Gold Panning on Resurrection Creek near Hope, Alaska
ALLOWED
No permit required
Gold panning is allowed year-round, with no permit, on a half-mile reach of Resurrection Creek that the Chugach National Forest set aside for recreational mining. Dredges and highbankers are allowed only May 15 to July 15, under ADF&G's free general permit. Rules checked against primary sources in .
Key Conditions
- The Forest Service set aside "a half-mile stretch of Resurrection Creek" withdrawn from mineral entry for recreational panning, from the Resurrection Pass Trail footbridge upstream to a private parcel
- Pans and hand-fed sluice boxes are allowed year-round with no permit; ADF&G: "A fish habitat permit is NOT required for non-motorized mining activities such as gold panning"
- Suction dredges and highbankers only May 15 to July 15, under ADF&G's free general permit FH22-V-0020-GP (carry a copy; it expires December 31, 2026). The Forest Service counts only dredges of 4 inches or smaller as recreational
- Work only the active channel and bare gravel bars: no digging in banks, no structures, no earth-moving equipment
- Below the footbridge the creek runs through active placer claims, and above the reach is private land: don't pan either without permission
Resurrection Creek Recreational Gold Panning Area (Hope) · 60.8664, -149.6312
Resurrection Creek at a Glance
½ mile
Panning area
Year-round, no permit
Pans & hand sluices
May 15–July 15
Dredges & highbankers
4 in. or smaller
Dredge size (USFS)
Free, carry a copy
ADF&G permit
Only half a mile of Resurrection Creek is set aside for the public, and the boundaries matter more than anything else here. The Forest Service withdrew that reach from mineral entry, so no one can stake a claim on it, and it describes panning there as "a privilege" rather than a mining right. Downstream of the footbridge the creek runs through active placer claims; upstream of the reach is private land.
The creek has been worked for gold since prospector Al King found it and kept quiet about it until 1893; by 1895 the Turnagain Arm district was booming, and the Forest Service says placer mining on Resurrection Creek is what kept Hope going. The rounded boulders piled along the creek are tailings from old hydraulic operations, and the Forest Service says much of the road is built on them. Gold is fine and flat, and "mostly concentrated on clay and bedrock."
The state's rules come from the fish. Resurrection Creek is a catalogued salmon stream, so anything with a motor falls under ADF&G's general permit, with its May 15 to July 15 window. If you bring a dredge, our suction dredging guide explains how the state and federal permits stack.
Claims below the bridge, private land above
The withdrawn reach runs from the Resurrection Pass Trail footbridge upstream to a gated private parcel, about half a mile in all. Below the footbridge, toward Hope, the creek crosses active placer claims, which since 2022 have also held a 2.3-mile salmon-restoration corridor built with the claim holder. A federal mining claim gives its holder the right to the minerals, and the private parcel is posted. Stay between the bridge and the gate unless you have the claimant's or owner's permission. BLM's MLRS research map shows current claims.
- Pans and hand-fed sluice boxes may be used year-round.
- No hydraulic mining or earth-moving equipment.
- Work only the active channel or unvegetated gravel bars; don't dig in banks.
- No structures, tree cutting or digging up historic objects.
- Motorized mining only May 15–July 15, with pumps of 18 hp or less and intakes of 6 inches or less (ADF&G).
- Screen pump intakes with 1/8-inch mesh and leave enough flow for fish passage (ADF&G).
Source: USFS/BLM Kenai Peninsula gold panning guide (2018); ADF&G General Permit FH22-V-0020-GP
Getting to the panning area
The Forest Service's guide to the area dates from 2010 (reissued 2018). Call the Seward Ranger District to confirm the reach and its signs are unchanged.
Panning Resurrection Creek through the year
Late spring (mid-May–June)
GoodThe dredge and highbanker window opens May 15, and Porcupine Campground opens in mid-May.
Summer (July–August)
FairMotorized equipment must stop after July 15. Salmon are in the creek and bears follow them; pans and hand sluices only.
Fall (September–October)
FairPans and hand sluices still allowed; Porcupine Campground closes in mid-September.
Winter (November–April)
PoorPanning isn't prohibited, but the campgrounds are closed and the creek ices over.
