crow creek mine

Girdwood, 37 miles south of Anchorage, packs Alyeska's summer tram, Crow Creek Mine gold panning, and the Winner Creek gorge trail into one day.

Pan for real gold at an 1896 Alaska gold rush site forty minutes from Anchorage. Eight preserved historic buildings, family-friendly summer day trip.

Gold panning near Anchorage: try Crow Creek Mine, Hope's Resurrection Creek, or Hatcher Pass' Little Susitna River — three real Alaska placer gold sites.

Gold panning is one of Alaska's most hands-on visitor experiences, and two excellent sites are within day-trip distance of Anchorage: Crow Creek Mine in Girdwood (operating since 1898) and Hatcher Pass Independence Mine State Historical Park. Here's how to plan your visit.