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Resurrection Creek panning areaThe second discovery of gold on the Kenai Peninsula, was on Resurrection Creek in about 1888. The creek has produced an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 oz. of gold since 1895. Below Palmer Creek, Resurrection Creek flows through a 1,000 ft.-wide alluvial flood plain. Creek gravels rest on a tan to yellow clay hard-pan with streaks of blue clay present. Bench gravels are exposed on both sides of the creek. Gold is disseminated throughout the gravel, but is concentrated on clay and bedrock.A 1.5-mile stretch of Resurrection Creek lies within a withdrawal and is available for recreational gold panning. This area is a favorite site for recreational mining. Suction dredges (4-inch or smaller) are permitted from May 15 to July 15 with a permit from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Access is by the Resurrection Creek Road out of Hope. The mining area begins at the Resurrection Pass Trail footbridge 4.5 miles from Hope. It continues upstream for 1.5 miles, excluding the patented (private land) claim (see Figure 9). The claim boundary is 0.5 miles up the road from the footbridge and is marked with a gate. The upper portion of the withdrawal, beyond the private ground, is best accessed by taking the Resurrection Pass trail. Fine gold can be panned from gravels along the creek between the footbridge and private land. Try for fine, flat gold near the campsite 0.25 mile above the footbridge. Bedrock is exposed on the east canyon wall just above the campsite and just below the private lands. Both spots are good bets for gold. Rounded boulders piled along the creek are tailings from old hydraulic operations. Much of the road has been built on these tailings. 
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