Try panning for gold at one of Alaska's gold mines.
Alaska has a rich and colorful history in the mining industry. It began with the Russians placer mining for gold in the early 1800s and continued throughout the 19th century as new deposits were found in the Juneau district, at Klondike and Fortymile in the Alaska interior, in the Matanuska and Susitna valleys, and at Valdez near the southwestern coast. Today, visitors to Alaska can see what it was like to live and work like miners of days past.
Gold Dredge No. 8
A five-story tall gold dredge is the central feature of a 90-minute tour of this historic area outside Fairbanks. The tour includes a film, a viewing of the dredge, museums housed by relocated camp buildings, a mining demonstration, and an opportunity to try gold-panning yourself. Prehistoric artifacts are also displayed. A "Miner's Buffet" lunch is available.
Gold Dredge No. 8
1755 Old Steese Highway
Fairbanks, Alaska 99712
907-457-6058
golddredgeno8.com
Alaska-Gastineau Mill & Gold Mine Tour
This half-day tour visits what remains of a 1915-21 gold operation south of Juneau, Alaska, and is an in-depth look at the mechanics and history of mining. The tour includes a 360-foot tunnel trip to see a mining demonstration. The tour also allows visitors to try panning for themselves. Reservations must be made through Princess Tours. Daily departures are available during the summer months.
Alaska-Gastineau Mill & Gold Mine Tour
151 Mill St.
Juneau, Alaska 99801
907-463-3900
El Dorado Gold Mine
Nine miles north of Fairbanks, you can ride a train through a tunnel in the Alaska permafrost on the El Dorado Gold Mine Tour to see both modern and historic mining operations. Narrators describe the sluicing process. You can pan for gold yourself and bring home your own bit of gold dust. Fresh-baked cookies, coffee and hot cocoa await you after your labors. Tours run mid-May to mid-September daily. Call for times.
El Dorado Gold Mine
1.3 miles off the Elliot Highway
Fox, Alaska 99709
866-479-6673
eldoradogoldmine.com
Independence Mine State Historical Park
For a more authentic sense of Alaska mines, visit the Independence Mine State Historical Park at Hatcher's Pass in the Talkeetna Mountains, two hours east of Anchorage. The site was an active mining operation from 1937 to 1943. From its first gold claim in 1906, the mine produced nearly $6 million in gold. The Mine Manager's House now houses the Visitor's Center, which is open only through the summer months. You can take the self-guided tour through the various buildings of the encampment and see displays of mining operations and the history of the mine. The park is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Guided tours are also available daily from June 20, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., to September. Call ahead for guided tours. Visitor mining is allowed with pan and shovel only. Information about the mine tour can be obtained from
Independence Mine State Historical Park
Mat-Su/CB Area Park Office
Mile 0.7 Bogart Road
HC 32, Box 6706
Wasilla, Alaska 99654
907-745-3975
dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/indmine.htm
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