Kennecott Hiking Trails & Food Storage National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve 

Erie Mine Trail 

Jumbo Mine Trail 

Bonanza Mine Trail 

Jumbo Creek 

Camping Area 

Root Glacier Trail 

Kennecott 

The Wagon Road 

Be Bear Aware! 

If you are camping, store all food, toiletries, 

and scented items in bear boxes that are 

marked on the map. Or you can check out 

a free Bear Resistant Food Container (BRFC) 

at the Kennecott Visitor Center. Talk with a 

park ranger to fnd out more about hiking 

and camping in bear country. 

Kennecott Visitor Center 

Bear Resistant Food Storage Box 

McCarthy Outhouse 

Revised 3/2015 EXPERIENCE YOUR AMERICATM 
Kennecott Area Information 

ACCESS: Getting to Kennecott Mines National Historic Landmark is part of the adventure. Park visitors are encouraged to enjoy 

the surrounding area as pedestrians. Please park your vehicles on the west side of the Kennicott River and plan to walk or bike 

into town. For those looking for a ride, there are regular shuttles to the both town sites during the summer season. Please do not 

bring ATV’s into Kennecott. Please respect private property in the area. 

ARTIFACTS: Kennecott and McCarthy area artifacts are a testament to lives lived and lost, hopes realized and shattered and the 

rich heritage of our nation. Take nothing from the area but inspiration for your soul, questions for your mind and photographs 

for your memories. 

BEARS: Both black bears and grizzly/brown bears live in the Kennicott Valley. From mid-July to late August, black bears frequent 

the area to feed upon ripe soapberries. Be observant while hiking. Do not interrupt the bears’ feeding and give them plenty of 

space. It is best to avoid all encounters with bears. To avoid bears: 

• Make noise, particularly where visibility is limited. Your voice is best. 

• Travel in groups; groups are noisier and easier for bears to detect. 

• Store food, trash, and smelly items in a bear resistant food container. Never store food in your tent. 

• Cook and store all food at least 100 yards from your tent. 

If the bear appears to be unaware of you, detour away quietly. Do Not Run! If the bear sees you, stop where you are. Wave 

your arms and talk to the bear in a clear loud voice. Retreat slowly, keeping the bear in sight. If the bear follows you, stand your 

ground. Do Not Run! If contact by a grizzly bear is imminent, play dead. Curl up into a ball or lie fat on the ground, face down 

and legs apart. Protect your neck. Leave your pack on to protect your back. If the attack is prolonged, fght back vigorously. If it is 

a black bear, fght back vigorously. Report all bear encounters to a park ranger. 

Kennecott Area Hikes 

Old Wagon Road 

This is an easy to moderate hike along the old wagon road between McCarthy and Kennecott. It is approximately a 

4.5-mile hike from McCarthy to Kennecott, taking 1.5 to 2 hours one-way. It is a pleasant trail slowly ascending through the forest, with some views of the mountains and the old Kennecott graveyard. A side trail, about 1 mile from McCarthy, will bring you 

to the terminal moraine at the toe of the Kennicott Glacier. This area has incredible views up the Kennicott Valley. 

To access the following trails walk through the Kennecott Mill Town towards the Root Glacier. About 1⁄2 mile beyond the Visitor 

Center the Road will split. The trail to the Root Glacier and Eire Mine continues straight out along the glacier’s edge and the trail 

to the Bonanza and Jumbo Mines turns right up the hill. 

Root Glacier Trail 

The trail has easy to moderate hiking. It is approximately a 3-mile round-trip from Kennecott to the toe of the Root Glacier, or an 

8-mile round-trip to the Erie Mine tram cables. This trail meanders along the lateral moraine of the Kennicott and Root Glaciers, eventually turning to the east for views of the Stairway Icefall and Erie Mine Bunkhouse. To continue on to the Eire Mine, 

another 1.5 miles one-way, be prepared to ascend and descend steep slopes. This last section of trail requires route fnding and 

advanced hiking skills. 

Bonanza Mine 

To access this trail see above description. The trail to Bonanza is a strenuous hike. At the top of the frst switchback, turn left and 

follow the road up the hill. If you end up at the top of the mill, you missed your turn. A mile further up the steep trail is a junction 

with the Jumbo Trail, go right. The total distance is approximately 9 miles round-trip, with a 3,800-foot elevation gain between 

the Kennecott Mill Town and the Bonanza Mine site. It takes 4 to 5 hours up, and 2 to 3 hours back down. On a clear day, spectacular views of the surrounding mountains can be seen along the entire route. 

Jumbo Mine 

To access this trail see above description. At the top of the frst switchback, turn left and follow the road up the hill. If you end 

up at the top of the mill, you missed your turn. A mile further up the steep trail is a junction with the Bonanza Mine, go left. The 

hike to Jumbo can seem more difcult than the Bonanza Mine trail because of a wet creek crossing 1⁄2 mile from the junction and 

heavy brush on the lower section of the trail. It is about a 10-mile round-trip, with an elevation gain of 3,400 feet. Make sure you 

check out the short side trail to Jumbo tram transfer station 1⁄4 mile up from Bonanza Creek. At the scree slope, the trail can be 

difcult to follow, stay on the lighter colored limestone rock to the right of the tram towers. 

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