Where to Find Gold
240 mapped gold spots across 26 regions in 2 countries. Pick a region for its local guide, or browse every spot by country below. Recreational gold panning is allowed on much BLM and Forest Service land. The Sierra Nevada Mother Lode, the Klondike-style placers of Alaska and Idaho, the Black Hills, and southern Appalachia are popular regions for hobbyist panning and sluicing.
Top regions for gold
United States
239 spots · 25 regionsCanada
1 spots · 1 regionsMap showing where to find gold, with 240 mapped spots
Every mapped gold spot
Gold rockhounding FAQ
Where is the best place to find gold?+
Nevada, Utah, Montana have the highest concentrations of gold in this list. Quality and access vary by area, so open the linked region pages for a detailed view.
How many gold rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+
240 mapped spots across 26 regions in 2 countries. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.
Can I legally collect gold on public land?+
In the U.S., casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals like gold is allowed on most BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with daily and annual limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are off-limits. Rules differ by country and region, so always check with the managing agency before a trip.
How do I identify gold in the field?+
Field identification of gold comes down to color, hardness, fracture, and luster. The RockHoundR app links to geology details for each spot to help narrow down what you might be picking up.
Hunt gold on the map
Open RockHoundR to see these spots on a real map with public land overlays and trip-planning details.
