Gold Panning Adventure & Alaska Salmon Bake
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Port
Juneau, Alaska, US
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$134.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 3 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
The year was 1880, and two prospectors, Joe Juneau and Richard Harris, found 'large pieces of quartz, of black sulfite and galena all spangled over with gold' in Gold Creek. Thus began Alaska's first gold rush, 16 years before the Klondike version. It set the stage for a colorful period in Alaska's history and for your very own opportunity to catch gold fever on today's tour.
A costumed guide will escort you on the scenic and entertaining 20-minute ride to Last Chance Basin. Here, a prospector provides a lively gold-panning demonstration and narration about the gold rush days. Feel the thrill of discovery as, with expert instruction and a little luck of your own, you find guaranteed gold in the bottom of your pan. Not only will you keep what you find, you'll also receive a Gold Claim Certificate as a fun memento. The gold-panning portion of the tour takes place in a serene setting where gold is plentiful. You're likely to see local residents panning for gold here, too.
Gold panning is hungry work, and the folks at the Alaska Salmon Bake have created the ideal setting for an all-you-can-eat outdoor Alaska feast. A 20-minute transfer will deliver you to your dining venue. The setting is serene -- a lush rain forest creek, tables under translucent, heated domes, wild salmon grilling slowly over an alderwood fire. Your meal includes grilled salmon, barbecue ribs, baked beans with reindeer sausage, wild-rice pilaf, potatoes and a robust selection of other sides and salads. Beverages are available for purchase, and there's blueberry cake for dessert.
After dinner, roast marshmallows over the campfire, stroll to the lovely Salmon Creek waterfall and view the Wagner Mine ruins. Pan for more gold before souvenir hunting at the trading post.
Shuttle buses depart regularly so you can set your own time to return to your ship with a motherlode of memories. Tour has a maximum of 24 participants; your prospector guide escorts you from start to finish.
Notes:
Due to a temporary road closure for repairs, the gold panning portion will move from Gold Creek in Last Chance Basin to the site of the old Wagner Mine for the beginning of the season. Terrain is uneven. Not advisable for guests using a wheelchair. Menu is subject to change.