This Scenic Road Trip From Anchorage Has Breathtaking Views Of Alaska's Snow-Doused Backcountry

Not too far north of Anchorage is a lesser-known backcountry of Alaska, filled with gorgeous glacial lakes, historic mining areas, and breathtaking hikes, all of which you can access on a scenic road trip. Hatcher Pass is a 49-mile-long mining road that cuts across Mat-Su Valley in the Talkeetna Mountains, allowing visitors to experience Alaska's snow-doused landscape, just over an hour from Anchorage. Accessible either through Willow or Palmer, it only takes about three hours total to drive Hatcher Pass and return to Anchorage, but make sure to leave extra time for photo ops and perhaps even outdoor activities like hiking. This drive combines paved and gravel roads, and parts of it are open seasonally, usually from July to September, depending on weather conditions. 

Hatcher Pass is named after Robert Lee Hatcher, who was the first to discover gold in Skyscraper Mountain in 1906. This led to a mining boom in the area, which lasted until World War II, when the United States decided to drop its gold-mining industry. Afterward, people reclaimed this area to return it to its original use: a place of wild nature and beauty. Residents encouraged the use of these old access roads by nature lovers and adventure seekers, as many head to the area for skiing and snowboarding in the winter or to hike and mountaineer in the summer. This makes Hatcher Pass a perfect place to explore — that is, once you've gotten your fill of the world's biggest chocolate waterfall in Anchorage — because whether or not you decide to adventure around this historic, wild area in the Talkeetna Mountains, you can just sit back and relax while cruising across the Last Frontier.

Visitors to Hatcher Pass can enjoy a range of sights, depending on the season. Since the full length of the pass is open in the summer, this is when it sees the most visitors, as many want to drive across this historic road and experience all it has to offer. Summertime activities include picking wildflowers from blooming meadows, panning for gold, foraging for blackberries, and hiking. The Hatch Peak and April Bowl Trail is a 2-mile loop that includes stunning views. Summit Lake is a favorite recreational spot, a small alpine tarn known for its awe-inspiring landscape and legendary lake monster, at least if you ask locals. Many prefer to visit the area around Hatcher Pass in the winter, when you can ski, snowboard, or snowshoe across this rugged terrain.

No matter the time of year you drive to Hatcher Pass, be sure to stop at the Independence Mine State Historical Park, located on a paved road that's open year-round, about 35 minutes north of Palmer. Alaska certainly has no shortage of once-booming gold mining towns that have been abandoned, and Independence Mine is no different. This historic mining town was shut in 1951, and today, you can explore it on an easy, self-guided tour along a short 0.3-mile path that's accessible for wheelchairs and strollers. Explore the old buildings and diesel engine, which all evoke the era of mid-20th-century life in this remote corner of the world. If you're feeling lucky, you can even pan for gold, as long as you do it with a shovel only. Note that if visiting the Independence Mine or some of the trailheads within Hatcher Pass, you will need to pay a parking fee, which is about $5 at the time of this writing.

Looking at a map, you might be struck by the sight of three roads near Hatcher Pass, all with the name "Fishhook" in them: Palmer-Fishhook, Wasilla-Fishhook, and Willow-Fishhook, all of which lead to Hatcher Pass. It's not exactly a coincidence; Hatcher Pass was known as "Fishhook Road" until the 1940s, named after Fishhook Creek, where gold was first struck in the area. The canyon where the pass runs was originally carved by the Little Susitna River, which follows the road for a handful of miles. While the Palmer and Wasilla roads are paved, the Willow one is not, and it's also steep and rough. Be sure to check with your car rental agency before attempting this road trip, since many specifically will not cover any damages done on the gravel portion of Hatcher Pass.

It's best to avoid reckless mistakes while doing a road trip, especially in such a wild location as Alaska, so be sure to bring a spare tire, no matter the season you head out, and have chains, tread mats, and snow tires in the winter. The best thing to do is to check weather conditions on the website for the Department of Natural Resources before heading out, which has updated information on road conditions and closures. Generally, the Hatcher Pass summit is open from the beginning of July to mid-September, while the Palmer-Fishhook road to Independence Mine State Historical Park is open year-round. During non-summer months, a four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended to safely drive around this area of Alaska's back country, which is not suitable for super large vehicles or RVs.