Who Sets the Rules Here
USDA Forest Service
The half-mile reach withdrawn from mineral entry: panning, hand sluicing and small dredging as a recreational privilege, under the forest's rules
- StateAlaska Department of Fish and Game — Habitat Section (AS 16.05.871; General Permit FH22-V-0020-GP)
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Any motorized small-scale mining below the ordinary high-water mark of Resurrection Creek, a catalogued salmon stream: May 15 to July 15 only, pumps 18 hp or less, intakes 6 inches or less
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Water-quality conditions for suction dredges and highbankers; no annual registration on this freshwater national forest stream since January 30, 2026
Claim holders and landowners (claims recorded with BLM)
Active placer claims downstream of the footbridge and the private parcel at the upstream end of the reach
Permits & Licenses
| Permit | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gold panning and hand-fed sluicing in the withdrawn reach | No | No permit, year-round. The Forest Service calls recreational panning on withdrawn land "a privilege", not a mining activity. |
| ADF&G General Permit FH22-V-0020-GP (dredges and highbankers) | Yes | Print it and keep it on site. It allows pumps of 18 hp or less and intakes of 6 inches or less, May 15 to July 15 on Resurrection Creek. It expires December 31, 2026; ask ADF&G Soldotna (907-714-2475) whether it has been reissued. |
| Alaska DEC small suction dredge general permit (AKG375000) | Yes | Covers dredges up to 6 inches and highbankers. Since January 30, 2026, annual registration isn't required on a freshwater national forest stream; keep a copy of the permit on site. |
Time & Seasonal Restrictions
- Motorized equipment (suction dredges, highbankers) only May 15 to July 15, the window in ADF&G's general permit for the whole creek
- Dredges: the Forest Service treats 4-inch or smaller as recreational; the ADF&G permit allows up to 6 inches. Ask the Seward Ranger District before running anything over 4 inches
- Work only the active stream channel or unvegetated gravel bars; no digging in stream banks (Forest Service; ADF&G stipulation 4)
- No dams, diversions or other structures below the high-water line, and no motorized moving of boulders or logs (ADF&G stipulations 3 and 5)
- No digging up archaeological, historical or paleontological objects (36 CFR 261.9(g)–(h))
- Outside the half-mile reach the creek is lined with active claims and private land; panning there needs the claimant's or owner's permission
Equipment Notes
- A 10- to 14-inch gold pan, a classifier screen and a snuffer bottle for fine, flat gold
- A hand-fed sluice box, which is allowed year-round
- A printed copy of ADF&G's general permit if you bring any pump, plus a dredge intake screened with 1/8-inch mesh as the permit requires
- Bear spray: the Forest Service warns you'll be panning in salmon water, "home of a bear's favorite dinner"
What People Find Here
- Fine, flat gold: the Forest Service says "You can pan fine gold from gravels all along the creek", mostly concentrated on clay and bedrock
- The Forest Service's honest expectation: "Hours of panning may be worth only a few cents"
Penalties for Violations
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| Violation | Statute | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Violating Forest Service rules on national forest land (e.g. digging up historic objects, building structures without authorization) | 36 CFR 261.9, 261.10; 36 CFR 261.1b; 18 U.S.C. 3571 | Up to 6 months in jail and/or a fine up to $5,000 |
| Mining with motorized equipment in an anadromous stream without, or outside the terms of, an ADF&G permit | AS 16.05.871, 16.05.901(a) | Class A misdemeanor: up to 1 year in jail and a fine up to $25,000; the violator also pays to restore the stream |
Etiquette & Leave No Trace
- Respect claim markers and the gate at the upstream private parcel
- Keep your work in the wet channel and leave banks and vegetated bars alone
- Backfill and spread your tailings so you don't leave turbid water or holes for the next panner
- Don't dredge where salmon are spawning; give redds a wide berth
Nearby Alternatives
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| Site | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crow Creek Mine (Girdwood) | 20.6 mi | Private fee mine across Turnagain Arm: you pay a ticket but keep what you find, with equipment rental |
| Nome public beaches | 557.3 mi | Beach panning on state land, and offshore dredging in DNR's recreational mining areas |
Distances are straight-line, not driving distance.All 3 gold panning sites in Alaska
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is the Resurrection Creek gold panning area?
It starts at the Resurrection Pass Trail footbridge, at the trailhead on Resurrection Creek Road south of Hope, and runs about half a mile upstream to a gated private parcel. That half-mile is withdrawn from mineral entry, so it has no mining claims.
Do I need a permit to pan for gold on Resurrection Creek?
Not for a pan or a hand-fed sluice box. ADF&G says a fish habitat permit isn't required for non-motorized mining such as gold panning, and the Forest Service allows pans and hand-fed sluices year-round.
Can I use a suction dredge on Resurrection Creek?
Only from May 15 to July 15, under ADF&G's free general permit FH22-V-0020-GP, which you print and carry. The permit allows up to a 6-inch intake and 18 hp, but the Forest Service counts only dredges of 4 inches or smaller as recreational, so check with the Seward Ranger District (907-288-3178) before running a bigger one.
Can I pan below the footbridge toward Hope?
Not without permission. Downstream of the footbridge the creek runs through active placer claims held by a mining company, including the Phase II salmon-restoration corridor. Federal mining claims give the claimant the right to the minerals.
Why is the dredge season so short?
Resurrection Creek is a catalogued salmon stream. ADF&G's 2026 catalog lists chum, pink and sockeye spawning and Chinook rearing in it, and the general permit restricts motorized mining in the creek to May 15 through July 15.
Where can I camp?
Porcupine Campground, at milepost 17.8 off the Hope Highway, has 34 sites at $23 a night and opens mid-May to mid-September. The Forest Service booklet also mentions a campsite about a quarter mile above the footbridge.
Related Guides
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
- USFS/BLM — Gold Panning: A Guide to Recreational Gold Panning on the Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest (2018)(accessed 2026-10-23)
- ADF&G — Fish Habitat General Permit FH22-V-0020-GP, Resurrection Creek(accessed 2026-10-23)
- ADF&G — Mining best practices (no permit for non-motorized panning)(accessed 2026-10-23)
- ADF&G — Anadromous Waters Catalog, Southcentral Region (2026)(accessed 2026-10-23)
- Alaska DEC — Small Suction Dredge General Permit AKG375000 (modified January 30, 2026)(accessed 2026-10-23)
- Alaska DEC — AKG375000 Registration FAQ (March 3, 2026)(accessed 2026-10-23)
- eCFR — 36 CFR 261.9 Property(accessed 2026-10-23)
- USDA Forest Service — Porcupine Campground(accessed 2026-10-23)
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