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Places to Pan for Gold in Buffalo Brook, Vermont

When it comes to gold, Buffalo Brook has a rich heritage. In the late 1880s, seven gold-mining companies worked along the four-mile stream, and it earned the nickname "Gold Brook." Although the gold industry is gone, there is still gold to be found in Buffalo Brook, located near the towns of Plymouth and Ludlow. Part of the brook runs through Camp Plymouth State Park, and recreational panning is permitted along the stream's length.

Panning Supplies
- Bring your panning supplies with you, since Camp Plymouth State Park does not provide you with any tools. You should have a lightweight plastic pan, a shovel, a trowel and a pick, plus a bottle to store any gold you find. Keeping your equipment in a large bucket is a good idea because it helps with transporting it to the site.
Pick A Spot
- Most gold from Buffalo Brook is known as "placer" gold, the type deposited by glaciers and found as flecks in streambed gravel and sand. Gold is much heavier than water, so it tends to collect in places around rocks and boulders, where there has been water runoff, or along the edge of the stream. Look for one of these spots to pan. Park officials advise staying away from the remnants of the old mines, although most are outside the state park's boundaries. Once you choose your spot, you don't have to worry about wading in too deeply, since Buffalo Brook only runs about a foot deep in the summertime.
Panning Basics
- Put a few handfuls of sand in your pan, then swirl the pan in a slow, circular motion while holding it underwater. The motion causes lighter materials to swish away, according to Gordon Alexander in his "Log Cabin Chronicles." Once half the material is gone, take your pan out of the water and tip it to the side while you continue swirling to whisk the water away. Give the pan another dip in the stream and repeat the process until nearly everything in the pan has been washed away.
What To Look For
- Examine the black sand left in your pan for golden flecks, which may be placer gold. Put these flecks in your collection bottle, along with any larger pieces you find.
Where To Stay
- After panning for gold in Buffalo Brook, you can stay in one of the park's four fully furnished cottages; if you have a large group, you can camp in the park's group area. The cottages are popular, so be sure to make reservations early.
  
  Camp Plymouth State Park
  
  2008 Scout Camp Road
  
  Ludlow, VT 05149
  
  802-228-2025
  
  vtstateparks.com

Rocks & Minerals