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Where to Find Gold in Idaho

Idaho's gold story runs through three corridors. The Boise Basin around Idaho City was the largest historical placer field, and the gravels of Grimes, Mores, and Elk creeks still yield flake gold to recreational panners. The Salmon River and its tributaries (Yankee Fork, Loon Creek, Marshall Lake) carry both lode and placer gold, with the Yankee Fork dredge fields below Custer producing the most consistent recovery for new panners. Florence, Warren, and Pierce in the Clearwater country opened earlier and host coarser nugget gold. Most legal panning is on Forest Service ground and requires no permit for hand-tool work, but mechanical equipment falls under state suction-dredge rules.

Spot list checked against source data on April 1, 2026.

Open the full map

Every gold spot we track in Idaho

Best counties for gold in Idaho

Ranked by the number of mapped gold spots. County links open the full rockhounding page for that county.

Before you go

Read the gold identification guide so you know what a keeper looks like in the field: Gold in the encyclopedia.

Gold in Idaho FAQ

Where can you find gold in Idaho?+
The mapped spots concentrate in Shoshone County, Clearwater County, and Idaho County. Known collecting areas include Mores Creek and Boise Basin (Boise County), Yankee Fork (Custer County), and Pierce and Florence (Clearwater and Idaho counties). Every spot on this page is on the map, and each spot's own page has its coordinates and access notes.
How many gold spots are mapped in Idaho?+
23 spots across 14 counties. The RockHoundR app keeps the same spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, and your saved finds.
Is it legal to collect gold in Idaho?+
Hand collecting of common rocks and minerals in small amounts for personal use is generally allowed on BLM and U.S. Forest Service land, with limits set by the local field office. National parks, most state parks, and tribal land are closed to collecting. 19 of the 23 mapped spots here sit on land marked public. Always confirm current rules with the managing agency before you dig.
When is the best time to collect gold in Idaho?+
Most Idaho placer ground is reachable May through October. Spring runoff is best for fresh deposition; late summer is best for access into the high country.

Where else to find gold

More minerals to hunt in Idaho

Hunt gold in Idaho with the map in your pocket

RockHoundR puts these spots on an offline map with BLM and Forest Service overlays, geology layers, and a log for your finds.

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