Mint Hut via Gold Mint Trail

The feel

The Gold Mint Trail follows the west bank of the Little Susitna River to its source in the Mint Glacier Valley. It starts as a 2 mile climb up an old mining road, then narrows to a trail that turns rougher underfoot and passes beaver ponds. About 3.5 miles from the parking area, the high peaks and glaciers of the upper valley come into view.

Near the head of the valley the trail turns away from the river and follows cairns up toward a knoll, where a fork leads across the front or around the back. Both deliver you to the door of Mint Hut, built in 1971 at 4,350 ft and half a mile from Mint Glacier.

What to expect

Route and terrain

Out and back, 16 to 16.8 miles round trip, with 2,900 to 3540 ft of gain. Old mining road, then rocky trail, a creek crossing and a boulder field marked by cairns, steepening into a glacier-rimmed valley toward the end.

Time

About 9 hours.

Crowds and best time

The hut is first come, first served and can be crowded or full.

Parking

The Gold Mint parking area is at mile 13.7 Hatcher Pass Road. It has 10 campsites, and camping and RV parking are allowed.

Fees and passes

$5 per day to park. Staying at the hut requires Mountaineering Club of Alaska membership, $20 per year, and no reservations are taken.

Hazards

Black and brown bears live here, so make noise and carry bear deterrents. Hatcher Pass is an avalanche hazard area. Do not approach the hut from the end of the Little Susitna drainage, where the slopes are steep and avalanche danger is high. Reaching the hut over the glaciers requires glacier-travel skills.

Bathrooms and water

Toilets and summer-only water at the parking area. At the hut, an outhouse and a small creek lie north of it.

Season and access

The parking area is shared with snowmachiners in winter.

Mingo says

Pick a clear day for this one. People have wandered for hours in whiteouts and pitched a tent 100 yards from the hut. The climb to the hut is steep, so save energy for it.

Before you go

• Join the Mountaineering Club of Alaska ($20 per year) before you leave if you plan to sleep in the hut.
• Bring a tent as backup in case the hut is full.
• Bring your own white gas for the hut stove, and a GPS if it is your first visit.
• Carry bear deterrents.

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