Trail Overview
This 5.6 Mile (one-way) trail climbs high into the alpine, covering rocks, mud, and very tight cliff-edge switchbacks. No other mining trail on the Kenai Peninsula climbs as high or takes in more extensive views as this trail. Beginning some 2 hours south of Anchorage on the appropriately named Mine Road just south of Trail Lake, this trail climbs to 3,900 feet above sea level to a unique spot—a glacial cirque littered with mining paraphernalia.
Difficulty
While the trail itself is not particularly challenging, the cost of making a mistake the higher you climb gets exponentially worse, with potential for a serious or fatal accident should you slip off the trail or roll on one of the switchbacks.