Where to Find Gold in the United States

207 mapped gold spots across 12 U.S. states. 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 states for gold

States ranked by number of gold spots in our database. States in bold link to a focused gold-in-state list.

Every gold spot we track

Sorted by state and county. Coordinates open in Google Maps.

Spot	County	Minerals	Coordinates	Access
Rockford ExcavationsNixburg Road	Coosa County	Gold	32.8763, -86.2135	Check locally
Hog Mountain	Tallapoosa County	Arsenic Arsenopyrite Galena Gold Graphite Pyrite Pyrrhotite Sphalerite	33.0759, -85.8497	Check locally
~4 mi. SW of Cave Creek townBrawling Badger Trail	Maricopa County	Agate Gold Jasper Quartz	33.7824, -111.9979	Public
Area around Go John MineSlate Trail	Maricopa County	Gold Silver Copper Red Jasper Blue Quartz	33.8257, -111.9930	Public
Area of old Octave mining campOctave Road	Yavapai County	Gold	34.1417, -112.6901	Public
Area of old Stanton mining campStanton Road	Yavapai County	Fluorite Garnet Gold Pyrite	34.1569, -112.7362	Public
Congress MineGhost Town Road	Yavapai County	Gold Pyrite	34.1992, -112.8535	Public
Shelly Creek & Monkey Creek MinesForest Route 18N17	Del Norte County	Gold Arsenopyrite	41.9618, -123.8020	Public
El Paso MountainsEP170	Kern County	Agate Opal Jasper Gold Petrified Wood	35.4376, -117.8159	Public
Happy Camp Jade MinesSouth Indian Road	Siskiyou County	Jade Gold Serpentine Gold-laced Jade	41.8766, -123.4602	Public
Trinity RiverBrowns Mountain Road	Trinity County	Chalcedony Gold Jasper Jade Petrified Wood	40.6938, -122.8635	Public
Gunnison Gold Belt MinesOld Huntsman Mesa Road	Gunnison County	Gold Copper	38.3078, -107.0925	Public
Unnamed Area (Jefferson Co.)CH 73	Jefferson County	Fluorite Gold Silver Chalcocite Sphalerite	39.6171, -105.3207	Public
Howes Gulch MinesClear Ridge Road	Larimer County	Chalcopyrite Gold Pyrite Copper	40.5911, -105.2250	Public
GainesvilleLaurel Glen Court	Hall County	Gold	34.2650, -83.8880	Public
Baggs BranchCheringer Road	Lumpkin County	Gold	34.4395, -84.0323	Public
Crisson Gold MineMorrison Moore Parkway East	Lumpkin County	Gold Garnet Quartz	34.5572, -83.9669	Paid / fee
Turkey HillTurkey Hill	Lumpkin County	Garnet Gold Ruby Staurolite Tourmaline Zircon	34.4898, -83.9877	Public
Akin MountainMulky Gap Road	Union County	Gold Kyanite	34.8048, -84.0298	Public
Bean CreekBean Creek Road	White County	Gold	34.7108, -83.6901	Public
White CountyMt Yonah Drive	White County	Gold Diamond Topaz Ruby Aquamarine	34.6317, -83.7558	Public
Adams CountyNational Forest Development Road 122	Adams County	Azurite Copper Gold Malachite	44.8918, -116.6388	Public
HaileyCroy Creek Road	Blaine County	Galena Gold Monzonite Sphalerite Uraninite	43.4993, -114.3363	Public
Banner Silver MinesUsfs 384J	Boise County	Gold Silver Pyrargyrite	44.0189, -115.5327	Public
Upper Priest LakeNavigation Trail	Bonner County	Gold Feldspar Quartz	48.7991, -116.9155	Public
Tungsten Hill MinePacific Northwest Trail	Boundary County	Gold Silver Lead Molybdenum Zinc	48.8996, -116.2758	Public
MussellshellMusselshell Creek Road	Clearwater County	Gold	46.3838, -115.7435	Public
