Gold Panning at Crow Creek Mine, Alaska
ALLOWED
No permit required
Key Conditions
- This is private, family-owned mining property. The panning fee ($39 adult, $35 senior or Alaska resident/military, $30 child in 2026) is your permission. No government permit is needed to hand-pan
- Open 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily, May 15–September 15 only. Outside that window there's no legal panning on the property
- Gold you pan from the creek is yours. Rusty relics go to staff or stay where you found them
- Bringing your own suction dredge or high-banker costs $40 per inch of intake plus the panning fee, and you need Alaska DEC's AKG375000 registration before you discharge any water
- The creek above and below the property isn't a free-for-all. Chugach National Forest land in the valley can carry unpatented mining claims, and you need the claimant's permission to pan on one
Crow Creek Mine at a Glance
No
Government permit to pan?
$39
Adult panning fee
May 15–Sep 15
Season
1896
Mining since
$40 / inch
Dredge fee
~40 mi
From Anchorage
Crow Creek Mine is the easiest place in Alaska to pan for gold legally. It's private ground, so the question of who owns the gravel is already settled, and the fee is your permission. That's what sets it apart from the rest of the valley. Most of Crow Creek runs through Chugach National Forest land that the Forest Service hasn't withdrawn from mineral entry, and an unpatented claim there can sit next to the road with no marker on the ground.
The property has been worked since 1896 and was one of Alaska's larger hydraulic placer mines. The owners put its peak at around 700 ounces of gold a month. The Toohey family took it over in 1969 from Arne Erickson, the last working mine manager, and turned the camp into a living museum. Its buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Serious miners still run equipment on the original claims, and day visitors pan the same creek next to them.
Two things that change your trip plan
The season is short. The mine opens May 15 and closes September 15. If you're reading this in late September, it's already shut for the year. The mine is also for sale. The Toohey family listed it in June 2026 for $19.95 million, including the 53 acres, the historic buildings and the mining rights. It stayed open for summer 2026, but prices, hours and the public-panning program could change under a new owner. Check the mine's website before you build a 2027 trip around it.
Getting to Crow Creek Mine
Hours, prices and directions are from the mine's own website, accessed September 2026.
Crow Creek Mine vs. Free Public Panning on the Chugach
| Site | Land status | Cost | Equipment allowed | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crow Creek Mine, Girdwood | Private mine property | $39 adult panning | Pan, shovel, rented sluice; own dredge or high-banker at $40/inch | Open May 15–Sep 15 only |
| Bertha Creek, Turnagain Pass | Chugach NF, withdrawn from mineral entry | Free | Pans and hand-fed sluices year-round | Only from the Granite Creek junction up to the powerline. Granite Creek itself is closed for salmon |
| Sixmile Creek, Hope Road | Chugach NF withdrawal, 0.7–5 mi north of Hope Junction | Free | Pans and sluices; 4-in. dredge May 15–Jul 15 with ADF&G permit | Steep trail down from the road; flat flour gold |
| Resurrection Creek, Hope | Chugach NF withdrawal, half-mile reach | Free | Pans and sluices; 4-in. dredge May 15–Jul 15 with ADF&G permit | Ends upstream at a gated patented claim (private land) |
| Crow Creek outside the mine | Chugach NF, not withdrawn | Free only if unclaimed | Hand tools | Claims may be unmarked. Check BLM claim records first |
Public-site details from the Forest Service/BLM Kenai Peninsula gold-panning guide. Crow Creek Mine details from the mine's website. Verified September 2026.
Bringing Your Own Dredge or High-Banker to Crow Creek
- 1
Size the machine
The mine charges $40 per inch of hose intake, and DEC's small-dredge general permit covers intakes up to 6 inches (18 hp in fresh water). A 2- or 3-inch machine keeps both the fee and the permit simple.
- 2
Register with Alaska DEC
Go to dec.alaska.gov/water/edms, sign in with a MyAlaska account, start a new form and pick Small Suction Dredge Registration. Pay the $25 annual fee online and wait for the emailed registration before you run the machine.
- 3
Check fish-habitat status
DEC's FAQ says any needed ADF&G permit must be in hand before you discharge. Ask ADF&G's Habitat Section whether this reach of Crow Creek is fish-bearing or catalogued anadromous water. If it is, get a Fish Habitat permit under AS 16.05.841 or .871.
- 4
Pay at the mine
Pay the general panning fee plus the per-inch dredge fee when you arrive. The mine doesn't rent dredges or high-bankers.
