Historic Gold Panning Adventure & Salmon Bake
Description
Spend your day in Juneau port panning for gold and indulging in a fresh Alaskan salmon bake. After a brief city tour of Juneau, make your way with a guide up to Gold Creek and Last Chance Basin for an adventure in gold panning. When you’ve built up an appetite, head to a traditional all-you-can-eat salmon bake. Take a short stroll along a natural salmon-spawning creek to the entrance of the Wagner Mine at beautiful Salmon Creek Falls where you can pan for gold, see mining relics, and look for salmon. Have fun roasting marshmallows over a campfire and feel free to take photos at our interactive, gold rush mural. You’re also encouraged to visit the Trading Post to purchase a souvenir and other mementos.
Tour Options
Itinerary
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.
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 in the waters of Gold Creek, with helpful tips and advice from your prospector guide. 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 and souvenir Gold Claim Certificate is yours to keep! Gold-panning is hungry work, so you’re sure to have an appetite for what’s up next on your Juneau adventure. Featured on Bravo Television’s Top Chef, Gold Creek Salmon Bake is an event that’s been grilled to perfection for over 40 years. After a 20-minute scenic transfer, find yourself in a truly unique, lush rainforest environment under heated, translucent domes. Savor the aroma of wild Alaska salmon, grilling over a fragrant alder wood fire—the signature entrée of an all-you-can-eat adventure. The sumptuous spread has something for everyone. Choose from our signature grilled Alaskan salmon or Cheechako Chicken and enjoy a variety of Alaskan sides, and blueberry cake for dessert. Relax listening to live music or take a short stroll along a natural salmon-spawning creek to the entrance of the Wagner Mine at beautiful Salmon Creek Falls where you can pan for gold, see mining relics, and look for salmon. Have fun roasting marshmallows over a campfire and take photos at our interactive, gold rush mural. The food, entertainment, activities, and ambiance make Gold Creek Salmon Bake an Alaskan experience that is much more than a meal. Shuttle buses run regularly, so no need for you to rush, take your time and enjoy. You can stay until your tastes have been satisfied and you're filled with great memories!!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- 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
Reviews(66)
The tour guide was very nice and very informative. He was very knowledgeable about the area and gave us a lot of information. Lots of fun.
Our Salmon Bake was delicious and fun, but honestly the bus ride back to our ship was a delight. Our driver was kind, helpful and had a calm spirit that we really enjoyed.
The gold panning was very fun but the time felt very limited for the activity itself. We then went to the salmon bake where they gave us very little direction on how it all worked and what to do. With the price I paid for this event I was VERY surprised that I had to pay for my soda separately but all the food was covered? Did not make sense to me…
Danny was a terrific guide, great personality, lots of fun and very helpful and knowledgeable!
Great family adventure! Danny was great!
At first I wasn’t expecting much, but once I saw the gold flakes my son and I ignored each other and locked in. We were so excited and focused on our pans. We both wished we had more time to pan for more gold. Great experience, we are going to remember this excursion for sure.
Thank you for the review! We're glad you enjoyed the tour and we hope the rest of you time in Alaska was great!
Overpriced and overcooked. Don't do it! Gold panning lasts about a half hour, then dried out food. Very expensive. Meal is cafeteria style. Drinks not included.
It was so easy to book and navigate. Less money then doing the cruiseline tour! Booked on line and they met you right at drop off point from ships
We really appreciate the review, thank you! We're glad you had a good time and hope to see you again!
Really enjoyed this. Our guide was in informative and helping us pan for "gold." But the real treat was the buffet salmon bake.
Thank you for your review! We're glad to hear you had a good time and we hope to see you again!
This was a fun time to have with children, as they got to pan for gold in the rushing stream and everyone found some and was given a small vial to keep the gold in. It was also fun for the adults to pan for gold. The food was really good and we loved the waterfall at the salmon bake property. Our tour guide was a wealth of knowledge.
Thank you for the review! We're so happy to hear you and your family had a great time! Hope to have you back!
