Help planning a trip to Colorado

[okie jack]

Well last year I went to Colorado and spent more time driving around than I did panning or gem hunting. I was wandering if I could get some help .I live in Oklahoma so any surrounding states would be nice I'm headed in the way of Colorado so from Oklahoma to Colorado anywhere in Colorado I'm willing to go. I want to do some prospecting for gold and gems.Any help would be great. Thanks in advance

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[russau]

just watchout for federal mining claimes! theres always Vics up in Blackhawk Colorado.he(Jessie) has a pay to pan/sluice operation and hes very helpfull in giveing you advice if you need it!hes one reral nice guy!

[nuggetshooter323]

If you were a member of the GPAA, there are some decent claims around the state. Also, it might be worth it to you to join the Gold Prospectors of Colorado, it's only about $25 and you would have access to their claims whenever your in Colorado. You would pay that for one day at a pay-to-prospect place.

[jmoller99]

If you went on an outing with the GPOC or GPAA clubs in Colorado, you would learn a lot about how to work the gold in Colorado. Many of these clubs do training sessions too.

On our (GPAA) Memorial day outing, we had GPAA members from Kansas, Denver, Colorado Springs and Pueblo - we worked a pay to dig area between Buena Vista and LeadVille (in 2 places - one in the pay to dig area, and across highway 24 in the Arkansas river). The site is right on highway 24 (so access is very easy, but the altitude will take a lot of energy out of you) - You can see the silver roof of a car in the lower left hand side of one of the pictures - that gives you an idea of how easy this place was to access. We got gold.

You don't need to be a GPAA member to go to any event (unless its on a GPAA claim) that the Colorado GPAA clubs sponsor.

GPOC has a bunch of its own claims too.

Here are some pictures from the May 25/26/27/28 GPAA outing.

[TheNewCatfish]

May i suggest "Cache Creek" near Leadville. This BLM is dedicated to recreational gold prospecting in Colorado. You can stay there 14 days free of charge. The road is good, you can drive your RV right up to your campsite. The nearest town is about 12 miles away and the restaraunts and other amenities are very good. Cache Creek is remote enough, you'll enjoy the whole camping/outdoor experience complete with wolves howling and chasing elk around the mountainside. Be warned, it is bear country and the bears will eat your ground coffee if you leave a bag next to the campfire (happened to me). The great thing about Cache Creek is the gate host rents all kinds of equipment for a fee of 25% of your daily take. This includes sluice boxes, pumps, hoses and high bankers. So you can try out the bigger equipment without shelling out hundreds of dollars buying the stuff. The gold comes from tailing piles left behing by hydrolic mining operations shut down in the 50's. It's micro gold and very small chunks, but you will see some color in almost every cleanout. There are still some nuggets there (nobody gets it ALL), i saw a young girl uncover a $500 dollar nugget dubbed the "Christmas Tree Nugget" while i was there. Prospectors are freindly and helpful. Some will even let you work with them while they teach you the finer points of running the equipment. I can think of no better place for a beginner to meet experienced prospectors and make contacts. By the way.. If you get even more ambitious, an ole fella there told me there is an unnamed creek on the east face of the mountain with public access where he and his dad were taking a half ounce a weekend out of the creek a weekend using just a sluice and pan. I heard about this creek just two days before i had to leave and didn't have time to locate it. Good Luck.

[okie jack]

Thanks for all the help guys keep it coming and I may be able to plain a trip around all the places you guys have listed.

[russau]

do yourself a favor and check the status of what kinds of equipment is OK for you to use at any site before you come. also check the status of the claim/area. some places have been getting closed to ANY mechanical equipment!

[okie jack]

Were would I check that at? Are they any good websites that show places to pan in Colorado I saw one along time ago and now I can't find it? On that site their was like 8 different creeks you can pan in Denver that gold has been found.

[jmoller99]

CO BLM | Royal Gorge Field Office | Minerals | Locatable | Cache Creek

Cache Creek is currently (2012) closed for motorized prospecting equipment. Panning and Sluices only.

There are many informational sites that list places in Colorado to pan, but you need to follow up on the ones you are interested in. Keep in mind that battery operated gear (pumps) generally don't need any kind of permit (however, they are banned in Cache Creek) on BLM property.

Sample web site with places to pan:
http://www.goldfeverprospecting.com/cogolo.html

I use a 1000 GPH to 1200 GPH battery powered Bilge Pump (Harbor Freight has 1000 GPH bilge pumps for a bit over $20 US) with my gear - its not as fast moving water as gas powered water pumps, but it seems to work fine for me. I use a sluice with Gold Hog matting that feeds into a Gold Cube.

Also consider doing a mine tour. This one is not hard to get to and is pretty interesting: http://www.phoenixmine.com/ - In Idaho Springs (not far from Denver off of I-70).