Palmer Creek Road

4.7/5 (4 reviews)
Climbing from sea level in Hope, Alaska up through a narrow forested road, passing by a small campground, and culminating at the end of an alpine valley is Palmer Creek Road. This trail is rich with a history of gold mining with old mine ruins to explore. There were three primary mines that operated... Read More
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Highlights of Palmer Creek Road

Camping Category Icon Camping
Mine Category Icon Mine
Scenic Category Icon Scenic
Highest Elevation
2003 ft
Shape of Trail
Out & Back
Typically Open
06/01 - 10/30
Best Direction
N/A
Official Trail Name
Palmer Creek Road
Nearest Town
Hope
Nearest Services
Girdwood
Management Agency
United States Forest Service
District
Seward Ranger District

Overview

Climbing from sea level in Hope, Alaska up through a narrow forested road, passing by a small campground, and culminating at the end of an alpine valley is Palmer Creek Road. This trail is rich with a history of gold mining with old mine ruins to explore. There were three primary mines that operated in the valley. The Downey mine is to the east of the wooden bridge around the 2500' level. The Hershey/Hirshey mine is around 2900' to the east of the gated end of the road. The Swetman Mill, a 0.6-mile hike, and Swetman/Lucky Strike Mine, a 1.75-mile hike, still have mining artifacts and ruins south of the road's end. Most of these hiking trails have shallow water crossings. These mines were active from 1911 to 1939 but have not been reopened since. In recent years, mining claims have still been active in the valley at a smaller scale.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Guide Overview
8 Waypoints
26 Trail Photos
1 Trail Concerns
4 Community Reviews
1 Video
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