Drive Guide to the Petersville Road and South Denali Safari

Hello, I'm Dennis Garrett. I came to Alaska  many years ago to find adventure, opportunity  and gold. I've put up  this page, which started out as a   "Drive guide for the Petersville Road  and South Side Denali", to help guide you around the area if  this is  your first visit, or open up some "new" areas you may not be familiar  with even if you are an 'old-timer'. 

My  family, 3 generations of Miners and I have been operating a gold mine here in the foothills of  the Alaska Range since 1985. I'll try to cover the basics such as what  to wear, what to bring, where to stay, and whatever else I can think of.  

The picture at the top of this page is Denali from the Peters Creek ford, in the Petersville Recreational Mining Area. More pictures and maps on the Gallery and Downloads pages.

If you are looking for the "Alaskan gold-mining town of Stevensville Alaska" in the long-defunct Yentna Mining District as seen on TV, I regret to inform you that it is fictitious. It is set in the abandoned camp of Petersville. We are now calling our Mining District "The Petersville Mining District", after Henry Peters. We Miners in the former Yentna Mining District had been without representation for over 30 years, from 1984-2004.

Instead, a few that desired not to mine the minerals, but instead, Mine the Tourists, by making a deal with Outside Tour Companies and petty, ignorant bureaucrats, and their dream of the "South Denali Visitor's Center" was crushed by "An Odd Coalition..." They also dreamed of turning Petersville into a Tourist trap.

Interested in buying a lease or mining claim in the Petersville area (or anywhere else)? Read Fact Sheet: Investigating Claims Before You Buy first, from the Alaska DNR. Also of related interest to both  prospective buyers as well as claim/mine owners and lessees is this  informative report from the Nevada Bureau of Mines titled "Gold from Water (and Other Scams)"(Free download link). 

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GETTING READY TO GO:

Petersville Road is the "other" road to Denali, the southern gateway  to  Denali, certainly the road less traveled. It's a rugged mining road, designed for true explorers of Alaska who want to discover the  backcountry  on their own terms. 

This  trip will take about 1-3 hours, and likely far longer, one-way, (if you are driving) covering  about 34-45 miles one-way.  I recommend that you have a 4-wheel drive  sports utility vehicle or truck, at least after the abandoned mining camp of  Petersville,  but it is not mandatory. ATV's, aircraft, bicycles, animals such as goats, dogs, donkeys, Yak, camel, horse, and Alpacas, or by foot are other excellent alternatives.  Note: Your "3 Hour Tour" may be like The S.S. Minnow, in that you can easily, be lost. Think Before You Go.

The road conditions are usually  favorable for travel  between June 1 and August 31, while May around Labor Day,  and  late Setemmber into October are "iffy." Due  to the area's proximity to the Alaska Range,  there is usually a great deal  of snow on the road beyond Mile 14 the  rest of the year. (That explains  the area's popularity with  snowmachiners, mushers, and winter campers on skis and snowshoes  who flock to the area throughout  the winter.) The road is  unpaved except for the first 10+ miles, and the further along you travel  the  greater degree of 'adventure', as I like to call it, will you  encounter.

NWS Area info: https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-150.765&lat=62.495

You should also travel with necessary survival equipment, including  a 1st aid kit, spare tire, tow rope, raingear, wading boots, mosquito repellent, waterproof matches or other firestarters,  food, water, blankets and other gear. I'm working on a list from which you can pick and choose, or ignore the whole thing.  A cell phone, CB radio, FRS/GMRS walkie talkie, or other communication device would also be handy, although most times there are sufficient  vehicles passing along the road so that you would not be stuck for long. It's also a good idea to file a trip plan. Remember: this is an unpaved road deep in the wilderness. You could walk for a thousand miles west or north and not see another person.

IF YOU NEED SOME PLACE TO STAY:

Three Bears – Trapper Creek Convenience/ Liquor Store/ Gas Station located at Mile 114.6  Parks Highway has lodging and RV hookups. Further up the road, Mary's McKinley View Lodge is  also available at Mile 134.5 Parks Highway. Lodging on Petersville Road  includes Trapper Creek B & B (Mi. .03), Denali View Chalets  (Mi. 2), North Country B & B (Mi. 2.7), Gate Creek Cabins (Mi.  10.5), McKinley Foothills B & B/Cabins (Mi. 17.2). Most of these places have a beautiful view of Mt. McKinley  (Denali).  This is the most recent information, subject to change. You can also plan for a fine dinner and some gold panning at our friends Ken and Wynona Lee at the Cache Creek Cabins, they also have excellent local knowledge, from fishin' to bears!

