Historic Kennecott Mining Site (Alaska)

While my mind is on Alaska, I want to share with you one other amazing national park site from there.  Nestled within the borders of America's largest national park, Wrangell-St. Elias, the historic Kennecott mining site is an astounding relic of industry and ingenuity deep within the wilderness...

Historic Kennecott Mining Site

In case you doubt the validity of saying Kennecott is in the wilderness, this glacier is it's next door neighbor...

These mine buildings are considered to be "the best remaining example of early 20th century copper mining"

The park service has begun a slow and intensive process to decide which buildings they can stabilize and preserve.  It's quite the labor of love for an operation that has always been off the beaten path and continues to be so today.

Notice the rusting bullet holes in the lamp post

More Information:

Getting to Kennecott is an adventure.  

Located 315 miles east of Anchorage

and the last 62 miles are on the McCarthy Road, 

 35mph and gravel.  

Definitely heed the warnings and be prepared for flat tires.

The village of McCarthy is the stopping point for your drive.

McCarthy is as small and rough as you'd expect a wilderness hangout to be.

Don't expect a lot and you'll be blown away by this step back in time.

A shuttle will take you the last 5 miles to the mine.  

Want a truly historic experience?

Stay at the historic Kennecott Glacier Lodge.

You'll sleep in the shadows of all there is to see.