Kennecott Mill Town
Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark
A well-preserved abandoned copper mining town beside a glacier. The red 14-storey concentrator stacks up the hillside, and the site is a US National Historic Landmark.
Kennecott was one of the world's richest copper mines from 1911 to 1938. Ore was carried to Cordova by the Copper River and Northwestern Railway, and at its peak the mining town housed hundreds of workers. After operations ceased, nearly the entire town was left intact. It is now managed by the National Park Service. Red-and-white wooden buildings line the moraine beside the Kennecott Glacier, and the 14-storey concentrator is the most striking. You can wander freely around the exteriors, the power plant, the hospital, the school and the visitor centre. Entering the concentrator requires a paid guided tour from a licensed tour company, which takes about 2 to 3 hours and should be booked ahead in peak season. From the McCarthy footbridge, a shuttle bus covers about 8 km to reach the site.
Opening hours
Summer (approx. late May–early Sep); mill interior by guided tour only
Nearby sights
- Root Glacier
- Bonanza Mine Trail
- Kennicott Glacier
- McCarthy
- Kennicott River Footbridge
- Stairway Icefall
- McCarthy Road
- Gilahina Trestle