Gold mines in Alaska

Alaska has 380 gold mines in MSHA records: 55 not abandoned (37 intermittent, 12 temporarily idled, 5 active, 1 non-producing) and 325 abandoned. 156 have map coordinates. The largest by employees is Pogo Mine (749). USGS adds 3,133 historic producers.

Gold mines in Alaska that are not abandoned

MineCountyTypeMSHA statusEmployees
Pogo MineSoutheast FairbanksundergroundActive749
Fort Knox MineFairbanks North StarsurfaceActive665
KensingtonJuneauundergroundActive400
Manh ChohSoutheast FairbankssurfaceActive100
Lucky Shot MineMatanuska-SusitnaundergroundNon-producing25
GoldstreamFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent22
Dawson MinePrince of Wales-HyderundergroundActive20
Taiga Mining Company - Hog RiverYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent20
Little EldoradoFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent17
NYAC Mining CoBethelsurfaceIntermittent14
Little Squaw CreekYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent10
Wild GooseFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent10
WillowYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent10
Mammoth Valley Mining LLCNomesurfaceIntermittent9
Fairbanks Excavation MineFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent8
Ganes CreekYukon-KoyukuksurfaceTemporarily idled7
Js-4Fairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent6
Ruby MineYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent6
EsterFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent5
Fox MineFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent5
Kougarok Dredge PitNomesurfaceIntermittent5
Serendipity MinesFairbanks North StarsurfaceTemporarily idled5
SwanbergNomesurfaceIntermittent5
Walker ForkSoutheast FairbankssurfaceIntermittent5
White Creek MineMatanuska-SusitnasurfaceIntermittent5
Glacier Creek MineNomesurfaceIntermittent4
Porcupine MineHainessurfaceIntermittent4
Small gold operation (MSHA 5001854)Fairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent4
Tripple Creek MineNomesurfaceIntermittent4
101Yukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent3
Dry Gulch LLCNomesurfaceIntermittent3
Gold Dust OperationsYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent3
Golden Vista Mine and Exploration LLCSoutheast FairbankssurfaceIntermittent3
Lost Chicken MineSoutheast FairbankssurfaceIntermittent3
Ophir CreekYukon-KoyukuksurfaceTemporarily idled3
Pedro Creek MineFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent3
Small gold operation (MSHA 5002032)Matanuska-SusitnasurfaceIntermittent3
Small gold operation (MSHA 5002060)Valdez-CordovasurfaceIntermittent3
Switch MineYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent3
#7 Below DiscoveryMatanuska-SusitnasurfaceTemporarily idled2
Anvil Creek MineYukon-KoyukuksurfaceTemporarily idled2
Blue dogFairbanks North StarsurfaceTemporarily idled2
Chapman CreekYukon-KoyukuksurfaceTemporarily idled2
Dome Creek OperationsFairbanks North StarsurfaceTemporarily idled2
Fairbanks Creek MineFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent2
Middle Fork MineSoutheast FairbankssurfaceIntermittent2
Nolan ValleyYukon-KoyukuksurfaceTemporarily idled2
placer mineFairbanks North StarsurfaceIntermittent2
Porcupine Creek MineYukon-KoyukuksurfaceIntermittent2
Richardson ClaimsSoutheast FairbankssurfaceIntermittent2
Small gold operation (MSHA 5001550)Southeast FairbankssurfaceIntermittent2
Small gold operation (MSHA 5001561)Valdez-CordovasurfaceIntermittent2
Peck #1Kenai PeninsulasurfaceTemporarily idledn/a
Toy mineYukon-KoyukuksurfaceTemporarily idledn/a
Walker Fork MineSoutheast FairbankssurfaceTemporarily idledn/a

Historic gold producers in Alaska (USGS)

USGS records 3,133 historic gold producers in Alaska: 2,832 past producers and 301 listed as producers or plants. For 639 of them USGS gives an output size (4 large, 19 medium, 616 small). Production years are recorded for 901 sites, from 1860 to 1995. The most common deposit type is placer Au-PGE (709 sites).

Source: USGS Mineral Resources Data System (retrieved 2026-10-13), last updated around 2011. The county pages list the sites.

Counties

CountyMSHA, not abandonedMSHA, abandonedUSGS historic
Fairbanks North Star1547268
Yukon-Koyukuk1450726
Southeast Fairbanks97181
Nome628699
Matanuska-Susitna423177
Valdez-Cordova260
Bethel12116
Kenai Peninsula18110
Juneau1287
Prince of Wales-Hyder1070
Haines1420
Denali03135
Northwest Arctic03114
Chugach00104
Copper River0572
Hoonah-Angoon0054
Anchorage0028
Kusilvak0028
Petersburg0027
Ketchikan Gateway0125
Kodiak Island0024
Sitka0019
Yakutat0117
Aleutians East079
Lake and Peninsula009
Dillingham006
Wrangell003
Aleutians West002
Livengood002
Skagway001
Alaska Peninsula010
Bering Sea010
Bristol Bay010
Cook Inlet Susitna090
Kuskokwim River010
Seward Peninsula0140
Yukon River01010

Visit a gold mine in Alaska

Working mines are closed to the public. 19 places in Alaska offer tours, panning or mining history.

Independence Mine State Historical Park Visitor Center

Visitor center · Alaska
★ 4.8 (1,460 reviews)
23264 Gold Cord Rd, Palmer, AK 99645
Hours on Google: Daily 10 AM to 6 PM
Website(907) 745-3975Google Maps

Gold Dredge 8

Tour operator · Alaska
★ 4.7 (923 reviews)
1803 Old Steese Hwy N, Fairbanks, AK 99712
Hours on Google: Mon to Fri 9 AM to 5 PM
Website(907) 479-6673Google Maps

All Alaska gold mine tours and panning

Questions about gold mines in Alaska

How many gold mines are in Alaska?

MSHA lists 380 gold mines in Alaska. 55 are not abandoned (37 intermittent, 12 temporarily idled, 5 active, 1 non-producing). 325 records are marked abandoned. USGS lists another 3,133 historic gold producers that are not in the MSHA records.

What is the largest gold mine in Alaska?

By employees reported to MSHA, the largest is Pogo Mine in Southeast Fairbanks, with 749 employees.

Can I visit an abandoned gold mine in Alaska?

Old workings are dangerous and most are on private land or active claims, so the answer is almost always no. Do not enter them.

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