Alaska Gold Panning Tours
Almost every major town or city in Alaska has gold mining as a major part of its history—and in some places, that history is still being written. In Nome, the most famous gold rush town in Alaska, you can still find prospectors working the beaches. Lots of people who come to Alaska end up looking for gold, whether it's just for a fun afternoon or a lifelong passion.
But first, two bits of bad news: You can't just start panning anywhere. Prospecting is only allowed on certain pieces of land: designated public lands or private lands. Second—remember, this is for fun, not to get rich. At some places, you'll be happy to find a few pieces small enough to make some earrings.
Price Range:
From free up to about $50 for day tours.
How-To Tips:
- Get the right gear. Plenty of people use serious gear such as metal detectors or suction-dredging devices, but all you really need is a pan and a small shovel. You can pick up a plastic pan and a foldable shovel for less than $20 total at hardware store. See our article on Gold Panning Equipment.
- Make sure you're not on someone else's claim. If you're not on a tour, keep an eye out for signs posting private claims or no trespassing. Public land is often defined as anything that's 150 feet, each way, from the center line of the road, but when in doubt, ask.
- Use the right moves. Dip your pan into a creek, get lots of water and then swirl it vigorously to separate out the sand—and find the glittering bits in the bottom.
Girdwood View All
Another easy trip from Anchorage, the resort town is home to Crow Creek Mine, where you can learn about mining and score some easy bits of gold.
Crow Creek Mine has been in operation since 1896, and gold is still found in its claims today! Your guides will be members of the mining family that keeps Crow Creek operational. This is their home, so tour groups are kept small, creating a more intimate environment and allowing more time for questions. Try your luck at panning, and keep what you find.
Hope View All
This small town of 200 is an easy day trip from Anchorage. You can do a demonstration-based gold tour at Indian Valley Mine a few miles south of Anchorage, then continue another hour onto Hope where you can pan in Resurrection Creek.
Resurrection Creek is the site of the exciting second discovery of gold on the Kenai Peninsula in 1888. Since 1895 this creek has yielded an approximated 30,000−40,000 ounces of gold. Itís been over 100 years since mining began at Resurrection Creek, but it is still a popular site for recreational gold panning. There is a half-mile stretch available for recreational gold panning that starts 4.5 miles from Hope, at the Resurrection Pass Trail… ...more
Skagway View All
Take a step back in time and experience the fun of gold mining and dinning
Walk the fine line between folklore and gold fever. The Liarsville Camp, near Skagway, was originally named after journalists who came here during the Klondike Gold Rush and cooked up all manner of tall tales. The event begins with an all-you-can-eat feast in the forest. Then explore the old trail camp and finish off your day with a visit the Fancy Goods store. You can also have your picture taken with one of the dance hall girls or the camp’s ...more
Fairbanks View All
This is home to one of the most famous gold mine attractions in the state, the Gold Dredge 8, where a tour combines a train ride with some sure-thing panning.
Gold Daughters provides a fun, hands-on way to learn about Fairbanks’ gold rush history, and get a glimpse of the same thrill that brought so many people to Alaska in the first place. Your entrance fee provides you with a poke of paydirt with guaranteed gold and lets you pan all day.
Hop aboard a narrow-gauge train and get ready to stake your claim to gold on this two-hour tour of Gold Dredge 8. Learn all about how 100,000 gold rushers fought the permafrost in their quest to get rich. Then grab some gold of your own!
Juneau View All
The capital city was named after a gold prospector and there are a variety of tours you can take that will get your hands, and pan, into the water.
Get a serving of history along with a classic Alaskan feast. The Gold Creek Salmon Bake, a two-hour experience out of Juneau, has been running for more than 30 years. It’s a great meal and an Alaskan tradition. You’re dispatched from your hotel and brought to a corner of the Southeast Alaska rainforest, which saw lots of activity during Alaska’s Gold Rush.
Come on this 1 ½‑hour tour outside Juneau, and you’ll get a big appreciation for prospectors who arrived here more than 100 years ago: This water is seriously cold. But this quick stroll into Alaska’s gold-fever-influenced past offers a fun history lesson, as well as a pleasantly short turn at panning in that icy water yourself — with a guarantee that you’ll score a little gold to take home. Alaska Travel Adventures’ Historic Gold Mining & ...more
Talkeetna View All
See the beautiful views Alaska has to offer with a fun 19 mile ride to the Gold panning site
There’s still gold in Alaska, and you can learn from Denali Gold Tours what it takes to pan for the shiny flakes in pristine water near Trapper Creek. Spend a half-day or full-day in the gorgeous Alaska countryside with your guide, who will share old-timer panning techniques and stories from the dramatic days of Alaska’s gold rush.
Anchorage View All
If you're staying in Anchorage, stay in-town and check out the local gold panning sites
This mine played a significant role in the early settling of the Turnagain Arm. The building here are on the National Register of historic places and the mine is unique because of its association with load mining. Indian Valley Mine was founded in 1910 by a vagabond who ran away from home at the age of 12, joined the circus and then finally traveled to Alaska during the gold rush. The Cowles family will tell you all about the history of this… ...more
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