Little Harding Lake
Salcha
The feel
Little Harding Lake is a small stocked rainbow trout pond near Salcha, a 52-acre lake that is one of the two inlets feeding the larger Harding Lake. There are no facilities, and crowds are low, which makes it a quieter alternative to Harding Lake itself. You fish from the bank with light spinning gear or a fly rod. Open water runs May through September.
What to expect
- Water and access
- Mile 319.3 Richardson Highway, east onto Salcha Drive, then south and west to the lake. No facilities.
- Species and timing
- Stocked rainbow trout, May through September.
- Methods and gear
- Bank fishing with light spinning gear or a fly rod.
- License and rules
- Check current stocked-lake limits for the Tanana River Drainage.
- Crowds and best time
- Crowds are low.
- Bathrooms and water
- No facilities at the lake.
- Season and access
- Open water May through September.
Mingo says
Plan your trip between May and September, when the water is open. Choose this pond over Harding Lake when you want fewer anglers around.
Before you go
- Follow Salcha Drive south and west from Mile 319.3 Richardson Highway.
- Bring everything with you, since there are no facilities.
- Pack light spinning gear or a fly rod for fishing from the bank.
- Check the current stocked-lake limits before you cast.
Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
Today
Getting there
- Access
- Mile 319.3 Richardson Highway, east onto Salcha Drive, then south and west per the ADF&G stocking guide's turn-by-turn directions; no facilities.
- Drive from Anchorage
- Full day, 7h22 to Salcha
- Drive from Fairbanks
- 48 min to Salcha
- Water
- Lake
- Best time
- Open water May through September.
- Fish
- Rainbow trout
- How to fish it
- Bank
- Gear rules
- Light spinning gear or fly rod
- Crowds
- Low
- Regulations
- Tanana River Drainage, stocked lake
- Local rules
- Check current stocked-lake limits.
| Species | Months | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow trout | May to Sep | stocked |