While Georgia boasts the renowned Old Car City, Alaska quietly harbors its own fascinating collection of vintage vehicles at Eklutna Tailrace. Unlike its Georgian counterpart with over 4,000 cars spread across six miles, Alaska’s version offers a more serendipitous encounter. Here, fragments of decaying automobiles emerge from the reclaiming earth along a tranquil riverside path, presenting a unique, unexpected spectacle.
This morning, a solitary car marked the trailhead of Eklutna Tailrace. A man strolled with his dog on a slender strip of land extending into the Knik River. The scenery hinted at the possibility of moose sightings, prompting a mental note to revisit the location later in the day.
A wide, level trail leads directly towards the flowing river, just a short walk away. To the right, a vast, serene marsh mirrors the distant Chugach Mountains with stunning clarity. To the left, the tailrace – the vigorously flowing, glacial blue outflow from Eklutna Lake – rushes from a 4.5-mile tunnel carved through the mountains, powering the Matanuska-Susitna Valley with hydroelectric energy. Fishing is a popular activity near dams and hydroelectric facilities, and this location is no different.
Just a few steps onto the path, the allure of the expansive landscape and the snow-capped mountain reflections drew me towards the water’s edge on the right.
Wandering along the riverbank, parallel to the trail, I navigated through trees, attempting to photograph darting warblers, examining tree bark, and capturing images of mushrooms. It was then that I noticed something protruding from the soil. Almost completely buried, a mere fragment of a car, resembling a canoe in shape, caught my eye.
Continuing my walk, I spotted another, and then another. Thick metal cables emerged from the ground, as if anchoring these vehicles. Could these Old Cars have been intentionally placed here to construct a jetty?
The scene resembled a bizarre drive-in movie theater, but instead of screens, there were decaying vehicles. Carcasses of old cars, in varying degrees of disintegration, spectacularly rusted and partially buried, are scattered across the entire north bank of this small peninsula.
Lost in the act of photographing these relics of automotive history, my moose quest was forgotten. I lingered, captivated by the scene, until hunger eventually reminded me of dinner, prompting a return and subsequent research into this unexpected discovery at mile 3.6 of the Old Glenn Highway.
It turns out this automotive graveyard was not a planned earthwork project. From the 1950s through the 1970s, old cars were simply dumped here.
The State of Alaska attributes this to an era of federal land ownership. The Electric Company acquired the land in the 1980s. Since then, increased surveillance and local presence seem to have curtailed the dumping activities.
Speculation suggests that this secluded location, with its easy road access, simply became a convenient dumping ground. Some vehicles were likely abandoned by their owners, perhaps after demolition derbies that once took place nearby. Others may have been stolen, used for joyrides, and then discarded. Some were even set ablaze after becoming stuck. Even today, abandoned cars are a common sight along Alaskan roadsides. It seems to be somewhat customary to leave a broken-down vehicle where it stops and devise a new transportation strategy later.
Upside down tail light
Shot up door
Axle
The intricate details of these decaying old cars are captivating. One could easily spend an entire day exploring this unique site. Alaska consistently offers more than initially meets the eye.
Dashboard
Mosses and lichens take hold
Tow
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