Alaska’s vibrant past combined with the advances in society has inevitably led to many structures and entire towns becoming part of our abandoned places in Alaska road trip. Add the fluctuating economy filled with the highest of the highs and the lowest of the lows, and you essentially have an entire state that has gone through the financial ringer. We can’t forget about Alaska’s gruesome and wildly unpredictable weather patterns. Natural disasters alone have attributed directly to entire communities being abandoned in the Last Frontier, many of which were never able to rebound or rebuild.

Although this road trip only graces the surface of the many abandoned places in Alaska, it’s a great start to ease you into the alarming and positively mind-blowing remnants from the past. This lengthy trip takes about 24 hours and covers roughly 1200 miles of terrain, making it best to break it up into a few days period. Better yet, take your time and enjoy all the other incredible sights along the way. To view the map with accompanying driving directions to all of these abandoned places in Alaska, tap or click on this interactive map.

Google Maps
1. Abandoned House at Lowell Beach – Seward
Lowell Point, AK, USA
Flickr - zummerland
Because every good road trip is better when it starts on the beach, we're kicking off this awesome abandoned places road trip in Alaska with a salty air drive along Lowell Point Beach in Seward. Look towards the beach and you're guaranteed to see three things: majestic mountain views, stunningly beautiful ocean views, and the occasional abandoned beach house.

Whether squatters or homesteaders originally built the houses is still a mystery, but the picturesque panoramic views shining through the abandoned structures are positively undeniable. Learn more on the Lowell Point State Recreation website.
2. Old Jesse Lee Children’s Home – Seward
1926 Phoenix Rd, Seward, AK 99664, USA
YouTube
The Jesse Lee Home for Children in Seward was the second of three other child welfare institutions in Alaska with the same name. The first location was built and established in Unalaska (Dutch Harbor). In 1926, the home was moved to the coastal community of Seward on the head of Resurrection Bay. Damage from the 1964 Good Friday earthquake was too severe to rebuild, so the home was then relocated to its present location in Anchorage in 1965.

Today the old abandoned building still remains in Seward and is a place where many children, teachers, caretakers, and community members alike hold happy, fond memories from the past. To this day, this spot is considered one of the most haunted places in Alaska but usually, people hear cheerful laughter and skipping ropes. Learn more about this historic property on Alaska.org.

Learn more about the history of this abandoned place:

3. Portage, Alaska
Portage, AK 99587, USA
Flickr - Brooke Binkowski
If you drive from Anchorage down to the Kenai Peninsula, you'll drive right through Portage and you might not even know it. The community of Portage was abandoned after the 1964 Good Friday earthquake and today isn't much more than an abandoned ghost town. You can see several abandoned cabins here. It is, however, home to incredible places like the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, which definitely makes it worth stopping for.
4. Buckner Building – Whittier
Buckner Building, b8b, Blackstone Rd, Whittier, AK 99693, USA
Flickr - Brooke Binkowski
Known as the 'weirdest city in the United States' where nearly the entire community lives under one roof, the town of Whittier is not for the faint of heart. Partially because of the isolation factor, and partially because of the super-creepy abandoned Buckner Building that is impossible to ignore from just about any vantage point in town. This old, abandoned military facility was abandoned in 1964 after it suffered immense damage in the Good Friday earthquake. Reports have even said that it is apparently very expensive to demolish because it is bomb-proof and full of asbestos.

See what it’s like to explore the Buckner Building:

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5. Independence Mine - Hatcher Pass
Independence Mine, Fishhook, AK 99645, USA
Flickr - Patricia H.
To get the full scoop on this intriguing place, be sure to watch this tour through an old gold mine in Alaska that will transport you back in time. Independence Mine State Historical Park is located in the Mat-Su Valley, up the scenic mountain pass of Hatcher Pass and deep into the Talkeetna Mountains. Although the old gold mine is one of the most interesting abandoned places in Alaska, it's still possible to enjoy very interactive walking tours all around the historic grounds.

Get a closer look at this old abandoned mine:

6. U.S. Army Cabins – Lake Louise
Lake Louise, AK 99588, USA
Flickr - Travis
These beautiful, rustic abandoned cabins in Alaska overlook the picturesque Lake Louise. They are said to be U.S. Army cabins and were built when Lake Louise was only accessible via float plane. In fact, rumor has it that President Eisenhower stayed in one of these many, many years ago. A true touch of Alaska's rich history, located on the shores of a spectacular natural landmark. Check out all the fun things you can do in the Lake Louise State Recreation Area on the Travel Alaska website.
7. Igloo City – Cantwell
Cantwell, AK, USA
Flickr - Malcolm Manners
To get the full scoop on this wild place, be sure to check out this eerie abandoned hotel in Alaska that's guaranteed to give you the chills. Located off the George Parks Highway on the way to Fairbanks heading north from Anchorage, you won't be able to miss this massive white structure that mimics an igloo. It was supposed to be a hotel but required permitting delayed the processes which eventually led to the building sitting abandoned for many, many years. In our opinion, this neat place is a 'dreamer's paradise' as the possibilities for a completed masterpiece are truly endless.
8. Ester Gold Camp – Fairbanks
Gold Mine, Ester, AK 99709, USA
Flickr - J. Stephen Conn
This abandoned gold mining town has been transformed over the years and used to be a popular tourist spot. Visitors loved experiencing all of the remnants from the past while many chose to stay in old miners' barracks that have been restored to hotel rooms. This remote area truly offers a one-of-a-kind visitor experience. This place probably has one or two good Alaska ghost stories to come out of it! If you want to stay up to date about its reopening, follow it on its Facebook /a> page.
9. Fortymile Region - Interior Alaska
Eagle, AK 99738, USA
Flickr - Bureau of Land Management
The South Fork of the Fortymile National Wild, Scenic, and Recreational River is where Alaskans and visitors alike can go to enjoy a touch of the past. It's the final stop on this road trip to some of the most fascinating abandoned places in Alaska. Hop on a raft and enjoy a relaxing float trip while experiencing remnants from Alaska's 1886 Gold Rush Era. You won't believe your eyes when you see the abandoned gold-mining dredges, turn-of-the-century trapper abandoned cabins, and townsites along the way.

Have you visited any of these abandoned places in Alaska? Which ones? Will you try the road trip to see them all? Let us know in the comments below!

If you love hitting the wide-open road, you don’t want to miss this road trip that will take you to Alaska’s scariest places.

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Abandoned Places In Alaska

Megan McDonald | June 26, 2020

Why are there so many abandoned places in Alaska?

There are so many abandoned places in Alaska primarily due to the decline of the mining industry.

Alaska has quite an exciting and storied past. In the 1800s during the Gold Rush, a large number of miners arrived in Alaska to try to strike it rich. They moved into areas that previously didn’t have any occupants and quickly set up towns. These towns were more temporary in nature because when a strike “played out,” meaning all the gold had been mined, they were quick to pack up and move to the next area where gold was found. This left many small towns abandoned. Also, large natural disasters that have occurred, most notably the Good Friday Earthquake, which damaged large buildings beyond repair. These buildings now sit unoccupied because it is too dangerous to go into without fixing and too expensive to fix.

Are any of these abandoned places in Alaska haunted?

Haunted abandoned places in Alaska include:

  • Jesse Lee Children's Home
  • Red Onion Saloon

Yes, several abandoned places in Alaska are reputed to be haunted, including Jesse Lee’s Children's Home in Seward. There are also many hotels, bars, and restaurants in Alaska still currently in use that are also said to be haunted. Make sure to check out the Red Onion Saloon in Skagway for a great haunted story.

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