Gold Panning in California: Public Places to Pan

California’s gold country still produces flakes and small nuggets in its rivers, and several public sites let you pan without a claim. The safest places to start are BLM recreation areas, which list gold panning as an activity, and the river towns of the Mother Lode.

California gold panning at a glance

Best free places	Merced River near Briceburg (BLM); Dave Moore Nature Area near Coloma (BLM)
Cost	Free on BLM land
Equipment	Pan and hand tools; motorized equipment in water needs permits
Best season	Late summer and fall, when rivers are low
Not allowed	Suction dredging; panning on mining claims, in wilderness and in most state parks

Merced River, near Mariposa

BLM’s Merced River Recreation Management Area below Briceburg is open year-round, and recreational gold panning is a listed activity. Sites include Briceburg, Cable Rock, McCabe Flat, Willow Placer and Railroad Flat. Some segments are covered by mining claims; check the BLM claims map and stay off claimed ground. Upstream on national forest land, panning is limited.

South Fork American River, near Coloma

Dave Moore Nature Area is a free BLM day-use site where gold panning is listed, two miles from Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park, where gold was found in 1848. Stay off the private land along the river.

Rules to know

• Recreational panning on open federal land is usually allowed with hand tools, outside claims and wilderness.
• California suspended suction dredging; motorized equipment in the water needs permits.
• State parks, including Marshall Gold Discovery, generally do not allow panning except at organized activities.
• Do not dig into banks or disturb vegetation.

When to go

Late summer and fall, when rivers are lowest and gravel bars are exposed. Spring snowmelt makes Sierra rivers fast and dangerous.

Questions

Where can I pan for gold for free in California?

On BLM land along the Merced River near Briceburg and at Dave Moore Nature Area on the South Fork American River near Coloma, outside mining claims.

Is gold panning legal in California?

Yes, recreational panning with a pan and hand tools is legal on open public land outside mining claims, wilderness and parks that prohibit it. Motorized dredging is restricted.

When is the best time to pan for gold in California?

Late summer and fall, when rivers are low.

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