Kennecott Mines & Kennicott Glacier | Anchorage

The Kennecott Mines and Kennicott Glacier lie deep within Wrangell–St. Elias National Park & Preserve, one of Alaska’s most dramatic and least disturbed wilderness regions. Tucked into a steep mountain valley near McCarthy, the site combines an astonishing piece of early 20th-century industrial history with vast glacial scenery that still feels frontier-raw.

Historical Background

The Kennecott Copper Mines were established in 1900 after prospectors discovered extraordinarily rich copper ore in the surrounding mountains. Financed by Eastern investors-including J.P. Morgan and the Guggenheim family-the Kennecott Copper Corporation developed a massive mining complex that quickly became one of the most successful operations of its time. From 1911 to 1938, the mine produced over 4 million tons of ore, making it one of the richest copper deposits ever found.

The company built an entire self-sufficient town nearly 200 miles from the nearest railhead. The enormous red-painted mill building, 14 stories tall and clinging to the mountainside, served as the heart of the operation. Conveyor chutes fed raw ore into the mill, where it was crushed, sorted, and prepared for shipment down the Copper River & Northwestern Railway to the port of Cordova. Despite its isolation, Kennecott boasted a hospital, school, power plant, recreation hall, and staff housing-an advanced outpost in the wilderness.

When the ore ran out, the company closed the site in 1938, leaving behind an almost perfectly preserved ghost town. The area later became part of Wrangell–St. Elias National Park, and in 1986 it was designated a National Historic Landmark.

Exploring the Site

Today, the Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark is managed by the National Park Service, which has stabilized many of the original wooden buildings. Visitors can tour the Mill Building, the General Store, the Power Plant, and several residential cabins. Guided tours by park rangers or local outfitters reveal how miners lived and worked in one of Alaska’s harshest environments-often enduring long winters, steep climbs, and constant noise from the mill machinery.

The mill tour descends from the top of the structure through each stage of copper processing, with narrow stairways, rusted equipment, and dizzying views across the valley. It’s a raw, authentic experience that shows just how daring this operation once was.

Kennicott Glacier

Below the town stretches the Kennicott Glacier, a sprawling river of ice streaked with rock and moraine. From the edge of the Kennecott site, trails lead out toward the glacier’s toe, where you can walk on the ice with a guide, explore deep blue meltwater pools, and see the cracked, shifting landscape up close. The Root Glacier Trail, an easy 2-mile route, offers direct access to the ice, and guided glacier hikes provide crampons and safety gear for walking across its sculpted surface.

Standing there, you can look back toward the scarlet buildings of Kennecott, contrasting sharply against the pale glacial surface and the dark, jagged peaks of the Wrangell Mountains. The air feels clean and thin, carrying only the faint hiss of meltwater beneath the ice.

Getting There

Access to Kennecott is an adventure in itself. Most travelers drive from Anchorage or Fairbanks to the small town of Chitina, then continue along the McCarthy Road, a 60-mile gravel route built on the old railway bed. From the road’s end, a footbridge crosses the Kennicott River, and shuttle vans take visitors the final 5 miles to the Kennecott site. Small air taxis from Chitina, Glennallen, or Anchorage also land nearby for those preferring to skip the rough drive.

Atmosphere and Impressions

Kennecott feels suspended in time-a rust-red industrial skeleton against a background of untouched wilderness. The scent of sawdust and rust lingers inside the mill, while the glacier’s chill breath drifts up from the valley. It’s a place where history and landscape merge: man’s brief surge of ambition against the enduring calm of the mountains. For many travelers, standing among these weathered buildings above the shifting ice is one of Alaska’s most haunting and unforgettable experiences.