
Can You Pan for gold along Clear Creek?
Yes, you cannot pan for gold along Clear Creek from the mouth of Paige Bar Creek to the Whiskeytown Environmental School Camp access road bridge over Clear Creek. This restriction is necessary to keep park visitors from disturbing educational programs at the environmental school. Last updated: October 8, 2020
Is it legal to pan for gold in the park?
Legal gold panning activities in the park are limited to the attempted or actual removal of gold from a stream by using either a metal or plastic gold pan and a trowel, spoon or other digging implement having a blade surface not exceeding 4 inches in width and 8 inches in length. The following are PROHIBITED under the Code of Federal Regulations:
What are the collection regulations for gold panning?
Collection Regulations and Gold Panning 1 (1) Natural plant food items, including fruits, berries and mushrooms, but not including threatened or endangered species; 2 (2) Driftwood and uninhabited seashells; 3 (3) Such plant materials and minerals as are essential to the conduct of traditional ceremonies by Native Americans; and More items...
Where can I go gold panning in the Camden area?
A long tradition of mining activities is evidenced by structures remaining from the boom days, including the Camden House and the Camden Water Ditch Trail. Nearby, the Clear Creek Picnic area on Trinity Mountain Road is also a popular location for gold panning. What are the regulations for gold panning in the park?

Can you prospect for gold in national parks?
Fossicking is generally not permitted in parks because it can pose unacceptable risks to natural and cultural heritage. Under the National Parks and Wildlife Regulation 2019 it is an offence to '...
Can I pan for gold in a national forest?
1 It is Forest Service policy that the recreational use of metal detectors and the collection of rocks and mineral samples are allowed on the National Forests. Generally, most of the National Forests are open to recreational mineral and rock collecting, gold panning and prospecting using a metal detector.
Do you need permission to pan for gold?
No permit is required for low-impact gold panning, however respect the rights of existing mining claims.
Do you need a license to pan for gold in Alaska?
In most cases, only the use of gold pans, shovels, pry bars, picks, and manually fed sluice boxes and rocker boxes are allowed in streams on public lands without a permit or authorization.
Can you keep gold you find on BLM land?
If you find gold you are free to keep it without telling a sole. You don't have to report it to the government and you don't have to pay taxes on it until you sell it. This public land is generally managed by either the Forest Service or the Bureau of Land Management. Most of it is found in the western United States.
Can you pan for gold in wilderness areas?
Prospecting is allowed within a designed Wilderness Area, but an approved Plan of Operations is required. No person can acquire any right or interest to mineral resources discovered by prospecting or other information-gathering activity.
How much does a gold claim in Alaska cost?
For sale at less than 40k per 160 acre claim - $400,000.00 for 12-160 acre claims -- making the price only $200 per acre.
Can you still prospect for gold in California?
Gold can still be found all over California. The most gold-rich areas are in Northern California and the Sierra Nevada mountains. While the commercial mining of gold has nearly disappeared since the peak of the gold rush, tourists and residents are still on the hunt for this elusive precious metal.
Is it legal to gold pan in California?
Gold panning is legal in most rivers and streams running through state and national parks in California, but your luck will be best if you head to regions where gold has been discovered in the past.
Where can I pan for gold for free in Alaska?
There is gold all over Alaska, and it is far from mined out. Fairbanks: Visit the El Dorado Gold Mine for a unique panning experience. ... Hope, in the Kenai Peninsula: This small town of 200 offers public panning in Resurrection Creek. ... Girdwood: ... Juneau: ... Nome: ... Bachelor Creek:
Are there diamonds in Alaska?
Diamond. There are high chances of finding diamonds in Alaska, especially in the central regions. One such place is Shulin Lake, where diamonds, purple garnets, and other specimens were found. Across the borders of the Nunavut and the Northwestern Territories is also a good place to search for diamonds.
Can you still stake a claim in Alaska?
Since the 1986 repeal, there has been no federal homesteading program in Alaska; the State of Alaska, however, created public land disposal programs starting with statehood in 1959. Initially, the state sold land primarily through auctions and then through land lotteries after 1978.
How long is a gold panning permit good for?
The permit costs one dollar and is valid for one year from the date of purchase. Any person 17 years of age or older must have a permit while gold panning. You will also need an entrance pass.
Why is Tower House a popular spot for gold panning?
The Tower House Historic District is a popular site for gold panning because Mill Creek, Crystal Creek, and Clear Creek converge in the area. A long tradition of mining activities is evidenced by structures remaining from the boom days, including the Camden House and the Camden Water Ditch Trail. Nearby, the Clear Creek Picnic area on Trinity ...
Can you pan for gold in Clear Creek?
Yes, you cannot pan for gold along Clear Creek from the mouth of Paige Bar Creek to the Whiskeytown Environmental School Camp access road bridge over Clear Creek. This restriction is necessary to keep park visitors from disturbing educational programs at the environmental school. Last updated: October 8, 2020.
What can Native Americans gather for ceremonies?
Driftwood, seashells, and dead wood from the ground for firewood may be gathered. Plants and minerals may be gathered for traditional ceremonies done by Native Americans. Recreational gold-panning and collection of small rocks is allowed. Visitors may not use metal detectors or hand tools to dig in the ground.
What are prohibited activities in the National Park Service?
Here are GENERAL REGULATIONS for all units of the National Park Service (from 36 CFR 2.1): The following are prohibited: Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state: (i) Living or dead wildlife or fish, or the parts or products thereof, such as antlers or nests.
What is the NPS regulation for minerals?
The NPS regulation at Title 36 Code of Federal Regulation, subpart B 13.35(e) allows persons to collect all rocks and minerals exceptsilver, platinum , gemstones, and fossils. Wrangell-St. Elias NP/P has a rich history of mining and prospecting for minerals.
Can you use a gold pan to collect rocks?
Persons may collect such rocks and minerals only by hand or use of a gold pan. They may NOT use shovels, pickaxes, sluice boxes or dredges. Collection methods which may result in the disturbance of the ground surface are prohibited. The use of metal detectors is illegal in national parks, including Wrangell-St. Elias.
Can you take gold from a national park?
Collection Regulations and Gold Panning. GENERAL OVERVIEW. In general, visitors are not allowed to take items from national parks. However, parks in Alaska are different than other national parks, and there are some provisions that allow visitors to take certain items. All National Park Service regulations are listed in the Code ...
Is panning important to the park?
The park recognizes that recreational panning is an important visitor activity, but identification of the specific locations could result in disturbance of the ground surface due to the heavy visitor use. In addition, visitors should be aware that there was extensive underground mining in some areas.
Where are the gold veins in California?
There are some narrow gold-quartz veins present. The Rademacher Gold District, which has 25 gold mines and prospecting locations shown on the California Gold Prospecting and Panning Map 4, is about 15 miles north of Randsburg and about 5 miles south of Ridgecrest. Faults and quartz veins exist in this district.
Where is the gold mine in Fresno?
North and northeast of Fresno, gold mining and prospecting sites are located near the Millerton Lake State Recreation Area and Pine Flat Lake. There are sites in Sierra National Forest and Sequoia National Forest north and south of the Kings River in Fresno County.
