Hike the Gold Mint Trail

Hiking through this valley really shows off the amazing landscape of Alaska.

The trailhead starts at mile 13.7 on Hatcher Pass Rd. There is a big parking lot ($5 for a day pass). The trail has mile markers for the first 5 miles and is fairly well groomed, although you do have to do a little bushwhacking because the beautiful bushes and fireweed are very overgrown.

The trail winds through the valley, following the Little Susitna River, a glacial river. The water is baby blue with big boulders in it. Gorgeous. Bring your camera, because you will be surrounded by towering mountains on all sides, fields of bright purple fireweed flowers, and lots of beavers! The beavers have built awesome dams all along the river. You might pass quite a few people for the first few miles, but the farther you go, the fewer people you'll see.

There is a cabin you can rent at the end of the trail (very inexpensive), or you can camp off the trail, next to the river. It can be a little difficult to find a place to sleep because of the slanted land and extremely thick vegetation, however. If you plan on camping overnight, don't depend on a campfire, as there are not a lot of trees or burnable wood around. Using a JetBoil (or similar) is easy and convenient!

Weather in AK can change quickly, so bring a rain jacket! Also, while this description is for summer, the trail is also known for skiing, and snowmobiling in the winter.