North Fork Clearwater RiverPierce-Supirior Road	Clearwater County	Gold	46.7218, -115.2685	Public
Orofino Creek	Clearwater County	Gold Sapphire Epidote	46.4961, -115.8368	Public
Salmon River (Stanley area)Salmon River Scenic Byway	Custer County	Gold Cinnabar	44.2406, -114.9018	Public
StanleyEva Falls Avenue	Custer County	Corundum Gold Sapphire	44.2234, -114.9492	Public
Boise River	Elmore County	Gold	43.5000, -115.3105	Public
Clearwater RiverID 13	Idaho County	Gold	46.1096, -115.9803	Public
Salmon River (near Riggins)Salmon River Trail #96	Idaho County	Gold	45.4337, -115.6656	Public
White BirdLyons Camp Road	Idaho County	Gold	45.7549, -116.3228	Public
LeesburgNational Forest Development Road 242	Lemhi County	Gold Petrified Wood	45.2216, -114.1166	Public
Salmon River (near Leesburg)Salmon River Road	Lemhi County	Gold	45.3867, -114.2677	Public
LewistonEaton Road	Nez Perce County	Agate Aquamarine Garnet Gold Quartz	46.4532, -116.9446	Public
Mountain Home3rd Street	Owyhee County	Cinnabar Gold	43.0147, -116.7339	Public
Deadwood Gulch	Shoshone County	Garnet Gold	47.5376, -116.1510	Public
KingstonTrail of the Coeur d'Alenes	Shoshone County	Arsenopyrite Gold Pyrite Stibnite	47.5565, -116.2431	Public
PrichardCrescent Drive	Shoshone County	Gold	47.6555, -115.9811	Public
Shoshone CountyBig Creek Road	Shoshone County	Gold Lead Silver	47.5022, -116.0711	Public
StibniteStibnite Road	Valley County	Arsenopyrite Gold Pyrite Stibnite	44.8979, -115.3381	Public
Greenhorn CreekHorse Trail B	Brown County	Gold	39.1289, -86.1963	Public
Swift RiverTekwood Road	Oxford County	Gold Garnet Magnetite Scheelite Staurolite	44.7371, -70.6080	Public
Acton Lead MinesOrchard Road	York County	Andalusite Arsenopyrite Bornite Chalcopyrite Galena Goethite Gold Pyrite +4 more	43.4832, -70.9104	Public
Rope MineCounty Road GN	Marquette County	Gold Pyrite Chalcopyrite	46.5297, -87.7158	Public
Olmsted County19th Street Southeast	Olmsted County	Gold	43.9980, -92.3889	Public
JordanUS 169	Scott County	Gold	44.6729, -93.6207	Public
ElmerFountain Street	Macon County	Gold Garnet	39.9664, -92.6565	Public
Confederate GulchDuck Creek Road	Broadwater County	Gold	46.4745, -111.3944	Public
RadersburgKeating Gulch Road	Broadwater County	Gold Silver	46.1921, -111.6645	Public
French CreekDeep Creek Road	Deer Lodge County	Gold	45.9474, -113.0605	Public
GeorgetownCable Mountain Road	Deer Lodge County	Gold Chrysocolla	46.1999, -113.2176	Public
GiltedgeMaiden Road	Fergus County	Gold	47.1459, -109.2354	Public
Basin	Jefferson County	Silver Gold	46.2960, -112.2327	Public
WhitehallPaul Gulch Road	Jefferson County	Galena Gold Sphalerite Pyrite	45.9179, -112.0411	Public
Wickes & ClancyPowder House Road	Jefferson County	Arsenopyrite Cerussite Gold	46.3925, -112.0829	Public
Yogo GulchYogo Trail	Judith Basin County	Gold Ruby Sapphire	46.9219, -110.4548	Public
American Bar	Lewis and Clark County	Sapphire Cassiterite Chalcedony Garnet Gold Kyanite Limonite Topaz	46.8131, -111.9292	Public
HelenaMRL Service Road	Lewis and Clark County	Gold	46.6539, -112.1266	Public
