Root Glacier
A glacier reached by a roughly 3 km walk from Kennecott, with blue ice caves, ice ridges and meltwater pools. It is one of the most accessible glacier hikes in the United States.
The Root Glacier trail starts at the northern end of the Kennecott mining town and follows the moraine about 3 km to the edge of the glacier. The round trip takes half a day. Without crampons, you can still look at the bare ice at the edge, but to explore the blue ice caves, crevasses and meltwater streams, join a licensed guided tour, which provides crampons and safety ropes and lasts from 3 to 6 hours. Along the way, you can look out over the massive stepped icefall and the remains of old mine sites. Summer days are long, but the weather changes quickly, so bring a waterproof jacket and sun protection. Never enter ice caves or go near crevasses alone.
Opening hours
All day in summer
Nearby sights
- Kennecott Mill Town
- Kennicott Glacier
- Stairway Icefall
- Bonanza Mine Trail
- McCarthy
- Kennicott River Footbridge
- McCarthy Road
- Gilahina Trestle