Public Lands to Pan for Gold in the United States

Recreational Panning

• Gold mining falls into two categories: lode and placer. Lode mining involves searching for veins of gold. Placer mining searches for gold that has been washed into streams by nature and is removed through panning. Gold panning is the only type of mining considered to be recreational. No federal permits are needed to pan for gold on public lands. The states, however, regulate the practice by their own standards. Panners should check for state regulations governing such things as the types of panning equipment allowed and the areas of a stream that can be panned.

Existing Claims

• Patented land refers to areas that once belonged to the federal government but are now in private hands. Unpatented claims still belong to the federal government and are considered public land; however, unpatented claims override individual recreational use. Do not pan for gold on unpatented claims without permission from the claim holder. Consult the Bureau of Land Management to discover which areas in a state are open for panning. Determine which areas to visit and then request a listing of existing claims in that locale; a fee is generally required for this information.

State Regulations

• State regulations vary widely. In Wisconsin, recreational panning doesn't require a permit, but if the gold is collected for anything other than "educational uses and personal collections," the activity is no longer considered recreational. In Alaska, panning can only be done in flowing water and no digging is allowed. States may also disallow panning during spawning seasons and droughts. Always consult the local Bureau of Land Management office to find out about local area specific rules and/or temporary restrictions.

Alaska, California, Oregon

• Fertile ground for recreational gold panning can be found in Alaska, northern California and Oregon. Large portions of Alaska's Chugach National Forest are open for panning. Check out the northern Kenai Peninsula, including Bertha Creek and Sixmile Creek. The South Yuba River and the Merced River in northern California allow recreational panners to use dredges to assist them, if they are hearty enough to pack their dredges to the sites. Oregon invites recreational panners to visit the Quartzville Recreational Center and the Butte Falls Recreational Area.