I've often thought about the creek @ Hornets Nest when I've been there throwing disks - have you ever checked it? It isn't too far from the Capps Hill Mine so it may be worth a shot.
P&R has rules about not removing anything & patrols the park real well b/c it was heavy with perverts a few years back, so I've held off on jumping into the creek near the road as I don't want to test the rules on panning.
Knowing where to look is as important as knowing how to look. (maybe even more!)
We carry several maps:
1) Mineral Resource Potential for Gold in the CHARLOTTE 1x2 degree Quadrangle, NC/SC
Originally produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, will no longer be printed by
the USGS. The mineral resources of the Charlotte 1x2 degree quadrangle,
North Carolina and South Carolina, were assessed between 1978 and 1982 under the
Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program. The mineral-resource
assessments were made on the basis of geologic and geophysical investigations,
the presence of existing or abandoned mines, mapped mineral occurrences, and
where appropriate, on heavy-mineral occurrences seen in pan concentrates or
detected by geochemical analysis of pan concentrates.
Thx. Niner... panned a little in my area and encountered a lot of "black sand" but not even a flake. Been reading up as much as I can... I travel to south Carolina almost daily and cross the Chatooga. Might check that out in summer. Need to get my hands on a hand pump to get down behind those boulders.
I just moved to Salisbury, too. I'm going camping in 2 weeks with a few friends in the Uwharrie, and going to try some panning out there. Had one great campsite a couple years ago that is 3 hours hiking in. Would love to try it out in that creek.