- 5
Run it and keep records
Keep your DEC registration with you. The person who registered is responsible for compliance even if a friend is running the machine.
What to Bring (Beyond What the Ticket Includes)
- RequiredHip waders or tall rubber boots— Crow Creek is glacier-fed and cold enough to numb your feet in a few minutes, even in July.
- RequiredRain shell and warm layers— Girdwood sits in a coastal rainforest valley off Turnagain Arm, so plan on rain.
- OptionalSnuffer bottle— The gold here is mostly flour and small flakes. A snuffer bottle picks it off the pan faster than your fingers can.
- OptionalSmall magnet in a plastic bag— Pulls the black sand out of your concentrate so the fine gold is easier to see.
- OptionalBear spray— The mine's campground rules tell visitors to be bear aware. It's reasonable to carry if you're hiking the Iditarod or Winner Creek trails from the property.
Rent the sluice if you're staying all day
A pan processes a few shovelfuls an hour. The $27 full-day sluice rental lets you move far more of Crow Creek's gravel, and because it's hand-fed, it needs no DEC registration. Working the gravels on your own ticket is where the fine creek gold adds up. It's worth doing if you've driven 40 miles from Anchorage for the day.
Who Sets the Rules Here
601 Crow Creek Mine Road, Girdwood, AK 99587
Owner of the 53-acre mine property, its historic buildings and its mining rights. Sets admission, panning fees, equipment rules and the relic policy. (907) 229-3105.
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Water
Anyone running a suction dredge (intake up to 6 in.) or a high-banker that discharges to a stream. Annual online registration and a $25 fee before discharging. This applies on private land too; the mine points dredgers to it.
ADF&G Habitat Section
Work in fish-bearing or catalogued anadromous waters needs a Fish Habitat permit. DEC's own FAQ says any needed ADF&G permit must be in hand before you discharge.
USDA Forest Service, Girdwood
Manages the national forest around the mine. The Forest Service's Kenai gold-panning guide lists four recreational areas withdrawn from mineral entry (Bertha, Sixmile, Resurrection and Crescent creeks). Crow Creek isn't one of them. Glacier Ranger District: (907) 783-3242.
- FederalNational Register of Historic Places — Crow Creek Consolidated Gold Mining Company (#78000517)
Listed September 13, 1978. The listing recognizes the historic buildings. It isn't what regulates panning; the owner's rules do that.
Permits & Licenses
| Permit | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gold panning admission | Yes | This is the owner's fee, not a government permit. It includes a pan, shovel, bucket, a panning demo, a glass vial and a practice pay-dirt packet with real gold in it. No reservation needed. |
| Sightseeing-only admission | No | A self-guided walk through the buildings and grounds. It doesn't include panning. Buy the panning ticket instead if you plan to put a pan in the water. |
| Sluice box rental | No | Added on top of the panning fee. A hand-fed sluice needs no state registration because it doesn't pump water. |
| Own suction dredge or high-banker (mine fee) | No | Bring your own, since the mine doesn't rent them. A 3-inch dredge adds $120 to the day. |
| Alaska DEC Small Suction Dredge registration (AKG375000) | No | Required only if you run a dredge or high-banker. Register online through DEC's EDMS system before your first discharge. One registration can cover several waterbodies and machines, but only one machine can run at a time under it. |
Time & Seasonal Restrictions
- Season: May 15 to September 15, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., seven days a week. The mine is closed the rest of the year
- No mechanized equipment beyond what the mine allows: pans, shovels, rented sluices, and your own dredge or high-banker at the per-inch fee
- Relics: if you find a rusty artifact, turn it in or leave it where it is. The mine's own rule protects a site listed on the National Register
- Campground (separate booking): three nights a week maximum, no hookups or water, quiet hours 11 p.m.–8 a.m., leashed dogs, pack out all garbage, and no fires during a burn ban
- Off the property, panning on Chugach National Forest land that's under an unpatented claim needs the claimant's permission. The Forest Service notes that some claims have no visible markers
Equipment Notes
- Everything for basic panning is included in the ticket: pan, shovel, bucket and a vial for your gold
- Rubber boots or hip waders. Crow Creek is glacier-fed and cold even in July
- Snuffer bottle and a small magnet to separate flour gold from the heavy black sand
- For a dredge: an intake of 6 inches or less keeps you within DEC's small-dredge general permit, and the mine charges by the inch
What People Find Here
- Fine flour gold and small flakes in the working creek gravels, which is what most day-panners go home with
