Where to Find Gold in Texas, New Mexico and Utah

Here is the honest answer to where to find gold in Texas: there is very little, and most of it is fine gold in the Llano River country of central Texas and in a few West Texas districts such as Shafter in Presidio County. Almost all Texas land is private, so permission matters more than geology. New Mexico and Utah offer more: New Mexico has historic placer districts such as the Old Placers in the Ortiz Mountains and Elizabethtown, and Utah's major rivers carry fine "flour" gold while its mountain districts hold lode gold.

This guide covers each state's realistic gold areas and the land rules that determine where you can legally prospect.

Where to find gold in Texas: small amounts, mostly private land

The University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology has published guidance for Texas gold panners. It identifies the Llano River and Llano County as the best-known spot, where a gold deposit found in the 1890s led to the Heath Mine. It also points to the Shafter Mining District in Presidio County, including Cibolo Creek and the Rio Grande, the Quitman Mountains, and reports of gold in streams near the Guadalupe Mountains.

Texas land rules

• Private land: The vast majority of Texas is privately owned. You need the landowner's permission, and gold taken without it is not yours.
• Riverbeds: The Bureau of Economic Geology notes that the boundary between a public waterway and private property follows a legal line set by Texas courts. Crossing it means trespassing, so do not assume a riverbank is public.
• State parks: Operating a metal detector in a Texas state park is generally an offense, with narrow exceptions such as recovering a lost personal item with the superintendent's permission.
• State land: Mineral activity on state land is handled through the General Land Office.

For many Texans, the practical route is a road trip to New Mexico or Arizona, or detecting for coins and relics on private land with permission. Our guide to getting permission to detect on private land includes a letter template.

New Mexico: historic placer districts

The New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources reports that about 662,000 ounces of placer gold were produced in the state from 1828 to 1991. Large deposits found in the Old Placers district of the Ortiz Mountains in 1828 started one of the earliest gold rushes in the western United States. Four districts each produced more than 100,000 ounces: Elizabethtown–Baldy, Hillsboro, Old Placers and New Placers.

The Bureau notes that New Mexico placer gold concentrates in gravel layers, especially near the base of alluvial deposits, where bedrock fractures and clay or caliche layers trap it. Many streams carry at least traces of gold. Dry conditions make detecting and drywashing the main methods.

New Mexico land rules

Much of the best placer ground is private or covered by claims. National forest and BLM land in the state generally allows casual prospecting with hand tools and detectors on open, unclaimed ground. New Mexico state parks allow metal detecting only with the superintendent's permission for limited purposes such as approved projects or recovering a specific lost item.

Utah: river flour gold and mountain districts

The Utah Geological Survey notes that in Utah, lode deposits have been more important than placers, and that known placers have been worked for more than a century. Still, its public information on gold lists placer areas worth knowing:

• Colorado River from the Dolores River mouth toward Moab.
• Green River from Flaming Gorge Reservoir downstream.
• San Juan River from Montezuma Creek west toward Lake Powell.
• Mountain placers in the Abajo, Henry, La Sal, Tushar and Oquirrh mountains (including Bingham Canyon) and the House Range.

The big rivers carry very fine flour gold that is hard to recover. Historic lode districts include Bingham, Mercur, Gold Hill and Tintic, which are largely private or active mining ground today.

Utah land rules

• Recreational panning uses non-mechanized tools and must not disturb ground above the waterline or outside a dry stream bed, according to the Utah Geological Survey.
• Recreational dredging is limited to small dredges or hand sluices within size limits, for a limited number of days, and requires a permit from the Utah Division of Water Rights. The Utah stretches of the Green, Colorado and San Juan rivers are closed to dredging and sluicing under that process because of endangered fish.
• State trust lands prohibit metal detecting and treasure searching without written authorization.
• Parks, monuments and wilderness are closed to prospecting.
• BLM and national forest land is often open, but check for withdrawals and claims.

Rules change. Confirm with the managing agency (the Texas General Land Office, the BLM, the national forest, the New Mexico or Utah state agencies) before you go.

Which state should you choose?

If your goal is detecting nuggets, New Mexico's dry placer districts are the most promising of the three, provided you find open public ground or get permission on private land. If you mainly want to pan, Utah's mountain drainages and Texas's Llano River country offer small amounts of fine gold close to home for many residents. In all three states, expect modest results. These are not Arizona or Nevada nugget fields, and the best ground has been worked for well over a century. Treat each trip as a chance to sharpen your skills, and keep detailed notes on where you found color.

Choosing methods and gear for the Southwest

1. Dry country: In New Mexico's dry placers, a metal detector and a drywasher are the main tools. Ground can be mineralized; see our guide to the best detectors for mineralized soil and browse our gold metal detectors.
2. River gold: In Texas and Utah rivers, gold is fine. A pan, classifier and patience matter more than a detector. Our how to pan for gold guide walks through the technique.
3. Research first: Use state geological survey publications to find documented gold, then confirm land status before travel.
4. Heat and water: Summer temperatures are extreme in much of this region. Carry ample water and work early and late in the day.

Frequently asked questions

Is there gold in Texas?

Yes, but only in small amounts. The Llano River area and the Shafter district in West Texas are the best-known spots, and most land is private.

Can I pan for gold in the Llano River?

Only where you have legal access. Much of the riverbank is private property, so get permission or confirm public access before panning.

Where is the best place to find gold in New Mexico?

The historic placer districts of Elizabethtown–Baldy, Hillsboro, Old Placers and New Placers produced the most. Check land status, as much of this ground is private or claimed.

Can I dredge on the Colorado River in Utah?

No. According to the Utah Geological Survey, the Utah stretches of the Green, Colorado and San Juan rivers are closed to dredging and sluicing under the permit process because of endangered fish.

Can I metal detect in Texas state parks?

Generally no. Texas state park rules treat metal detecting as prohibited, with narrow exceptions such as recovering a lost personal item with the superintendent's permission.

Sources

• >University of Texas Bureau of Economic Geology: Where to pan for gold in Texas
• >New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources: Placer gold
• >Utah Geological Survey: Gold in Utah (PI-50)
• >Utah Administrative Code R850-12-300: Prohibited activities on trust lands