If you ask Alaskans about a "hidden" escape that doesn't take too much time to get to, you'll often get the same answer -- Hatcher Pass.
Whether it's hiking, berry picking, a beautiful drive or a chance to experience some of the state's history, Hatcher Pass has it.
The area, which can be reached from Palmer, Wasilla or Willow in the Mat-Su, is one of the places Alaskans flock to when the summer sun shines. It has a bit of everything Alaska has to offer: mountain peaks, a glacier-fed river, alpine tundra, gold rush history, great hiking trails and seclusion.
"I think it's the only place you can get up quickly into the high country outside of Anchorage," said Kymberly Miller, ranger for the Hatcher Pass area. "Within an hour out of Anchorage, you get up to 3,500 feet. And you can drive all the way up on a paved road.
"It's just a beautiful area. The road runs along the Little Su River in the lower part of the canyon. You turn at the Gold Mint Trail and head up quickly. There are ground squirrels and marmots everywhere. There are tundra plants everywhere; they are blooming all over the place in July."
The road to Hatcher Pass and Independence Mine State Historical Park goes by a couple of names: Hatcher Pass Road or Fishhook-Willow Road. From the Palmer side of Hatcher Pass, it parallels the Little Susitna River before climbing toward the alpine tundra. There are several pullouts along the road so visitors can stop to enjoy the scenery.
Many people are headed to the historical park, which takes visitors back to the area's gold rush era. Independence Mine was one of 38 mines that operated in Hatcher Pass from around 1900 to the 1950s. The park includes about 20 buildings that were part of Independence Mine. Some of the buildings have been restored and can be toured. Park officials offer special tours of some of the buildings, and a couple are open to everyone.
And if you're ready to lace up your hiking boots, there is no better place than Hatcher Pass.
"It is one of the jewels of the state parks of Alaska," Miller said.
Here are a couple of popular hikes:
• Gold Mint Trail: It begins across the road from the Motherlode Lodge. The trail is about eight miles and parallels the Little Susitna River, which is fed by the Mint Glacier.
• Reed Lakes Trail: It is a good day hike or overnight destination if you want to do some camping. It is a seven-mile round-trip hike to Lower Reed Lake, and Upper Reed Lake is just a mile farther up the trail. For the super adventurous, Bomber Glacier is just over the peaks surrounding the upper lake.
Special sections editor Steve Edwards can be reached at sedwards@adn.com or 257-4316. Visit his Alaska travel blog at www.alaska.com/alaskology.
