If you’ve always wanted to follow in the footsteps of the old gold rushers, gold panning in Alaska is the perfect activity for you and your family! Get out into the wilds of Alaska and pan through the creeks and rivers to find some of that elusive gold dust. These five places are some of the best places to try your hand at finding gold!

  1. Crow Creek Mine, Girdwood, Alaska

Trina S / TripAdvisor

Marine / TripAdvisor Try your hand at gold panning this stunning little river in Girdwood, off the Seward Highway. Crow Creek Mine is one of the prettiest little places to pan for gold! It’s so picturesque, you can actually rent out the area for weddings, too. Explore the historic buildings on the property and then find some gold dust to line your pockets!

  1. El Dorado Gold Mine, Fairbanks, Alaska

BonoAJ / TripAdvisor

BonoAJ / TripAdvisor Please note, El Dorado Gold Mine has permanently closed. This gold panning experience has a little bit of everything. Book a tour at Gold Dredge 8 and do more than just pan for gold. Take a tour of the mine, hop aboard a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad, and then finish off panning for gold yourself. This is a great tour because everyone is guaranteed to find some gold!

  1. Gold Creek Salmon Bake, Juneau, Alaska

management / TripAdvisor

MyVirtualVacations / TripAdvisor More than just a gold panning experience, this place is everything Alaskan. Enjoy fresh Alaskan Salmon sitting by a stunning waterfall, explore the area, and then cap off your visit for a gold pan down in Gold Creek. Take a peek at the abandoned mine before heading back to the eating area for dessert. You can’t go wrong in this awesome Juneau gold panning location!

  1. Chicken Gold Camp & Outpost, Chicken, Alaska

chickenrvpark / TripAdvisor

craftypen / TripAdvisor Stay the the Chicken RV Park & Campground while you flex your gold panning muscles at this gold camp! There’s actually a historic gold dredge that’s listed as a National Historic Site! You can even try suction dredging as they offer equipment rentals for you. Gold panning and instructions are free for everyone on their stand up troughs!

Have you tried gold panning in Alaska? What did you think? Where was your favorite spot? Let us know in the comments below!

Trina S / TripAdvisor

Marine / TripAdvisor

Try your hand at gold panning this stunning little river in Girdwood, off the Seward Highway. Crow Creek Mine is one of the prettiest little places to pan for gold! It’s so picturesque, you can actually rent out the area for weddings, too. Explore the historic buildings on the property and then find some gold dust to line your pockets!

BonoAJ / TripAdvisor

Please note, El Dorado Gold Mine has permanently closed. This gold panning experience has a little bit of everything. Book a tour at Gold Dredge 8 and do more than just pan for gold. Take a tour of the mine, hop aboard a replica of the Tanana Valley Railroad, and then finish off panning for gold yourself. This is a great tour because everyone is guaranteed to find some gold!

management / TripAdvisor

MyVirtualVacations / TripAdvisor

More than just a gold panning experience, this place is everything Alaskan. Enjoy fresh Alaskan Salmon sitting by a stunning waterfall, explore the area, and then cap off your visit for a gold pan down in Gold Creek. Take a peek at the abandoned mine before heading back to the eating area for dessert. You can’t go wrong in this awesome Juneau gold panning location!

chickenrvpark / TripAdvisor

craftypen / TripAdvisor

Stay the the Chicken RV Park & Campground while you flex your gold panning muscles at this gold camp! There’s actually a historic gold dredge that’s listed as a National Historic Site! You can even try suction dredging as they offer equipment rentals for you. Gold panning and instructions are free for everyone on their stand up troughs!

Read more about the gold rush and old towns in Alaska here: The Haunting Remains Of This Gold Rush Town In Alaska Are Downright Mysterious !

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.