Missouri RiverDanas Point Drive	Lewis and Clark County	Cassiterite Chalcedony Garnet Gold Kyanite Limonite Sapphire Topaz	46.7284, -111.8746	Public
Spokane Bar Sapphire MineCastles Road	Lewis and Clark County	Gold Sapphire	46.6646, -111.8111	Public
LibbyNational Forest Development Road 618	Lincoln County	Aegirine Asbestos Vermiculite Tremolite Gold Silver	48.3039, -115.5964	Public
SylvaniteYaak River Road	Lincoln County	Gold Pyrite	48.7082, -115.8751	Public
Pole Creek	Madison County	Garnet Gold Quartz Ruby Sapphire	45.5769, -111.5247	Public
Virginia CityGrant Mine	Madison County	Garnet Gold	45.2758, -111.9512	Public
Cedar Creek and Trout Creek	Mineral County	Gold	47.1738, -114.8783	Public
Ninemile CreekNinemile Road	Missoula County	Gold	47.1357, -114.5190	Public
GardinerSin Nombre Road	Park County	Arsenopyrite Gold	45.0443, -110.6063	Public
JardineCrevice Top Road	Park County	Arsenic Gold Tungsten	45.0472, -110.5953	Public
LanduskyRitch Street	Phillips County	Gold Pyrolusite Malachite	47.9154, -108.6127	Public
GoldcreekI 90;US 12	Powell County	Gold	46.5945, -112.9434	Public
Pioneer	Powell County	Gold Calcite Chalcopyrite Quartz Pyrite	46.5139, -112.9638	Public
Carson CityBunker Hill Mine Road	—	Arsenic Copper Gold Mercury Silver	39.1174, -119.6747	Public
Desert Queen Area	Churchill County	Gold Hematite	39.8056, -118.8875	Public
EastgateBuffalo Canyon Road	Churchill County	Gold Lead Silver	39.2629, -117.8772	Public
Sand SpringsAustin Highway	Churchill County	Gold Silver	39.2690, -118.3483	Public
Silver Hill area	Churchill County	Copper Gold Lead Silver	39.7035, -118.2478	Public
Crescent PeakCrescent Peak Road	Clark County	Turquoise Copper Gold Lead Molybdenum Silver Vanadium	35.4739, -115.1279	Public
Gass PeakJune Bug Mine Road	Clark County	Gold Silver Zinc	36.3691, -115.1723	Public
Gold ButteRadio Crystal Mine Trail	Clark County	Copper Gold Silver Zinc	36.2757, -114.1869	Public
JeanReimann Road	Clark County	Hydrozincite Antimony Cobalt Copper Gold Lead Nickel Palladium +4 more	35.8421, -115.4761	Public
SearchlightCoyote Mine Road	Clark County	Copper Gold Lead Silver	35.4969, -114.9243	Public
BuckskinMason Pass Road	Douglas County	Copper Gold Palladium Iron	38.9925, -119.3517	Public
GardnervillePinenut Road	Douglas County	Gold Silver Copper	38.8859, -119.5954	Public
GenoaEagle Ridge Loop	Douglas County	Copper Gold Silver Platinum	39.0285, -119.8442	Public
Mt. Siegel	Douglas County	Gold Platinum	38.8847, -119.5048	Public
Elko County	Elko County	Copper Gold Lead Silver Platinum Zinc	41.1093, -115.9811	Public
Gold CreekNational Forest Development Road 035 Trail	Elko County	Gold Platinum Silver	41.7144, -115.7037	Public
BasaltGrand Army of the Republic Highway	Esmeralda County	Copper Gold Lead Silver Zinc	38.0048, -118.2187	Public
Esmerelda CountyWeepah Road	Esmeralda County	Gold Lead Platinum Silver Zinc	37.8913, -117.5281	Public
Goldfield	Esmeralda County	Alum Pyrite Quartz Copper Gold Lead Manganese Silver +1 more	37.7087, -117.2227	Public
Lone MountainCrow Springs Road	Esmeralda County	Copper Gold Lead Silver Zinc	38.0718, -117.4847	Public
TokopCat Trail	Esmeralda County	Copper Gold Lead Platinum Silver	37.3038, -117.2534	Public
