Gold Cord Lake: This hike is short, family-friendly, and absolutely gorgeous
The short, sweet hike to beautiful Gold Cord Lake is one of 13 fantastic hiking trails in Hatcher Pass. Set in a steep-sided bowl above Independence Mine State Historical Park, Gold Cord Lake is a great destination for families with kids or anyone with a little time to kill. Just be aware that it can get crowded (by Alaska standards) on summer days when the mine is open.
This is hike number 6 in my guidebook Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska, and one of 13 wonderful hikes in Hatcher Pass.
| Round Trip: 1.6 miles | Nearest community: Wasilla/Palmer |
| Elevation gain: 580 feet | Typical season: July to October |
| Parking fee: $5, or Alaska State Parks pass if you park in the lower lot | Nearby trails: April Bowl, Skyscraper Peak, Summit Lake, Marmot Mountain |
Gold Cord Lake Trailhead Directions
Take Trunk Road north from Wasilla until the road ends in a T intersection. Turn left at the T, which will be signed either for some variety of “Fishhook” road or for Hatcher Pass Road. About 16 miles later, the road will end at Independence Mine State Historical Park.
The trailhead is on the right at the end of the road, but you have to either park in the Alaska State Parks parking area about a mile down the road ($5 or Alaska State Parks parking pass) or pay $5 to park at Independence Mine, just across the street from the trailhead.
Hiking Gold Cord Lake
The trailhead for this hike is at the very end of the road, just opposite the entrance to Independence Mine. You can pay a $5 fee to park at the mine, but if you plan to finish your hike after the mine has closed, usually around 5 or 6pm, your car will be stuck behind a gate. In that situation it’s better to park at the Alaska State Parks parking area down the down and walk the mile or so up to the trailhead.
Once you’re at the trailhead, the trail to Gold Cord Lake is very straightforward: Just walk across the bridge and stay on the main trail as it works its way up the hillside across a few rocky patches. The old cabin you see along the way is the Lynch cabin, which once housed a worker from the nearby mine, along with his family.
Plan to loiter at the lake for a while: It really packs a wallop of outsized beauty in comparison to the short walk it takes to reach it. Watch for tiny pikas in the rocky slopes near the trail and lake. You might hear their cries first; to me they sound someone squeezing a small, hoarse squeaky toy.
I don’t recommend this as a winter hike. I believe it’s in avalanche terrain, although I’ve never looked at the slope angles.
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Lisa Maloney
A long-time Alaskan, Lisa has written three award-winning guidebooks including "Day Hiking Southcentral Alaska" and "50 Hikes Around Anchorage." She also served as senior editor of Alaska magazine and has written hundreds of newspaper columns and magazine articles about her adventures around the state. Learn more about her at http://maloneywrites.com.
