Prospecting Guides

Free, data-backed notes on every U.S. gold district — where to legally find gold by state, how to read mining claims, and how to tell if public land is open.

Where to Prospect for Gold in California (Legally) — Beginner's Guide — California's Mother Lode still holds gold. Here's where you can legally pan and prospect — the famous rivers, public lands, recreational areas, and how to check claims first.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Nevada (Legally): Detecting & Dry Washing — Nevada is the richest gold state in the U.S. and mostly public land. Learn where to legally prospect — famous nugget-detecting districts, dry placer areas, and what 'open' BLM land really means.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Arizona (Legally): Lynx Creek, Rich Hill & More — Arizona is a top state for nugget detecting and dry washing, with a free public recreational panning area. Here's where to legally prospect.
How to Read a BLM Mining Claim (and Tell If Land Is Open to Prospect) — Confused about mining claims? Learn placer vs lode claims, how to spot claim markers in the field, how to check claim status in BLM records, and how to tell if public land is open to prospecting.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Colorado (Legally): Rivers, Districts & Public Land — Colorado's high country still gives up placer and lode gold. Here's where you can legally pan and prospect — the famous rivers and mining districts, public recreational areas, and how to check claims first.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Idaho (Legally): Boise Basin, Salmon River & More — Idaho is full of public land and historic placer ground. Here's where to legally prospect — the Boise Basin, the Salmon River country, famous gold creeks, and how to check claims and dredge rules first.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Oregon (Legally): Southern Oregon & the Blue Mountains — Oregon has two great gold regions — the southwest around the Rogue and the eastern Blue Mountains. Here's where to legally prospect, plus the state's strict dredging rules and how to check claims.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Montana (Legally): Gold Gulches & Big-Sky Rivers — Montana's gold gulches built the state. Here's where to legally prospect — Last Chance Gulch, Alder Gulch, the famous rivers, plus where beginners can pan and how to check claims first.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Washington (Legally): Liberty, Swauk & the Cascades — Washington's central Cascades hold real placer and crystalline gold. Here's where to legally prospect — the Liberty and Swauk districts, famous creeks, and how to handle the state's strict dredge rules.
Where to Prospect for Gold in Georgia (Legally): Dahlonega & the First Gold Rush — Georgia hosted America's first major gold rush at Dahlonega, and the gold is still there. Here's where to legally prospect in the Southeast — fee-dig mines, public creeks, and how private land changes the game.