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Worth knowing about · Hatcher Pass Hiking

Gold Cord Lake

Gold Cord Lake is Hatcher Pass's shortest real alpine-lake payoff — roughly 1.7 miles round trip with about 800 feet of gain, starting from the Independence Mine area. It's a genuine alpine lake at a much smaller scale of commitment than Reed Lakes Trail or Gold Mint Trail.

Moderate1 to 2 hours · short alpine payoff

Who this suits

Guests who want a real alpine lake without Reed Lakes' or Gold Mint's bigger commitment — good for families or a shorter add-on to an Independence Mine visit.

A plan that works

  1. Position this as the short alpine-lake option at Hatcher Pass — Reed Lakes and Gold Mint are the bigger commitments.
  2. Pairs naturally with an Independence Mine visit rather than needing its own dedicated day.

Drive and timing, honestly

  • From the Independence Mine area, Hatcher Pass; see that guide for the destination-level framing. No drive time is separately stated.
  • 1 to 2 hours.

What we won’t promise

  • We cannot promise current trail or snow conditions, or current Independence Mine State Historical Park hours and access.

Practical notes

  • A much smaller scale of commitment than Reed Lakes or Gold Mint — the short alpine-lake option here.

Local context

Around Hatcher Pass

Where Gold Cord Lake sits within Hatcher Pass — open any of the mapped places directly, or explore more of the area below.

Hatcher Pass geographic orientation: Fishhook and Hatcher Pass Roads, the Archangel Road branch, Reed Lakes, Independence Mine, Summit Lake, April Bowl, and surrounding trails and waterways.
AnchorageHatcher Pass in Southcentral

Choose a place to view on the map

Map keyMain roadSeasonal vehicle accessTrailRiver / significant streamTrailhead / accessMajor destinationOrientation map · not for navigation

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Where this fits regionally

Hatcher Pass, on the wider Southcentral map.

View on Southcentral map