Wild Horse River Panning Reserve: Rockhounding in Regional District of East Kootenay, British Columbia

Plan your visit

Generally open to casual rockhounding

County

Regional District of East Kootenay

Province

British Columbia

Nearest road

Wardner-Fort Steele Road

Postal code

V0B 1N0

Coordinates

49.61465, -115.61685

Coordinates are approximate. Confirm the exact ground and access before you head out.

Land & collecting status

Generally open to casual rockhounding

Most public-tagged spots in Canada sit on Crown land or public foreshore where casual hand collecting is generally allowed in reasonable amounts for personal use. Confirm posted rules and local bylaws before you dig.

Access note: Provincial panning reserve on the lower Wild Horse River at Fort Steele, running about 3 km up from the river mouth. Gold was found here in 1863, and by 1864 about 1,500 prospectors were camped in the area. You do not need a Free Miner Certificate. Use a hand pan and hand shovel only: no metal detectors, sluices or dredges. The province's map shows a mix of Crown and private land, and only the Crown land is open.

Collecting rules in Canada are set provincially and by land owner. Crown land and many public beaches allow casual hand collecting, while provincial and national parks are off-limits. Confirm the rules for this site before you dig.