Gold Panning and Prospecting near Salt Lake City, UT
19 of the mapped rockhounding spots within 150 miles of Salt Lake City report gold. The closest is Farmington mining district, about 16 miles out (19 min drive).
Recreational gold collecting means panning placer gravels where moving water has concentrated heavy flakes and the occasional nugget, or working the dumps of historic lode districts.
Every gold spot within 150 miles of Salt Lake City
Farmington mining districtDavis County, Utah · 16 mi awayPublic access · Azurite, Chalcopyrite, Gold +2- Santaquin & Silver Lake mining districtsUtah County, Utah · 20 mi awayPublic access · Actinolite, Andradite, Argentite +9
- Bear GulchSalt Lake County, Utah · 24 mi awayPublic access · Gold
Snake Creek near Heber CityWasatch County, Utah · 25 mi awayPermission required · Gold- Strawberry MineMorgan County, Utah · 26 mi awayPublic access · Gold, Silver, Copper
- OphirTooele County, Utah · 33 mi awayPublic access · Galena, Gold, Pyrite +3
- Sams CanyonWasatch County, Utah · 34 mi awayPublic access · Lode Gold
- MercurTooele County, Utah · 35 mi awayPublic access · Cinnabar, Gold, Orpiment +5
- Stansbury MountainsTooele County, Utah · 43 mi awayPermission required · Cerussite, Galena, Gold +1
- Promontory MountainsBox Elder County, Utah · 46 mi awayPublic access · Cerussite, Bornite, Calamine +6
- Drum MountainsJuab County, Utah · 102 mi awayPublic access · Agate, Jasper, Pyrolusite +11
- Fish SpringsJuab County, Utah · 104 mi awayPublic access · Gold, Lead, Silver +8
Best spotGold HillTooele County, Utah · 109 mi awayPublic access · Azurite, Cerussite, Chalcopyrite +11- Raft River MountainsBox Elder County, Utah · 114 mi awayPublic access · Gold, Arsenopyrite, Chalcopyrite +3
- Deep Creek MountainsJuab County, Utah · 128 mi awayPermission required · Beryl, Fluorite, Scheelite +6
- Vipont MineBox Elder County, Utah · 131 mi awayPublic access · Azurite, Cerussite, Copper +12
- Amasa ValleyMillard County, Utah · 134 mi awayCheck locally · Albite, Biotite, Diopside +9
- JensenUintah County, Utah · 137 mi awayPublic access · Gold
- Yellow Canary Uranium DepositDaggett County, Utah · 139 mi awayPublic access · Azurite, Bornite, Brochantite +7
Types of gold reported near Salt Lake City
Counts reflect how many spots in this radius mention each variety.
- Gold18
- Lode Gold1
Gold near Salt Lake City FAQ
Where can I find gold near Salt Lake City?+
19 mapped spots within about 150 miles of Salt Lake City report gold. The closest is Farmington mining district in Davis County, roughly 16 miles away (19 min drive). The full list with coordinates is on this page.
Can I collect gold on public land near Salt Lake City?+
15 of the 19 spots here sit on land mapped as publicly accessible. Casual hand collecting of common rocks and minerals is allowed on most BLM and Forest Service land with limits set by the local field office; national parks and most state parks are closed to collecting. Confirm current rules with the managing agency before a trip.
Do I need a permit to pan for gold?+
Hand panning is generally allowed on most BLM and Forest Service land that is not under an active mining claim, with no permit needed for pans and hand tools. Sluices and dredges fall under state rules and often do need permits. Check claim maps before working a creek: panning someone's claim is theft.
How far from Salt Lake City do I need to drive?+
The nearest gold spot is about 16 miles out, and the farthest on this list is 139 miles. Most fall inside a normal weekend day-trip radius.
Keep exploring from Salt Lake City
Gold Panning and Prospecting near other cities
Hunt gold around Salt Lake City with the map in your pocket
RockHoundR shows these spots on an offline map with public land overlays, geology layers, weather, and a log for your finds.
