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Independence Mine State Historical Park

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Independence Mine State Historical Park

At the top of Hatcher Pass, a photogenic alpine passage that cuts through the Talkeetna Mountains, is Independence Mine State Historical Park, a huge, abandoned gold mine sprawled out in a beautiful alpine valley. The journey above the treeline and this intriguing 761-acre park make for one of the finest side trips in Alaska.

Independence Mine began as two mines until 1938 when the Alaska-Pacific Consolidated (APC) Mining Company consolidated the Alaska Free Gold Mine on Skyscraper Mountain and Independence Mine on Granite Mountain to become the second most productive hardrock goldmine in Alaska. At its peak in 1941, APC employed 204 workers, blasted almost 12 miles of tunnels and recovered 34,416 ounces of gold, today worth almost $18 million. At the time 22 families lived in nearby Boomtown, with eight children attending the Territorial School in the new bunkhouse. Although World War II interrupted the mining operation - gold mining was declared a nonessential wartime activity - mining resumed briefly after the war until Independence Mine closed for good in 1951.

Independence Mine State Historical Park was established in 1980 and since then the state has steadily worked to restore the buildings and tunnels to give visitors a fascinating look at Alaska lode mining amid spectacular mountain scenery. You can explore the mine and surrounding area on foot on your own, or take a tour. Guided tours of the mine are offered twice daily on weekdays with an additional tour on weekends. The area surrounding Independence Mine State Historical Park is a favorite for summer hiking and winter recreation such as cross-country-skiing.

Independence Mine State Historical Park Map

Facilities
The Manager's House now serves as a visitor center and features a simulated mining tunnel, displays on the ways to mine gold (panning, placer mining and hardrock) and other interpretative exhibits. From the center, visitors follow Hardrock Trail past other restored buildings in the complex; a timber shed, warehouse, collapsed mill, mess halls and bunkhouses. The Assay Office is now a museum with displays on assaying, retorting and other mining techniques. The highpoint for many - literally - is climbing the trail to the water tunnel portal, where there is a great view of the entire complex and a blast of cold air pouring out of the mountain.

There are neither campgrounds in Independence Mine State Historical Park nor any commercial ones in the area. There are lodges that are open year-round and offer food service. Additional lodging and services are available in Palmer, Wasilla and along the Palmer-Fishhook Road.

Fees
There is a daily parking fee at Independence Mine and an additional per-person fee for the guided tours.

Accessibility
Access to the Hatcher Pass area is via the 49-mile-long Hatcher Pass Road from either Palmer or Willow. From Palmer, take the Palmer-Fishhook Road turnoff at Mile 49.5 of the Glenn Highway. From Willow, take the Fishhook-Willow Road from Mile 71.2 of the Parks Highway. Hatcher Pass Public Use Area begins on the Palmer side at approximately Mile 7.8 on Hatcher Pass Road. The turnoff for Independence Mine State Historical Park is at Mile 17.

It is 68 miles from Anchorage to Independence Mine via the Glenn Highway and Hatcher Pass Road. The road is open year-round from the Glenn Highway to the park visitor center. It is closed over the pass to within about 14 miles of the Parks Highway from the first snow in late September until late June.