Historic Gold Mining and Panning Adventure

Overview

While you’re in port in Juneau, venture to Gold Creek and Last Chance Basin for a true Alaskan gold adventure! Hear about the historic Alaskan Gold Rush and learn how to pan for gold – you’ll keep all the gold you find! Your guide, dressed in traditional 19th-century attire, will take you to a secluded location along Gold Creek, only accessible with a special permit, and show you what it was like during the Gold Rush for the thousands who flocked to the region. Choose to either pan in the creek or enter the waist-high water in the demonstration trough – either way, you’re guaranteed to find gold!

City: Juneau

Tue 15 Jul

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $99.00

Make a reservation

Tue 15 Jul

Starting at $99.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Worry-free Shore Excursion Guarantee

All necessary equipment

Transportation

Guide

Additional Info

Service animals allowed
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
Children 13-17 must have a signed parental consent form to participate in the absence of a parent or guardian

What To Expect

Last Chance Mining Museum

Catch “gold fever” and experience what it was like to seek your fortune during Gold Rush days! Learn to pan for gold and keep all you find! Discover Juneau’s colorful mining heritage for yourself. Head out with your prospector/guide for a historical tour of Juneau, including the state capitol. Then, turn up the road to Gold Creek and “Last Chance Basin,” where Joe Juneau and Richard Harris struck gold in 1880. In a beautiful, secluded setting near a waterfall alongside Gold Creek — only accessible for groups under our tour’s special permit — your prospector shows you how gold panning is really done. Then, it’s your turn, as you expertly work the pan with helpful tips and advice in the creek, or in the waist-high demonstration trough. People of all ages and mobility limitations can learn how to pan and capture the full gold-rush experience. You’re guaranteed to find gold, and all that glitters is yours to keep! See the remnants of the original buildings of the Alaska-Juneau Mining Company all around you. At the height of production, it was the largest operation of its type in the world. You’ll learn about the mining techniques used, and the quest for gold that is such a major part of Alaska’s history. Take home a souvenir Orelove Brothers Gold Claim Certificate, all the gold you find, and an appreciation of what it was like to seek your fortune in the wilds of Alaska more than a century ago.

Cancellation Policy

All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (40)

ronrrt

Aug 2018

Time actually spent panning for gold was no more than 25 minutes. We got instructions on how to pan for gold but only had time to sift through 3 pans of material before the guide said “We got to go we have to drop these people off at the salmon bake”. I thought the guy was kidding when he said that. Dropping off others cut into our time because we had to drop off other folks. Most of the time by far was spent driving to the site and then back to drop people off at the salmon bake and then back to the boat. Folks that went to the salmon bake had did not appear to have a set time to get there and could leave at their leisure buy catching one of the other shuttles back.

Response from Host

Aug 2018

Thank you for the feedback. Dale E Smith Director of Sales & Marketing

MaddeningPoise

Jul 2018

We had a blast panning for gold. Sterling did a fantastic job showing us the proper way to pan for gold (even if none of us mastered the pro way to pan). Both the history lesson on the way to the river and the help getting the gold flakes we found into the vials were top notch. I would highly recommend this adventure for a great laid-back, informative experience.

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Thank you for the review! Glad you had a wonderful experience. Dale E Smith Director of Sales & Marketing

GC990

Jul 2018

We did this as a shore excursion from our cruise. It was definitely a lot of fun but we did not spend much time gold panning and we would have liked the chance to stay a little longer. It definitely wasn't 90 min long. Two other groups showed up so I am wondering if this was the reason we left so quickly. We all did find flecks of gold and the creek is beautiful which made the experience enjoyable!

Response from Host

Jul 2018

Sorry you felt rushed. The tour time is dock to dock so that 90 minutes includes the drive there and back. Thanks for sharing, glade you found some flakes! Dale E Smith Director of Sales and Marketing