If you prefer, you can camp in any of the numerous  pullouts along the side of the road and nearly anywhere you want beyond  Mile 19, where there is almost no private property, (with the exception of Cache Creek at the confluence of Nugget Creek) and of course on the claims. See the map  for some scenic campsites. And be sure to check with the State  Division of Forestry for information regarding campfires. It may also be permitted to camp and do some gold panning in Denali State Park or Denali National Park and Preserve, but you'll have to determine that for yourself. If you park your vehicle so that it  blocks someones driveway or the road expect it to be gone when you return. The Alaska State Troopers will tow  it away for you.  

No motorized vehicles are permitted in Denali State Park or Denali National Park and Preserve on our side.

NOW LET'S GO . . . FOR THE GOLD!

To begin your road safari to gold country, travel the George Parks Highway  to Milepost 114.9 where the community of Trapper Creek is located. If you  don't have a full tank of gas, you can fill up in Trapper Creek. You can  also visit Trapper Creek's Old Historic Post Office. 

Turn onto the Petersville Road. The first 10+ miles of this road  are paved. Miners built the Petersville Road in the 1920s. You will notice  many farms in the area. The farms were established by the "59ers," people  who came up to take advantage of a federal land grab from 1948 through  the 60s and 70s.

Mi. 0.7 Petersville Road: Trapper Creek's Spruce Lane Farms Museum  and Gifts.  This is an authentic log cabin museum with a view of Mt. McKinley.  Here you can get some background on the area's gold mining history and  the homesteader movement. There are local gifts for sale and you can even  pet the ponies before you continue your road safari.  

Mile 6: Moose Creek. Here you can stop and have a picnic lunch  and check to see if there are any trout or grayling in the creek. Also,  enjoy good berry picking towards summer's end.  

Mile 14: Kroto Creek -- a good place to park your vehicle and  snowmachine trailer in the winter since this is where road maintenance  ends in winter. 

Various  points between Mile 6 and Mile 19 offer views of the Alaska Range and tundra  lakes -- some with swans, ducks, geese, moose, etc. See our image and map gallery.

Mile 19: Forks Roadhouse. The remains  of an old bridge can be seen on Peters Creek behind the roadhouse. This takes you to the Black Creek Trail that goes around the southern side of the Peters Hills to Cache Creek and beyond. Do not attempt to drive very far without walking it out first. 

The Forks Roadhouse, a relic of the gold rush era, burned to the ground in April 2012. The site was established as a supply depot for the gold fields of the Petersville Hills and Sustina Valley in the early 1900s.  Take the right fork and continue on the Petersville Road. 

At about Mile 26, you will pass through the long-abandoned mining  camp of Petersville. The Petersville post office was located here from 1936 to 1939 (Ricks, 1965, p. 51). The historic buildings are closed and off-limits, but the rest of the lands are part of the general public lands. If you prefer you can just drive through and not stop,  but no one has the legal right to prevent you from camping, crossing over, and otherwise recreating on the  area as you wish, or attempting to charge you a "fee" of any type or kind. There are often squatters there, and more than once the Alaska State Troopers have visited that camp.  

As you continue on, from Mile 28-30, you enter the spectacular  Peters Creek canyon, a one-lane road that hugs one side of a deep gorge  with waterfalls all around you. Views of the Alaska Range complete the  picture.  

One  option before entering the canyon would be to turn right onto the trail  at the mouth of the canyon. This rough trail can be muddy, so walk it out first. You'll go up to the top of the Peters Hills.  This is where I have seen some of the most phenomenal views of the Alaska  Range featuring Denali (Mt. McKinley), Mt. Foraker, and Mt. Hunter, and The Mooses Tooth. You can also  see stunning views of the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains, the Matanuska-Susita  Valleys, and much more -- all set in a pristine alpine tundra. 

The breeze  is refreshing. Surrounding you are many deep, clear lakes that were created  when the ancient glaciers that sculpted this magnificent landscape sliced  the top of this mountain off. Watch for migratory birds and small mammals  early in the summer, and Ptarmigan and bears feeding on the berries later  in the year. This is a great area to begin a mountain biking trek, as there  are many rugged trails and roads in this region, and it's a great place to set up camp.  