EurekaSpring Valley Road	Eureka County	Arsenic Copper Gold Lead Silver Zinc	39.5004, -115.9936	Public
GolcondaMidas Road	Humboldt County	Gold Copper Iron Lead Manganese Tungsten Zinc	40.9429, -117.4300	Public
McDermittCordero Mine Road	Humboldt County	Copper Lead Silver Gold Purple Agate	41.9186, -117.8127	Public
Paradise Valley	Humboldt County	Gold Platinum Silver	41.5733, -117.4809	Public
Willow Creek near OrovadaWillow Creek Road	Humboldt County	Gold Platinum Silver	41.6612, -117.7970	Public
WinnemuccaRailroad Canyon Access Road	Humboldt County	Copper Gold Silver Zinc Lead Platinum	40.9340, -117.6572	Public
AustinBig Creek Road	Lander County	Gold Silver Copper Lead	39.4873, -117.0831	Public
Battle MountainCopper Canyon Road	Lander County	Arsenic Copper Gold Lead Silver Zinc Antimony Platinum	40.5326, -117.1152	Public
Sulphur	Lander County	Antimony Copper Mercury Gold Lead Silver	40.6025, -117.2465	Public
CalienteGreat Basin Highway	Lincoln County	Gold Silver Lead Copper Manganese	37.6916, -114.5241	Public
PiocheBurke Tunnel Road	Lincoln County	Copper Gold Lead Manganese Silver Tungsten Zinc	37.9219, -114.4558	Public
Silver CityIndustrial Parkway	Lyon County	Gold Iron Platinum	39.2535, -119.6592	Public
Tallapoosa MinesRuby Avenue	Lyon County	Copper Silver Gold	39.4550, -119.2794	Public
Aurora	Mineral County	Gold Silver	38.2896, -118.8891	Public
MinaGarfield Flat Road	Mineral County	Copper Gold Lead Magnesium Silver Tungsten	38.3455, -118.1848	Public
ThorneOld State Route 839	Mineral County	Gold Lead Silver Thulite	38.6189, -118.5064	Public
BeattyBroadway	Nye County	Cinnabar Opalite Copper Gold Silver Lead Mercury Platinum	36.9015, -116.8362	Public
Broken HillsQuartz Mountain Road	Nye County	Gold Lead Silver	39.0453, -117.9758	Public
GabbsBrucite Street	Nye County	Copper Gold Silver Lead Mercury Tungsten	38.8658, -117.8983	Public
TonopahSilver Circle	Nye County	Copper Gold Lead Silver Platinum Mercury Tungsten	38.0723, -117.2225	Public
Pershing CountyAmerican Canyon Road	Pershing County	Antimony Copper Gold Silver Lead Mercury Platinum Tungsten	40.2784, -118.0935	Public
Virginia CityGeiger Grade Road	Storey County	Copper Gold Lead Mercury Silver	39.3202, -119.6402	Public
Smoke Creek DesertDeep Hole Road	Washoe County	Gold	40.7172, -119.4848	Public
White Pine County	White Pine County	Copper Mercury Platinum Silver Tungsten Gold Lead Manganese	39.7601, -115.5180	Public
Moreno CreekCounty Road B-24	Colfax County	Chalcopyrite Gold Pyrite Pyrrhotite	36.5971, -105.2708	Public
Ute Creek4WD	Colfax County	Chalcopyrite Gold Pyrite Pyrrhotite	36.6083, -105.1595	Public
White OaksCounty Road A044	Lincoln County	Gold Huebnerite Onyx	33.7520, -105.7579	Public
Anson CountyWhite Store Road	Anson County	Gold Calcite Garnet Galena Pyrite Siderite Rutile Sphalerite	34.9570, -80.1227	Public
WadesboroMoore's Lake Road	Anson County	Gold	34.9356, -80.0594	Public
Grandmother MountainGrandmother Mountain Lane	Avery County	Gold Pyrite Quartz	36.0632, -81.8432	Public
Cane CreekLower Brush Creek Road	Buncombe County	Calcite Gold Hematite Limonite	35.4715, -82.4476	Public
