RV families create lifetime memories panning for gold

Gold mining is not just a part of Alaska’s historic past it's still a popular and important commercial and recreational activity in many areas of the state. There are few family adventures more exciting and memorable than Mom, Dad and the kids, side-by-side, swirling icy Alaskan creek water in pans and discovering flecks or even small nuggets of gold.

Recreational gold panning and prospecting are permitted, with some restrictions, on most public lands in Alaska. On private lands or mining claims, owner’s permission is required.

RV visitors can join organized prospecting tours or, if you're a bit more adventurous, you can set your gps for places like the old mining camp called Chicken, established in 1886, current permanent population about 18. Chicken has little to offer outside of a rugged Alaskan experience and the opportunity to let your family pan for gold off the beaten track. (The track really is beaten, by the way. Alaska Route 5, the Taylor Highway, is not maintained between October and March. Generally, though, it's a decent road in the spring and summer.)

There's an RV park in Chicken with 30 electric hookups offering 20 and 30 amp service, limited but free WiFi and plenty of free dry camping ($10 tank dump fee extra.) The RV park also boasts the only flush toilets in all of Chicken.

If Chicken is a bit out of the way in your itinerary you can find many gold panning and mining opportunities in Alaska. It is not easy to determine where on public lands recreational gold mining is permitted. If you are unsure of the status of a particular area you can check online with the federal Bureau of Land Management.

 
How Chicken, Alaska, got its name, according to Wikipedia: "Chicken was settled by gold miners in the late 1800s and in 1902 the local post office was established requiring a community name. Due to the prevalence of (a chicken-like Arctic bird called the) ptarmigan in the area that name was suggested as the official name for the new community. However, the spelling could not be agreed on and Chicken was used to avoid embarrassment."