Continuing  on, you'll cross Peters Creek at the bridge at Mile 32 and enter  the Petersville Recreational Mining Area, an area with over 2 miles of gold-bearing streams, set aside  by the State of Alaska for the citizens to pan and mine for gold. If you  don't know how, it's easy to learn and fun to do. This is also another  outstanding area to camp.

Just past the bridge you come to another fork: the left fork takes you  to the Cache Creek area; the right fork takes you to the Blue  Ribbon Mine and Denali State Park. We'll go there first. If you do decide  to head down the Cache Creek Road, we recommend that you visit our friends and Neighbors Ken and Wynona Lee at The Cache Creek Cabins, https://www.cachecreekcabins.com/  for great food, lodging, and gold panning. The road down Cache Creek is usually fair, but you will need to make a few easy creek crossings. 

Take the right fork, you'll travel a little ways beyond the bridge,  where you'll come to the Peters Creek ford. Bears and salmon can often  be seen here. The idea of crossing the creek with your vehicle may, at  first, appear daunting. However, the creek is generally quite shallow,  except where strong currents have cut deep channels into the gravel bed  of the creek. Stay away from these areas. Instead, cross only where the  water is rough on the surface, and only when the water is relatively shallow, say 2 to  3 feet. Don't hesitate or stop in mid-stream, just keep your momentum and  move forward.  If unsure, walk it out first. Plan your crossing so you aren't facing the stream current.

After crossing the creek, you encounter yet another fork: the left takes  you up Peters Creek, and the right takes you to Blue Ribbon Mine. You are  also leaving the Petersville State Recreational Mining area and entering privately  held state mining claims. By law, you may freely travel through, or hunt,  fish, even camp on mining claims without the owner's permission. However,  remember that the gold and other minerals are the property of the claim  owner, and any unauthorized removal can result in criminal charges and  civil liabilities. This is also true for disturbing claim markers, corners,  or vandalizing equipment and camp facilities. Please respect private property, equipment, camps and other items.  

As you continue on, the road becomes narrower, at times almost indistinct.  The only evidence of a road or trail, which sometimes is swallowed up by  the stream, is the occasional piece of surveyors' ribbon hanging from a  branch. The seemingly impenetrable brush suddenly opens up, then as quickly,  it surrounds you again. As you peer into the thick vegetation, ask yourself:  Could there be a bear, moose, or other large beast-- or what other hidden  treasure may be lurking in there unseen and unknown by me?

At Mile 34 or so, you may see a sign: Welcome to the Blue Ribbon  Mine!  To visit the mine, turn left here and drive for about 1.5 miles.  Please feel free to take all the photos you want.  

Surprised to see a mailbox way out here? It started out as a  joke, and then people started leaving messages and gifts in the box, and  sometimes we would leave mail in it so that anyone leaving the mine could  take it to town. Speaking of 'Town,' we call our camp here "Vicinity, Alaska."  It, like the mailbox, started out as a joke, as we would always hear on  the radio, "The weather today for Anchorage and Vicinity is . . . ." Heh  heh.  

You  can see for yourself why I like it here so much. Expansive vistas, lush  valleys, rugged mountains, distant peaks  beckoning the wanderer in all  of us. Even the names carry you back to the turn of the century, when the  West was truly Wild: Nugget, Gold, and Poorman Creeks. Or,  Lucky, Puzzle and Ruby Gulches.  

If you listen, you can hear the songs of the birds and the sounds of  the creeks carried on the breeze.  

Gold was discovered in this area in 1898, and the first known mining  activities began in 1906. An estimated 200,000 ounces of gold , (12,000 lb; 5,700 kg) has been produced from the placer deposits of the district. (A.L. Clark, 1973). mostly by small-scale and hand mining. As you can see,  the overall impact has been minimal, and most of the lands have been or  are being reclaimed.  

Fun Science Facts!

foot³10.36

oil barrel 1.85, Imperial gallon 64.56, US cup: 1 240.44, inch³17 908.84, US fluid ounce: 9 923.51: liter: 293.47, US gallon: 77.53, meter³0.29, US pint 620.22, metric cup 1 173.89, US quart 310.11, metric tablespoon: 19 564.89, US tablespoon 19 847.03, metric teaspoon 58 694.66, US teaspoon: 59 541.08

We exercise the utmost care and concern for the natural environment  when harvesting the minerals we all need and use every day. You'll see  how we have constructed wetlands and planted grasses and other plants to  stabilize areas previously mined and abandoned long ago. We continue to  research methods of reclamation and revegetation.  