Brown MountainTrail 1	Burke County	Albite Fluorite Gold Platinum	35.9260, -81.7606	Public
Reed Gold MineReed Mine Road	Cabarrus County	Azurite Gold Malachite Quartz Scheelite Sphalerite Siderite Cuprite +2 more	35.2852, -80.4665	Public
Caswell CountyPage Road	Caswell County	Gold Allanite Mica Garnet Quartz	36.4310, -79.3772	Public
Little Snowbird MountainsFS 304	Cherokee County	Chloritoid Ottrelite Garnet Gold Staurolite	35.2367, -83.8703	Public
Davidson CountySilver Hill Road	Davidson County	Chalcopyrite Gold Pyrite Tetradymite Anglesite Calamine Calcite Cuprite +3 more	35.7057, -80.1995	Public
HilliardstonRex Place	Franklin County	Gold Diamond	36.0838, -78.2917	Public
Nash & Franklin CountiesNC 561	Franklin County	Gold	36.1956, -78.0135	Public
Clubb MountainAlexis Lucia Road	Gaston County	Corundum Lazulite Kyanite Damourite Gold Garnet Hematite Magnetite +2 more	35.4014, -81.0817	Public
Crowder's MountainBackside Trail	Gaston County	Barite Chalcopyrite Corundum Gold Bearing Galena Gold Garnet Hematite Limonite +5 more	35.2326, -81.2749	Public
CatawbaWest Lewis Ferry Road	Iredell County	Gold Calcite Magnetite Rose Quartz	35.7121, -80.9919	Public
South Muddy CreekFalling Creek Drive	McDowell County	Diamond Gold	35.6056, -81.8714	Public
Black Ankle MineWilliamson Road	Montgomery County	Gold	35.4914, -79.8104	Public
EldoradoCoggins Mine Road	Montgomery County	Azurite Calcite Gold Malachite Pyrite Silver Smithsonite Sphalerite +1 more	35.4824, -80.0228	Public
Gold HillSaint Stephens Church Road	Rowan County	Magnetite Manganese Garnet Amethyst Sunstone Gold	35.5128, -80.3437	Public
Sandy Level ChurchMamie Hamilton Road	Rutherford County	Gold Platinum Diamond	35.4486, -81.8581	Public
Blowing RockWadkins Road	Watauga County	Gold	36.1451, -81.6768	Public
Orofino Mine areaForest Road 100	Grant County	Agate Jasper Gold	44.7479, -118.4768	Check locally
Old MinesGalice Road	Josephine County	Arsenopyrite Azurite Calcite Chalcopyrite Chrysocolla Galena Gold Malachite +1 more	42.5693, -123.5953	Check locally
Streams around Oregon CavesCaves Highway	Josephine County	Agate Chalcedony Gold Jasper Petrified Wood Rhodonite	42.1077, -123.4085	Check locally
Sleepy CreekGold Mine Road	Edgefield County	Gold	33.9693, -81.9492	Public
Flat Creek	Lancaster County	Gold Pyrite Sericite	34.6849, -80.5863	Public
Haile Gold MineHaile Gold Mine Road	Lancaster County	Gold Pyrite Quartz	34.5804, -80.5320	Public
Dorn MineDorn Road	McCormick County	Gold	33.9246, -82.2971	Public
McCormickBaker Creek Road	McCormick County	Gold	33.8978, -82.3538	Public
Oconee CountySouth Martin Drive	Oconee County	Gold Graphite Pyrite	34.6236, -82.9600	Public
Fork of Big Creek & Little Saluda RiverBarr Woods Road	Saluda County	Amphibolite Chalcopyrite Chlorite Gold Green Hornblende Magnetite Pyrite	34.0618, -81.6766	Public
Spartanburg CountyLakeland Avenue	Spartanburg County	Gold Diamond	34.8935, -82.0381	Public
Laughing Water CreekEcho Valley Road	Custer County	Columbite Gold Silver	43.8183, -103.6169	Public
Broken Boot Gold MineUS Highway 14A	Lawrence County	Gold Arsenopyrite Galena Pyrite Sphalerite	44.3707, -103.7423	Public
