Lucky for you, these gold rush hot spots have not yet run their mining course and welcome visitors seeking to make a lucky strike.
In 1852, the peak production year of the Gold Rush, $81 million worth of gold was discovered in California alone, coming to about $3.2 billion in today’s dollars. And still, two centuries later, prospectors can still legally search for gold in public areas across the American West.
The price of gold is always changing, but over the past few decades, its value has increased significantly. With a current rate of almost $65 per gram, it’s a great time to have a stake in the game. Here are five national hot spots where you can start your search.
Nevada
Nevada currently produces almost 75 percent of the annual U.S. gold yield. While this is primarily through professional mining, the state still allows people to recreationally pan - or more frequently, metal detect - for pieces of gold on publicly owned land. The highest-yielding land parcels are mostly claimed for private use, but at the Rye Patch State Recreation Area in Lovelock, about 90 miles northeast of Reno, you can still attempt to strike it lucky.
California
Gold panning along the 119-mile American River east of Sacramento is nothing new - it’s where the California Gold Rush started. Even though the gold rush has slowed since its peak in the 19th century, prospectors still find gold nuggets in the American River. One place along the river where the public can pan for free is at Auburn State Recreation Area on the border of Placer and El Dorado Counties. At this location, all gold-hunting equipment is banned, except for the good ol’ fashioned gold pan.
Alaska
Alaska has been a draw for prospectors since 1896, when gold was discovered in the Canadian Yukon, beginning the Klondike Gold Rush. Over 100,000 gold hunters migrated to the Yukon and Alaska to search for riches. The Dalton Highway stretches 414 miles from Livengood to Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean coast. Alongside the highway, some public access areas are classified as “high yield” for gold panning, according to the Bureau of Land Management. One such area is the South Fork Koyukuk River - a prime spot for amateur gold hunters.
Colorado
The Cache Creek mine in Twin Lakes, Colorado, was a successful operation for over 50 years. When it closed in 1911 as a result of an environmental lawsuit, the area’s gold was far from depleted. In 2000, the Bureau of Land Management purchased more than 2,000 acres of land to add to its over 70,000 acres around Cache Creek to preserve open space in Colorado and protect the habitat of native elk. Now, the area is open for panning.
Arizona
Arizona is ranked fifth nationally in gold production. Gold was first discovered in the mid-19th century in the Gila River. From there, many mining towns rose and fell based on the tides of precious mineral discoveries. Today, gold prospectors are welcome year-round in Prescott National Forest’s 100,000-plus acres of land and 950 miles of trails. Some regulations exist on where panners can recreationally mine for gold, but luckily the Lynx Creek and Lynx Lake area, where gold has previously been found, is open for business.
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