From "Vicinity," you can depart for Denali State Park, Denali National  Park and Preserve, or just hang around and enjoy the scenery. To drive  to the boundary of Denali State Park, go back down the hill to the sign,  turn left. After about one-half mile you will see that the road becomes  very steep. DO NOT ATTEMPT to drive this unless you have a 4-wheel drive  vehicle in good condition and are familiar with its operation. Continue  on, until you reach the crest of the hill. Then turn left and drive until  you come to the "Denali State Park" sign.  Motor vehicles are prohibited in Denali State Park and Denali National Park and Preserve.

A very nice trail takes off from here, and by following it for a mile  or so, you can overlook the Tokositna Valley and Glacier, the Tokosha Mountains,  and of course, Denali, the "Great One." (aka Mt. McKinley) In the 1920s, the world-renowned  Alaskan artist Sydney Laurence painted from this vantage point. A documentary was partially filmed at the mine. Captain  James Cook walked and camped here while searching for a trail into the  Interior of Alaska. Behind, to your left, the bodies of three men were  found on 13 September 1939. All three, and the wife of one of the men,  were murdered for their gold. The killer is even today unknown. Check out "The Mystery of the Cache Creek Murders" by local author Roberta Sheldon for a very thorough and interesting read on this subject.  

There is so much to see and do here, you might be asking, What's  next? Well, we could go on over into Cache Creek, or to Bear Creek.  But, let's save that for another day.  

How about some tidbits of Geology? All the terrain you see today was  created in the last 9,500 years or so. By rivers of ice, mostly. The Peters  Hills, named after Henry Peters, one of the first prospectors in the area,  as well as the Dutch Hills, are made of slate and other sedimentary rocks  dating back to the late Jurassic and early Cretaceous Periods, about 170  to 220 million years ago. A Tertiary Age (about 65 million years old) conglomerate  overlies these rocks where it hasn't been removed by erosion. Coal, bones,  and some gold can be found in this formation. It is also the source of  the red-brown stains you see near many streams in this area. All that remains  of three great glacial epochs are the U-shaped valleys, the large areas  of wetlands that are dotted with numerous small, clear lakes, and the hilly  terrain characteristic of moraines.  A brief report on the geology, mining history, and some more reading is listed on the home page.

Dutch Creek: stream, heads W of Dutch Hills, flows SW 10 mi. to Granite Creek, 37 mi. NW of Talkeetna, Alaska Ra.; 62°32’10” N, 150°10’10” W; (map 81).

Prospectors’ name reported in 1906 by R. W. Porter, USGS.

Dutch Hills: ridge, elev. 4,400 ft., extends NE 15 mi. from 1958 terminus of Kahiltna Glacier, 30 mi. NW of Talkeetna, Alaska Ra.; 62°35’30” N, 150°58’00” W; (map 81).

Prospectors’ name reported in 1911 by S.R. Capps (in Brooks, 1912, pl 9), USGS.

Gopher Gulch: ravine, in Dutch Hills, trends NE 0.5 mi. to Willow Creek, 29 mi. NW of Talkeetna, Alaska Ra.; 62°34’45” N, 150°50’45” W; (map 81)

Prospectors’ name reported in the 1930’s by USGS.

Ramsdyke Creek: heads in Dutch Hills, flows NE 5 mi. to Tokositna River.

Prospectors’ name reported in 1906 by R. W. Porter, USGS.

Tokositna River var. Tokichitna, Tokoshitna. Tanaina Indian name meaning “stream from treeless area”, reported to A. H. Brooks in 1902 by prospector George Aberhardt.

Peters Creek: stream, heads in Dutch Hills, flows S 45 mi. to Kahiltna River, 26 mi. SW of Talkeetna, Alaska Ra. ; 62" 10'40" N, 150"- 52'45" W; (map 81). Prospectors' name reported in 1906 by R. W. Porter, USGS.

Peters Hills: mountains, 3,800 ft., extend SW 18 mi. from Tokositna River, 24 mi. NW of Talkeetna, Alaska Ra.; 62"31'15" N, 150°48'30" W; (map 81). Local name reported in 1906 by R. W. Porter, USGS.

