Al Palin's picks

Please note that I think these suggestions for places to pan are valid, but always check to make sure there are no new legal restrictions in place. 

 

Panther Creek, Idaho.  Panther Creek Inn -- the owner is very friendly.  It is at the junction of Blackbird Creek and Panther Creek.  60 miles from Salmon, Idaho.   Lots of fine gold, good food.  You can rent a camping space from the owner of the tavern.  1350 feet upstream and 1350 feet downstream from the Inn.  Private land, no permits needed. 

 

Salmon, Idaho.  Kirtley Creek, pay to play. 

 

Murray, Idaho.  Sprag Pole restaurant/tavern/museum.  Great burgers and curly fries, great museum.  7 and 10 ounce nuggets found in the last 5 years. Keep going through town on the road to Montana and it's open to panning.  Lots of gold.  Huge dredge piles.  Make sure you visit the cemetery, very historical, very interesting. 

 

Gibbonsville, Idaho.  Off of Highway 93.  Old mine tailings.  Talk to the locals.  Last trailer on left, a veteran.  There are wolves in the area who are very aggressive -- do NOT take your dogs up there. 

 

Wallace, Idaho.  Mining museum. 

 

Kellogg, Idaho -- A working gold mine you can tour.

 

Shoup, Idaho.  A working gold mine you can tour, watch out for the white mule, he likes candy bars, he might eat your windshield wipers.  Shoup was the last place in the US to still have an old-style crank phone in use. 

 

Florence, Idaho.  Site of first gold discovery in Idaho.  Old ghost town, very interesting cemetery and 3 or 4 partial cabins still left standing, giant meadow for camping and landing airplanes and camp all summer and prospect.  The North Idaho club is there for a month every July and August -- good people.  Watch out for moose!

 

Boise, Idaho.  Idaho Museum of Mining and Geology -- located at the Old State Penitentiary.

 

Lucille, Idaho.  KOA campground.  There is a place to pay to pan, usually good gold. 

 

Idaho City, Idaho.  Gold Bar Mining Company.  Pay to pan for gold, usually good gold.  Club members receive a discount on mining supplies.

 

Baker, City, Oregon.  Oregon Trail Interpretive Center.  Check out the impressive gold nugget display at the US Bank in town.

 

Sumpter, Oregon.  Tour a retired gold dredge.   Dredge piles to detect on, or ride the scenic narrow-gauge train.  Very recommended.  Nice nuggets, metal detecting only. 

 

Butte, Montana.  World Museum of Mining.  Mai Wah Society Museum.

 

Phillipsburg, Montana.  Granite county Museum.  20 ghost towns within 30 miles.

 

Phoenix, Arizona.  Arizona Mining and Museum. 

 

Tucson, Arizona.  University of Arizona Mineral Museum. 

 

Barstow, California.  Mojave River Valley Museum. 

 

San Francisco, California.  Museum of the City of San Francisco. 

 

Pendleton, Oregon.  Umatilla County Historical Society Museum.

 

Casper, Wyoming.  Tate Geological Museum. 

 

Colorado -- Mines you can tour:  http://www.dnr.state.co.us/geology/tourist.html

 

Darby, Montana.  Painted Rocks Reservoir.  Hughes Creek -- fine gold and nuggets.  good fishing and camping.