The places listed below are user submitted gold prospecting locations. Things change over time - these places may or may not still be open. Be sure to fill your holes, pick up your trash and don't trespass. We are losing good spots all the time.
We really need more info on this state! If you know of any other prospecting locations in this or surrounding areas, please fill out this form. What we need here are fairly specific places like "downstream from where Highway 20 crosses Dry Creek". There are lots of books that say something like "The gold belt runs through ABC & XYZ Counties" or "Gold has been found in ABC River and some of its tributaries". That really doesn't say much about where YOU can find gold, private property issues or Forest Circus rules etc. Please use this form only for suggesting fairly specific places to be added to this page where new prospectors or folks visiting from other areas have a good chance of finding gold. Thank you
From Russ Ford:
Here in Yavapai County, AZ the best known and best historic gold stream was Lynx Creek located 3 - 4 mi. south of Prescott. The forest service has set aside several miles of this creek for "hand tools" prospecting, and a beginner can always find a few colors. My best day with a pan has been a pennyweight and occasionally, someone will still find a good nugget. Just about every other creek in the county (South of Prescott) carries flour gold. So as long as it's in the forest and not claimed, a person can prospect.
From Ken
The best area is the Laguna Mountains about 12 miles out of Yuma heading east
on highway 95.They are immediately north of the highway. There are about
five ways to enter the Laguna's. Up Laguna dam road, across the Gila
river, Just before you get to the rifle range, from the north side by driving
down the canal on Yuma Proving grounds.
The Laguna mtns. have placer gold everywhere. It is great for drywashing
and detecting. Where to start? ANYWHERE!
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