Texas has only small, scattered gold, New Mexico has historic placer districts, and Utah's rivers carry fine flour gold. Here is where to look in each state and the land rules that decide where you can dig.
Oregon's gold country runs from the Rogue and Applegate rivers to the Baker City district, and Washington has historic placer creeks in the Cascades. Here is where to look and how salmon-habitat rules limit motorized mining.
Montana and Idaho were built on 1860s placer gold rushes, and their creeks still carry color. Here is where to look, how land status works and what permits apply to sluices and dredges in each state.
Colorado gold is mostly fine placer gold in mountain creeks below historic mining districts. Here is where prospectors look, which public areas welcome panning, and when you need a permit.
California's gold is still in the Sierra Nevada rivers and the desert districts, but the rules have tightened. Here is where to look, what equipment is allowed and where metal detectors are banned.
Nevada leads the nation in gold production and the BLM manages most of the state, but most of that gold is microscopic. Here is where hobby prospectors actually find detectable nuggets and the legal basics to know first.
Arizona's best gold ground sits in the Bradshaw Mountains, around Wickenburg and Rich Hill, near Quartzsite and in Mohave County's Gold Basin. Here is where to look, which land you can legally work, and what gear fits desert gold.
