Stay informed with important Rules for gold panning, treasure hunting, and land use. Learn the regulations that protect you and the environment.
The gold panning laws in Minnesota allow recreational hand panning in state-owned beds of streams, rivers, and lakes with no permit required. The Minnesota DNR defines recreational gold prospecting as…
The gold panning laws in Rhode Island allow recreational hand panning on public land, though opportunities are very limited in the nation's smallest state. Rhode Island has no BLM land,…
The gold panning laws in Alaska are among the most prospector-friendly in the country, which is a big reason the state attracts thousands of gold seekers every year. Alaska has…
The gold panning laws in Oklahoma allow recreational hand panning in parts of the Ouachita National Forest in southeastern Oklahoma, but the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge (the state's other gold-associated…
The gold panning laws in North Dakota allow recreational hand panning as casual use on BLM public land open to mineral entry, though opportunities are limited. North Dakota has some…
The gold panning laws in Nevada are governed primarily by federal regulations because roughly 85% of the state is federally managed public land. Recreational gold panning with hand tools is…
The gold panning laws in Montana are among the most prospector-friendly in the country, thanks to a unique combination of abundant public land, the Montana Stream Access Law, and a…
The gold panning laws in Connecticut are restrictive compared to western states, and the gold itself is scarce. Connecticut has no BLM land, no National Forest, and state-managed land is…
Where can you not pan for gold in the United States? While recreational hand panning is legal on most BLM and National Forest land, there are specific categories of land…
The gold panning laws in Louisiana are most clearly defined on the Kisatchie National Forest, the only National Forest in the state. The U.S. Forest Service permits gold panning on…
