaining the ore-processing machinery and the daily lives of the workers who lived here in near-total isolation.

Outside the buildings, the landscape is equally compelling. Root Glacier flows directly alongside the historic structures, and trails lead across its surface as well as up into the surrounding alpine terrain. The Bonanza Mine trail climbs steeply above the townsite and rewards the effort with sweeping views of glaciers and peaks stretching to the horizon. Wildlife sightings, including Dall sheep on the ridgelines and bears in the valley, are common.

The combination of industrial heritage, dramatic glacial scenery, and genuine remoteness makes Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark a place unlike almost anywhere else in the United States.