Gold Panning in Colorado: My Favorite Spots

I’ve spent more weekends than I can count knee-deep in Colorado streams. After months of compiling USGS data and historic mine records into the GoldFever.app mine map, I’ve found spots that consistently produce color. Here are my favorites.

My Top 4 Colorado Gold Spots

1. Clear Creek at Idaho Springs

This is where I send everyone who’s new to Colorado prospecting. It’s 30 minutes from Denver, the creek runs right through town, and I’ve never left without at least some flour gold.

My go-to spot is the public access area just west of downtown, right off Highway 6. Park near the Welcome Center and walk upstream. Look for exposed bedrock along the inside bends. Last September I pulled about 0.3 grams in a single afternoon from a crevice I’d walked past a dozen times before.

The gold here is fine, so bring a snuffer bottle. You’ll need it.

2. Beaver Creek Near Fairplay

This one’s about an hour and a half from Denver, but it’s worth the drive. The South Park area around Fairplay was one of the original Colorado gold districts, and Beaver Creek still produces.

I like the stretch where the creek crosses Forest Road 659. Plenty of public land, fewer people than Clear Creek, and the gold tends to be a bit coarser. I’ve found flakes here that I could actually pick up with tweezers instead of a snuffer.

Pro tip: Check the GoldFever.app map before you go. There are active claims scattered throughout the drainage, and you don’t want to set up on someone else’s ground.

3. The Animas River Near Silverton

If you want to work for your gold, head to the San Juans. The drive alone is an adventure, especially over Red Mountain Pass.

The Animas between Silverton and Howardsville has some of the coarsest placer gold in Colorado. I’ve found pieces here that were actually chunky. Not nuggets exactly, but close. The national forest land above Silverton gives you legal access, though you’ll want to verify specific spots on the map since mining claims dot the whole area.

Fair warning: the water is brutally cold even in August. I’m talking numb fingers in 10 minutes cold. More on that below.

4. Tarryall Creek

Tarryall doesn’t get the attention that Clear Creek does, and that’s exactly why I like it. It’s in the same general area as Fairplay but less trafficked.

The creek runs through a beautiful valley in the Pike National Forest. I’ve had good luck working the gravels behind large boulders, especially in the lower stretches. The gold here has a nice yellow color to it, and I’ve consistently found enough to make the trip worthwhile.

The area has a lot of historic workings. When I was building the GoldFever.app database, I found records of placer operations here going back to the 1860s. That’s always a good sign.

Is It Legal? The Quick Version

Here’s the deal with Colorado gold panning:

National Forest and BLM land: You’re good with a pan and hand tools. No permit needed for recreational panning. Just don’t use motorized equipment, and check for active mining claims first.

State Parks: Generally no. Don’t pan in state parks unless you’ve specifically confirmed it’s allowed.

Private land and mining claims: Absolutely not without permission. I use the GoldFever.app map to check claim status before I go anywhere new. Saves a lot of awkward conversations.

The big rule: Pan only, fill in your holes, don’t mess with stream banks. Keep it simple and you’ll stay legal.

Best Time to Go

Forget spring. Snowmelt turns every creek into a washing machine from April through June. I’ve tried it and spent more time fighting current than panning.

Late summer (August) through fall (October) is prime time. Water levels drop, bedrock gets exposed, and the weather is still warm enough to enjoy yourself. September is my favorite month, hands down. Lower water means you can access spots that were underwater all summer.

I do occasionally pan Clear Creek in winter since it stays accessible, but honestly it’s miserable. The gold doesn’t go anywhere. It’ll be there in August.

Gear for Colorado’s Cold Water

Colorado water will humble you fast. These streams are snowmelt, and they’re cold year-round. Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way:

Neoprene gloves are mandatory. Not optional. Even in August, I can only work bare-handed for about 15 minutes before my fingers stop working. Get the 3mm dive gloves. They’re cheap and they work.

Waders if you’re serious. Hip waders are fine for most spots. The best material is often in the active channel, and you can’t reach it from the bank.

Layers for the weather. Mountain afternoons bring thunderstorms almost daily in summer. I keep a rain jacket in my pack along with a dry shirt. Getting caught in a Colorado storm while already wet from creek water is no fun.

Sun protection. The altitude means the UV is brutal. I wear a wide-brim hat and keep sunscreen in my kit.

Find More Spots on the Map

Look, I could list 20 more creeks, but the truth is the best spot for you depends on where you live and what kind of adventure you want.

That’s why I built GoldFever.app. I spent months going through USGS mineral surveys, historic mine records, and BLM claim data. The map shows you every documented gold occurrence in Colorado, plus you can filter by mineral type and check which areas have active claims.

It’s free to use. Just zoom into wherever you want to prospect and see what’s there. I find new spots this way all the time.

What to Actually Expect

I’m going to level with you: you’re not going to get rich. The days of scooping nuggets out of Clear Creek ended 150 years ago.

But you will find gold. Real gold. I’ve never had a completely skunked trip in Colorado. Even my worst days produce at least a few specks of color that I can see in the pan.

On a good day working a productive spot, I’ll come home with maybe half a gram. A really good day, a full gram. That’s not retirement money, but it’s gold I found myself in a beautiful mountain stream. That’s worth something.

The first time you see that yellow flash in your pan, you’ll understand why people have been doing this since 1858. It never gets old.

Now grab your pan and go find some gold.