independence mine state historical park

This state park offers beautiful and changing scenery: the rapids of the Little Susitna River at the lower portion of Hatcher pass, transitioning to alpine tundra near the top. Then there is the historic mine at the end of the road....interesting if self-guided but the guided tour is worthwhile. All within an hour after leaving Anchorage.In the winter the mine is closed, but the park is busy with skiers and sledders. Great for the family any time of year.

Nice place to see mining operations without walking to much. Good for kids or older family members. Beautiful view back on Palmer and Mat/Su borough

Independence Mine Rec Area is a fantastic area to visit. During the summer there are lots of things to do; hiking, biking, sightseeing for scenery and historic, among others. During the winter; ski, Snowmachine, snowshoe, Snowboarding, hike, scenery viewing, sledding for the kiddies. Outdoor privies are available, as is a covered picnic pavilion. Lots of parking, but can get tight on a warm summer day. Roads well maintained. You can also take 4-wheelers from the rec area to Willow during the summer and Snowmachines during the winter (weather dependent). Independence Mine is a must do, if only to stop a enjoy the headwaters of the Little Susitna River on a picnic.

Went up to pick blueberries and take photos. So beautiful and great place to have lunch and a beer or wine!

really nice to explore during summer months. Cold, but you could watch the snow boarders and skiers coming down

Resident of over 33 years in the area, and have always taken my daughter here several times a year. Hikes, picnics, drives to Summit Lake, berry picking, dogs run free, and still has pockets where nobody ventures. The drive up to the mine is always a treat, with the green river and shale rock mountain faces following alongside the road. One of the top five places on earth for me even after all these years... And still, NO LITTER and refreshingly clean air!

The remnants of this abandoned gold mine are nestled in the mountains.It's a real beatiful setting.You can learn how gold mining was done back in the days and how the miners lived.We enjoyed walking in between the structures and made a nice tour around the mine and up the mountain. Be sure to take a sweater with you and good shoes.

Independence mine is so interesting and has fantastic views. We saw a marmot and several unusual birds. It is worth the stop!

This Park is located out in a rural mountainous area between Palmer and Wasilla. We drove to it from Palmer and had a paved road all the way and it was a SPECTACULAR drive. The drive to it was almost as good as the Historical Park. There is a lot of information and history to be learned about gold mining in Alaska at this park. The park system is trying to preserve this place just as it was when it closed during WW !! and never was operated again. Well worth the time drive out and small fee to visit this historic site.

Let's start with the beautiful drive here, that alone was very nice. This historic mine is a must see the kids and me enjoyed walking thru this historic mine, looking at the equipment and once buildings was very interesting. Nice views and pictures, great hiking also!

Independence Mine is a great place to visit. Wear you walking shoes. You will see how the miners lived and where the ore was processed.

We went and took our friend that was visiting from Australia. Wear good shoes you will be walking a lot. There are gift shops. Go on a nice day but not too hot. Bring water you will get thirsty.

This is one of the places we Alaskans take our visiting friends and relatives to. It is only open in the summer because the snows come early and leave late in the Hatcher Pass area. One has to walk from the gate up to the mine, so if you are not able to do that, please stay in your car as there is no emergency service there and it is a long way from town. No matter, the sites of the Mat-Sue Valley floor is worth the trip. Stops alone the way are great are great places to picnic. If you are planning on following the road to the other end, plan on all day and bring your own food and water. It turns into a long dirt road that ends some where above Willow. Again if you like the sight of wildness. There is a bunk house and a small museum and I can't remember if there was a fee or not. There is one for parking your car, and I think that's all. Was a small snack shop but has to ship water in so don't plan on getting a big meal. Also, plan on out houses that are usually clean.

Very interesting and well layed out walking tour of this great gold mine. Lots of info and historical relics. The kids and adults enjoyed the information and the hike.

Took our first drive through Hatcher Pass and hiked up to the Independence Mine which is currently closed (October). Glad we did this in October because even though it was closed we saw 30 other people. Can't even imagine how busy it must be when it's open. Was able to tour the old buildings and read all the placards on a nice sunny day with snow everywhere. We will be heading back as we took our older dog and wasn't able to do much more than a few miles with her. What a wealth of interesting historical information. My husband loved it. And the drive and mountain ranges are stunning. Apparently a high-avalanche area though so might not be good to go when winter is really raging. When the park is open looks like park fees apply. There is a lodge nearby that serves food but not sure if it's open all winter. There are bathrooms open and available in the parking lot.