Petersville: locality, on Peters Creek, 24 mi. NW of Talkeetna, Alaska Ra.; 62”29'45" N, 150"- 46'00" W; (map 81). Mining camp reported in 1934 by USGS. The Petersville post office was located here from 1936 to 1939 (Ricks, 1965, p. 51).

Source: Dictionary of Alaska place names U.S.G.S. Professional Paper 567

By: Donald J. Orth

What  else is there to do? Hiking, fishing, photography, mountain biking, cultural  exploration, bird watching, and wildlife and mountain viewing. You will  be moved, inspired, and exhilarated. Only by visiting here will you be  able to feel and experience the powerful connection with nature. Mere superlatives  cannot describe, any more than even the very best photos, the grandeur  of the foothills of the Alaska Range.  

In order to preserve the natural environment as well as the quality  of the experience, we ask that you try to minimize the impact of your visit.  After all, what's the sense in trampling and overcrowding the very wilderness  you've come to enjoy? Wherever you may be, please respect the environment.  Don't litter. Pick up any litter you do find and pack it out. Don't take  anything out you didn't bring in. And don't leave anything behind.  

As you begin your return journey to civilization, consider visiting  the other historic gold mining areas of the Matanuska-Susitna Valleys,  for example Independence  Mine, located in Hatcher Pass.  

Some General Information

In order to help insure that your visit to the South Denali region  is pleasant, here is a short list of tips:  

Bugs, Berries, Bears, and Hiking: The best places to hike are the areas  higher on the flanks of the Peters and Dutch Hills, which are free of the  dense scrub growths of willow and alder. These are the areas with the least  amount of bugs due to the steady breeze, and where lots of berries grow. In areas where there is a clear  trail, please stay on the trail to minimize impact. Alpine areas are relatively  fragile and slow growing. The large dug-up areas you see pockmarking the  hillsides are the work of Grizzly bears digging up ground squirrels for  food. To avoid conflicts with bears, make lots of noise when traveling  through the thick brush, along streams, around berry bushes, and anywhere  you see bear tracks or droppings. Take precautions with your food: don't  store or discard food near your camp. Chances are, you will never even  see a bear out here, but rest assured, they know you are there. 

Topographic Maps: U.S.G.S. Talkeetna C-2 is the main map, those  adjoining it will provide excellent coverage.  For reference, use this code in Google Maps or search: H4HM+32 Petersville, AK, USA

Weather: The weather is subject to change rapidly due to our  closeness to Denali. You could wake up to a clear, cloudless day, and temperatures  could soar into the 80's, or the wind could shift, and the temperature  can drop 30 degrees in a few minutes, followed by a cold, windy rain. If  you expect to be more than a couple of hours away from your vehicle or  camp, you would be well advised to take along a day pack with a light rain  jacket or poncho, among other items.  

Licenses and Permits- Check with various State and Federal agencies  for information relating to fishing, hunting, and land use requirements.  I don't want you to get in trouble while on your safari. It's your responsibility to secure and have on hand any permits etc that are required for your plan.

The local channel for CB radios is channel 19. Most cell phones work, but are better at the higher elevations.

Petersville Road Corridor Management Plan

While the Tokositna Petersville Road (A coalition of Citizens, including "The Pony-Tailed Gold Miner" as the ADN called me, stopped this idea-to the dismay of outside corporate tour companies like Princess, awww!), and its connection to Denali State Park, Denali National Park and Preserve offer unique opportunities for exploration and adventure, there have been some concerns raised about the road and the park plan. Here are a few of the concerns:

1. Road Conditions and Safety:  The Tokositna Petersville Road is a rugged mining road that can be  challenging to navigate, especially beyond mile 14 where there is often a  significant amount of snow. The road is unpaved and can be rough,  requiring four-wheel drive in some cases. Travelers are advised to be  prepared with necessary survival equipment and to check road conditions  before embarking on the journey . You will be challenged for cell, live streaming, etc. Yet the very stupid plan was to bus in 200,000 tourists per year, on the Petersville Road! Locals would have been excluded, as is the case on the north side.
    

• Access Restrictions:  Motor vehicles are prohibited in Denali State Park and Denali National  Park and Preserve. While the Tokositna Petersville Road provides access  to a trail that offers scenic views of the Tokositna Valley, Glacier,  Tokosha Mountains, and Denali, visitors should be aware of the  restrictions on motorized vehicles within the park .

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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Think Before You Go.