Chatanika Gold Camp

The feel

Thirteen buildings sit on a hill above Cleary Creek, on a 49.061 acre site. Five of them are corrugated steel buildings put up by the Fairbanks Exploration Company in 1925, and the rest are older wood frame structures. The two biggest are the 36-man bunkhouse and mess hall and the 52-man bunkhouse, both two stories tall.

This was the base camp for the largest gold dredging operation in the Fairbanks mining region. Old mining equipment and tools still lie around the grounds, and remnants of the Davidson Ditch run behind the site to the north. The mess hall building now serves as a restaurant and hotel.

What to expect

What it is

A historic gold mining camp built in 1925, on the National Register of Historic Places since October 16, 1979.

Bathrooms and water

The 52-man bunkhouse has a one-story bathroom addition.

Season and access

At Mile 27.75 on the Steese Highway in Chatanika, on paved highway all the way to the site.

Mingo says

Gold Dredge No. 3 sits about a mile northwest of the camp, across the highway from Chatanika Lodge. It ran until 1963.

Before you go

• Drive to Mile 27.75 on the Steese Highway; the road is paved to the site.
• Stop at the mess hall building if you want a meal, since it serves as a restaurant and hotel.
• Walk to the north side of the site to see the Davidson Ditch remnants behind it.

Written October 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.