SavoyNorth Calamity Gulch Road	Lawrence County	Gold Fluorite Silver	44.3599, -103.9138	Public
RochfordSouth Rochford Road	Pennington County	Arsenopyrite Galena Gold Pyrite Silver Sphalerite	44.0983, -103.7740	Public
Montvale SpringsMontvale Road	Blount County	Gold	35.6395, -83.9668	Public
CopperhillGrassy Creek Road	Polk County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Garnet Gold Pyrite Malachite Quartz Staurolite +4 more	35.0046, -84.3993	Public
DucktownStansbury Mountain Road	Polk County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Garnet Gold Pyrite Malachite Quartz Staurolite +4 more	35.0325, -84.3655	Public
Newton DistrictVeterans Memorial Highway	Beaver County	Gold Pyrite Quartz	38.4321, -112.5887	Public
Promontory MountainsSouth East Promontory Road	Box Elder County	Cerussite Bornite Calamine Chalcopyrite Gold Gypsum Limonite Malachite +1 more	41.2539, -112.4913	Public
Raft River Mountains	Box Elder County	Gold Arsenopyrite Chalcopyrite Galena Pyrite Sphalerite	41.8742, -113.5085	Public
Vipont MineBirch Creek Road	Box Elder County	Azurite Cerussite Copper Chalcopyrite Cuprite Galena Gold Limonite +7 more	41.9657, -113.8459	Public
Yellow Canary Uranium DepositRed Creek Road	Daggett County	Azurite Bornite Brochantite Carnotite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Gold Hematite +2 more	40.9125, -109.2394	Public
Farmington mining districtPatsy's Mine Trail	Davis County	Azurite Chalcopyrite Gold Malachite Pyrite	40.9850, -111.8725	Public
Colorado River	Garfield County	Gold Magnetite	37.8377, -110.4322	Public
Hite	Garfield County	Gold Platinum	37.8596, -110.4044	Public
Bald MesaBald Mesa Electric Users Road	Grand County	Gold Pyrolusite	38.5223, -109.3252	Public
Colorado RiverBeards Road	Grand County	Chromite Gold	38.9598, -109.2406	Public
Salt ValleyDelicate Arch Road	Grand County	Azurite Carnallite Gold Gypsum Halite Limonite Malachite Pyrolusite +1 more	38.7305, -109.5251	Public
ModenaGold Springs Road	Iron County	Argentite Gold Limonite Pyrite Fluorite Garnet Quartz Selenium	37.8829, -114.0379	Public
Deep Creek MountainsQueen Sheeba Road	Juab County	Beryl Fluorite Scheelite Azurite Gold Malachite Galena Pyrolusite +1 more	39.8035, -113.9600	Public
Drum MountainsRough Well Road	Juab County	Agate Jasper Pyrolusite Rhodochrosite Chalcedony Chalcopyrite Cuprite Galena +6 more	39.5711, -113.0359	Public
Fish SpringsPony Express Road	Juab County	Gold Lead Silver Cerussite Chalcopyrite Fluorite Galena Limonite +3 more	39.8524, -113.4541	Public
Colorado River	Kane County	Gold Magnetite	37.2199, -110.8975	Public
Paria RiverCottonwood Canyon Road	Kane County	Gold	37.5298, -112.0438	Public
Amasa Valley	Millard County	Albite Biotite Diopside Garnet Gold Idocrase Molybdenite Pyrite +4 more	39.1845, -113.3728	Public
Strawberry Mine5400 North Street	Morgan County	Gold Silver Copper	41.1336, -111.8331	Public
Bear GulchLeft Hand Fork Road	Salt Lake County	Gold	40.4779, -112.1573	Public
Bluff500 South	San Juan County	Gold	37.2728, -109.5611	Public
Colorado River	San Juan County	Chromite Gold	37.7635, -110.4331	Public
