Can you prospect for gold in Oregon?
For other restrictions, including digging, dredging and off-limits areas, visit the BLM website.) When: In Oregon, you can pan for gold any time of year, except when salmon and steelhead are spawning. Check with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for information on spawning times.
Table of Contents
Can you pan for gold on Oregon beaches?

The richest areas to pan for gold on Oregon beaches are near the towns of Gold Beach and Coos Bay, but fine placer gold can be found all the way from Florence down to the California border.
What beaches in Oregon have gold?
South of Coos Bay are the best places to start looking for gold as these have proven to be the most productive. Any beach which has dark-colored sand, or more specifically ‘black sand. ‘ The dark color of the sand signifies the fact that the sand is rich in heavy iron minerals. This is where the gold will be hiding.
Where can I gold pan for free?
10 Free Gold Panning Areas in California

- Auburn State Recreation Area.
- Butte Recreation Area.
- Columbia State Historic Park.
- Keyesville Recreational Mining Area.
- Malakoff Diggins State Historic Park.
- Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic Park.
- Merced River.
- South Yuba River State Park.
Is there any gold in Gold Beach Oregon?
None of the mines ever amounted to much compared to the gold fields elsewhere, but there are still a few gold mining operations in the upriver area and gold can be panned on the beach.
Are sluice boxes legal in Oregon?
Oregon’s prohibition goes further than California’s ban on suction dredge mining in that Oregon is prohibiting “all motorized placer mining equipment” used in streams designated as Essential Salmon Habitat; which includes suction dredges, along with high-bankers, powered sluice boxes, winches, and even small “spoon fed …
Is there gold in the Oregon mountains?
This is a particularly rich part of the state and nearly all of the tributaries in this area have gold. The mountains surrounding the Applegate River are also particularly well known for producing “pocket gold,” an occurrence where a considerable amount of gold will be found in a very small areas.
Do all creeks have gold in them?
Not every creek and river out there has gold. From a practical sense it would be fair to say that most of them don’t have any gold, or there is so little gold that it would be a waste of time trying to find it. Taking some extra time to research good locations is time well-invested.
Where can I pan for gold in Gold Beach Oregon?
Gold Beach.
How deep do you have to dig for gold?
The depth of the deposit is crucial And for the mineralisation to be as long as possible, the deposit must be deep — 3 km from the surface — to guarantee a certain degree of insulation and a long magma life.” Chiaradia observed that less than 1% of the gold is captured in the ores in the deep copper-rich deposits.
Can you just pan for gold anywhere?
Unless you have legal rights to access, prospect and keep the gold at a certain location, you simply can’t can’t pan for gold there. Even if you come away with some gold, you run the risk of legal prosecution in addition to forfeiting any gold you’ve found there.