Marshall gold discovery state historic park

[mytimetoshine]

Spent the weekend at the RV resort next to the marshall gold discovery site in Colomoa Ca. Got in late friday and left early sunday so really just one day of fun. I met my parents and my daughter after work friday night. We spent the first half of the day checking out the small museum and the replica mill. Pretty cool....i have always wanted to check it out so when i got the invite i jumped at it. The second half of the day we spent relaxing. I only did a couple pans with my daughter as i was just really exhausted from work. Plus it was pretty cold and i dont have any waiters...i walked up onto some large bedrock and collected a pan full of material from a low spot. Ive heard this material could be good so i gave it a try. I dont think the water has been up that high to cover the rock in a long time as the material was literally dust, lol. I did manage to pan out the flint from a lighter and one bb....so at least my panning technique was working but no color. Did 2 more from some material i scooped up next to the shore and got one tiny fleck. As i was about to leave my mom suggested i pan out my daughters small pan she was randomly filling with rocks and dirt. Low and behold she had a small flake! Lol. She is a natural! Dindt expect to find anything as it looks like they hold a summer camp here and there has probably been 1000's of kids panning that small area for years and years, but at least i got the pan wet and my daughter got her first color. All be it on accident and with my help but she is only 4.

On the way home i decided to take lotus rd. I noticed that there was what looked like a really nice park called lotus park on the way. Im not positive but it looked like there is river access there? My question is has anybody any experience with this park? Can you pan there? Any info would be appreciated. I probably go check it out soon. I figure at the very least it looked like a well maintained park and my daughter LOVES the park...

 

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[russau]

you better check with the parks super to see what their rules are. state and city parks can be restrictive!

 

[Goldwasher]

panning and detecting are allowed there, Its a county park. a guy found a really nice there last year when he was looking for meteorite pieces. I pass that park twice a day on my commute avoid it on weekends its busy.

 

[sidvail]

Haven't done Lotus park, but if you head north up 49 about a mile you'll run into Dave Moore nature area. Good panning there and the ranger told me sluicing is allowed. It is wheelchair accessible, so very easy to get to. Great trail also for a short hike.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Haven't done Lotus park, but if you head north up 49 about a mile you'll run into Dave Moore nature area. Good panning there and the ranger told me sluicing is allowed. It is wheelchair accessible, so very easy to get to. Great trail also for a short hike.

Oh cool, Thanks!

 

[NorCalMining]

Gone panning there a few times, you will only find flood gold there but you can get some decent pickers. The annoying part is that around 11am everyday they raise the water level a few feet for all the rafting companies doing trips down river.

 

[mytimetoshine]

Gone panning there a few times, you will only find flood gold there but you can get some decent pickers. The annoying part is that around 11am everyday they raise the water level a few feet for all the rafting companies doing trips down river.

Yea i saw that. At first i thought i was imagining things but the water level definitely rose around that time.

 

[MadMarshall]

earlier this year My brother broke oar while we were Kayaking The American river.. And a Family loaned us one with the promise we would return it to lotus park/Campground.. Well that evening my brother and I showed them how to pan and such as they were interested in panning and were making trips to he bear river during their stay... We spent a few hours playing around seeing little color.. It was fun.. But their are better places for a prospector to be... I can not say I spend allot of time on rivers that have regulated water flow as I feel it decreases the chances for payable gold greatly..