- Occasional small pickers for people who run a rented sluice all day
- Guaranteed gold in the practice pay-dirt packet every panner gets. That's the mine's promise, not a creek find
- Rusty mining-era hardware, which the mine asks you to hand in or leave where it is
Penalties for Violations
← Scroll to see all columns
| Violation | Statute | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Running a suction dredge or high-banker without a DEC registration | Alaska DEC General Permit AKG375000 (Alaska Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) | Unpermitted wastewater discharge is subject to DEC enforcement. The mine also requires the registration before it lets you dredge |
| Dredging in fish-bearing or anadromous water without an ADF&G Fish Habitat permit | AS 16.05.841 / AS 16.05.871 | ADF&G can require the work to stop; violations are enforceable under the Alaska Fish and Game code (AS Title 16) |
| Digging up historic or archaeological objects on nearby Chugach National Forest land | 36 CFR 261.9(g); penalties at 36 CFR 261.1b | Federal petty offense. Fine up to $5,000 and/or up to 6 months in jail |
Etiquette & Leave No Trace
- Watch the serious miners working the property, but don't crowd their equipment
- Put rocks back where you found them. The Forest Service's panning guide asks this of every panner in the region because salmon food lives underneath
- Dig only in the active creek gravels, not the bank. Cut banks in this valley are loose glacial material
- Keep your practice-packet gold separate from your creek gold so you know what you actually found
- Be bear aware. The mine's campground rules say so for a reason
Distances are straight-line, not driving distance.All 2 gold panning sites in Alaska
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you keep the gold you find at Crow Creek Mine?
Yes. The mine says what you find in the creek is yours to keep, and every panner also leaves with the gold from the practice pay-dirt packet.
Is Crow Creek Mine open in late September or winter?
No. The mine, its campground and its cabins run May 15 to September 15 only. From mid-September to mid-May there's no admission and no legal panning on the property, so a fall Alaska trip needs a different plan.
Can I pan Crow Creek for free outside the mine gates?
Not safely. Crow Creek isn't one of the four Chugach National Forest recreational panning areas the Forest Service has withdrawn from mineral entry. The forest's guide says unwithdrawn land can carry unpatented claims, sometimes with no visible markers, and you need the claimant's permission to pan on one. If you want free public panning, drive about 25 miles south to Bertha Creek at Turnagain Pass, which is withdrawn and open year-round to pans and hand-fed sluices.
Do I need a permit to bring my own dredge to Crow Creek?
Yes, but it comes from the state, not the mine. The mine charges $40 per inch of intake, and Alaska DEC requires a $25 annual AKG375000 registration before any dredge or high-banker discharges. If the water is fish-bearing, ADF&G also needs to issue a Fish Habitat permit first.
Is Crow Creek Mine closing or changing owners?
It's for sale. In June 2026 the Toohey family, who have run the mine since 1969, listed its 53 acres, historic buildings and mining rights for $19.95 million. It stayed open to visitors for summer 2026. Prices, season dates and rules could change under a new owner, so check the mine's website before planning a 2027 visit.
How much gold did Crow Creek produce historically?
The mine puts its peak output at about 700 ounces a month, which made it one of Alaska's larger placer producers. It started in 1896 as a hydraulic operation, and hydraulic mining later ended under tighter water-quality rules.
Disclaimer
Information is provided for general guidance only. Regulations change frequently. Always verify current rules with the official jurisdiction before relying on this information for legal decisions. Permitted Pursuits is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Report an error.
Sources
- Crow Creek Gold Mine — Gold Panning (2026 prices, equipment rentals, relic rule, dredge fees)(accessed 2026-09-25)
- Crow Creek Gold Mine — Explore the Mine / General Admission(accessed 2026-09-25)
- Crow Creek Gold Mine — Story & History (1896 founding, 700 oz/month peak, Toohey ownership since 1969)(accessed 2026-09-25)
- Crow Creek Gold Mine — Cabins & Camping (season, camping rules)(accessed 2026-09-25)
- Alaska DEC — Small Suction Dredge General Permit AKG375000, Registration FAQ(accessed 2026-09-25)
- USDA Forest Service / BLM — Gold Panning: A Guide to Recreational Gold Panning on the Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest(accessed 2026-09-25)
- Alaska's News Source — Historic Crow Creek Mine up for sale (June 26, 2026)(accessed 2026-09-25)
- 36 CFR 261.9 — Property (Forest Service prohibitions)(accessed 2026-09-25)
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