Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias milestone event

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve will be in the spotlight this fall as public television airs Ken Burns’ newest documentary on national parks.

But for America's largest national park — with an area equivalent to six Yellowstones — there is even more excitement as the park celebrates 10 years of restoration work at the historic Kennecott Mine. Designated a National Historic Site in 1998, historians have been busy documenting the century-old mining community, recording interviews with residents who grew up as "Kennecott Kids" and restoring buildings at a site that remains the best example of early 20th century mining. On Sept. 6, a ribbon cutting ceremony will mark the completion of restoration on the mine's General Manager's Office.

Visitors can tour this and other historic mining structures, explore nearby glaciers or watch for wildlife that frequent the area. With four mountain ranges and nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States, the park and its newly restored Kennecott buildings are a great place to step off into a true Alaska adventure.