sluicing in the kern river

[1637]

i think i might take a brake from dry washing. were are the public places on the kern river calif?or close by there
thanks brad

 

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[TEG]

Used to have good luck shoveling into a Bazooka Box in the Kern River across from Hart Park in Bakersfield. Approached from Round Mountain Road side of river. Between river bank and island. Other guys had good luck from the Hart Park side.

 

[Goldwasher]

Used to have good luck shoveling into a Bazooka Box in the Kern River across from Hart Park in Bakersfield. Approached from Round Mountain Road side of river. Between river bank and island. Other guys had good luck from the Hart Park side. View attachment 1720977

There are several easy to access places near the mouth and right into the canyon a little ways up. A day use area and campground. There are claims though.

More access when you get up by Isabella up by the hot springs. Look out for claims there as well.

 

[tadvanallen]

Up in Keysville theres 2 areas... party central during summer.. finding spots lower down river, would be cool to check out....

 

[RobertF]

On the Kern River there are only two "public" mining areas, Hart Park outside of Bakersfield, the Keysville Public Mining area up off 155 NW of the town of Lake Isabella.

The river is running real high right now so finding spots to put a sluice in are going to be tough to find. One of the easier areas to explore right now would be Hogeye Gulch in Keysville, though the parts north/west of Keysville Rd are claimed up, the area south and east of the road is in the public mining area.

The Kern County Prospectors Club has a claim on the Kern, which is open to their members. They charge $35/yr for membership.

 

[RobertF]

Used to have good luck shoveling into a Bazooka Box in the Kern River across from Hart Park in Bakersfield. Approached from Round Mountain Road side of river. Between river bank and island. Other guys had good luck from the Hart Park side. View attachment 1720977

Just as FYI, a lot of this side has been fenced off now to vehicle traffic, though you are still able to enter on foot, you have to park back by the pavement.

 

[ProspectorALEX]

i think i might take a brake from dry washing. were are the public places on the kern river calif?or close by there
thanks brad

I know that this is old, but my dad and I would go here
Park at the trailhead for the raft put-in and walk the trail for a ways. Just watch your stuff out there.

 

[RobertF]

Just keep in mind that outside the two public mining areas at Keysville, the bulk of the river downstream is claimed up.

 

[Bodfish Mike]

I will 2nd what Alex says -- this in not a safe place to park it's very close to town and lot's of homeless live on this trail - they don't have
much and will break into your car. This use to be a better spot before the army corps of engineers closed the flume that diverted about
600 CFS of water around this spot keeping the river low. There is still gold but finding a spot to set a sluice is hard.
Cheers

 

[Hard Prospector]

Used to be a guy to park most anywhere; prospect, hunt or fish and be pretty certain his truck would be left untouched. Homeless thieving tweaker zombies are getting out of control.

 

[Bodfish Mike]

Just keep in mind that outside the two public mining areas at Keysville, the bulk of the river downstream is claimed up.

Well one guy has a good percentage of the lower kern claimed up.

Three 80 acres claims with one locator each.
Two 75 acres claims with one locator each.

That 390 acres for five claims that's 290 acres over the 20 acres claim limit for one locator.

Also he has
One 160 acres claim with two locators
one 80 acres claim with two locators
one 38 acres claim with two locators ( one know deceased )

So he controls 668 acres total with a small miners waiver on all but the 38 acre one.

Don't know how he is getting away with this but he is.

I've had some free time
CHEERS Mike

 

[augoldminer]

For years now i have always set up a game camera or two covering my car when ever i was prospecting.

i Don't call the cops very often but sometime take care of it my self.

Years ago we caught a thief breaking into cars at Delonegha Hot Springs on the lower kern.

His truck did not run very good with a 30-06 AP round through the engine block.

The cops got him a month later for a felon with a firearm after he threatened with a handgun the people he thought shot his truck.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Is that a place they let the homeless be left alone? Like a skid row of the woods?
They give tickets for that here in colorado if they catch you.

 

[ProspectorALEX]

IDK, but every time we went out there we saw at least one person if not more. We never worried about it tho because we always had at least one gun.