Monticello mining districtCooley Pass Trail	San Juan County	Anhydrite Carnotite Gypsum Pyrite Chalcopyrite Galena Gold Sphalerite +4 more	37.8313, -109.4670	Public
San Juan River	San Juan County	Anhydrite Chalcopyrite Copper Gold Gypsum Malachite	37.2782, -109.4125	Public
Gold HillEast First Avenue	Tooele County	Azurite Cerussite Chalcopyrite Chlorite Chrysocolla Galena Gold Gypsum +6 more	40.1813, -113.8102	Public
MercurMercur Canyon Road	Tooele County	Cinnabar Gold Orpiment Quartz Rutile Scorodite Talc Tourmaline	40.3223, -112.2127	Public
OphirOphir Canyon Road	Tooele County	Galena Gold Pyrite Silver Sphalerite Quartz	40.3739, -112.2641	Public
Stansbury MountainsFR 546	Tooele County	Cerussite Galena Gold Pyrite	40.5176, -112.6374	Public
JensenRedwash Highway	Uintah County	Gold	40.3626, -109.3378	Public
Santaquin & Silver Lake mining districtsYankee Mine Road	Utah County	Actinolite Andradite Argentite Cordierite Galena Garnet Gold Prehnite +4 more	40.5431, -111.6320	Public
Snake Creek near Heber CitySnake Creek Canyon Road	Wasatch County	Gold	40.5501, -111.5144	Public
Shi Shi BeachShi Shi to Ozette River Beach Travelway	Clallam County	Gold Iridosmine Platinum	48.2748, -124.6807	Public
Money CreekMoney Creek Road	King County	Gold	47.6995, -121.4678	Public
Lyman LakeNational Forest Development Road 500	Okanogan County	Gold Quartz	48.5273, -119.0236	Public
Gold BarMother's Day Trail	Snohomish County	Gold	47.8566, -121.7101	Public
Granite FallsParadise Lane	Snohomish County	Gold	48.0717, -121.9713	Public
SultanTrout Farm Road	Snohomish County	Gold	47.8803, -121.8296	Public
Pasayten WildernessForest Road 5400-700	Whatcom County	Gold Pyrite	48.7313, -120.7499	Public
Flambeau Copper MineKennecott Avenue	Rusk County	Calcite Chalcocite Malachite Gold Quartz Zinc	45.4427, -91.1209	Public
The Bend DepositNorth Road	Taylor County	Azurite Bornite Calaverite Chalcocite Chalcopyrite Gold Krennerite Malachite +3 more	45.2908, -90.5964	Public
Black Hills National ForestSchoolhouse Gulch Road	Crook County	Fluorite Gold	44.3641, -104.0655	Public
Copper Prince MineBear Lodge Road	Crook County	Chrysocolla Gold Malachite	44.4828, -104.4939	Public
Atlantic CityRiverview Cutoff	Fremont County	Agate Chalcedony Gold Nephrite Jade Jade Jasper Muscovite Quartz +3 more	42.4895, -108.7275	Public
Owl Creek	Fremont County	Gold	43.7110, -109.1956	Public
South Pass CityAtlantic City Road	Fremont County	Gold	42.4705, -108.7692	Public
Kirwin MineWood River	Park County	Azurite Barite Chalcopyrite Cuprite Galena Gold Limonite Malachite +3 more	43.8746, -109.2848	Public

Gold rockhounding FAQ

Where is the best place to find gold in the U.S.?+

Nevada, Utah, Montana have the highest concentrations of gold in this list. Each state's quality and access varies — open the linked state pages for a detailed view.

How many gold rockhounding spots does RockHoundR track?+

207 mapped spots across 12 states. The app keeps these on a map alongside your private finds.

Can I legally collect gold on public land?+

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. 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.