Where can we camp and prospect for free in north Georgia

[Chaboznic]

My uncle and I want to come to Georgia in a few weeks and do a bit of prospecting. Neither of us are from Georgia. I will be coming over from Texas while he will be coming down from Ohio. He has been around there a few times but did not have much luck. I was wondering if there where any remote areas that we could camp and prospect for gold in the north west part of Georgia?we don't want to go to any of the Club camps! Any help is much appreciated

 

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[KiddoTheMiner]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
*BEGINS CRYING*
no basically


there are clubs and pay to prospect but there is nowhere you can camp for free, theres not even an acre of land you can prospect without permission from the landowner

so yeah...have fun finding a place!

 

[KevinInColorado]

Happily Kiddo is wrong: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/conf/recreation/?cid=stelprdb5120146
You can pan in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

 

[KiddoTheMiner]

Happily Kiddo is wrong: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest - Recreation
You can pan in the Chattahoochee National Forest.

well if you read the closely it says you have to use a hand trowel, you cant use a regular shovel and, you can only use a basic gold pan
plus I think chaboznic wants to go Prospecting(sluice, highbanker, dredge) not panning

 

[KevinInColorado]

No, it says "hand shovel or trowel" but it certainly is limited to pans so that may be an issue.

 

[nuggethunter]

Living in Georgia I do some prospecting in the national forest and you can use a shovel to dig in creek beds but it's like anywhere else always fill in your holes when you are finished. But if you are still unsure ask the district ranger.

 

[Chaboznic]

I would like to be able to use a sluice. Any areas around that we can just go and use that. With out having to pay someone?

 

[russau]

NO dredge allowed!..................HMMM! well that leaves me out!

 

[bw4907]

If you are a member of the GPAA you can go the Farm claim in Buchannan.

 

[Chaboznic]

That looks like a nice river. Is that public land in the YouTube video? Nice box too.

 

[goldhog]

Basically in GA all the land is privately owned with the exception of state parks and national forests.
There are not "claims" or BLM in GA.
Nothing is allowed in most state parks.
Much of the land not owned by individuals falls under the "control" of the state, even with most national forests.
In many of the gold bearing areas, national forests, those lands are WMA areas. (Wildlife Management Areas)
While the feds own the land, the state controls and owns the wildlife, therefore the state regs supersede fed regs.
Gets a little confusing. Then throw in designated trout streams and you're pretty much done.
NOTHING... is allowed in WMA areas FYI. No panning no metal detecting NADA...
In regular federal national forests, a small hand shovel and pan only.
But finding gold bearing areas in these lands is hard, long and sometimes dangerous.
You may spend 12 hours driving, searching, hiking, etc... only to find out that the creek you find is not in a gold bearing area.
(Been there)

My recommendation for people coming to GA follows...
Go to Dahlonega and visit the gold museum.
Then stop by Crisson Gold Mine and see the old crushing plant, and pick up some of their crushed ore if you want.
Then spend a day or two at Gold N Gems.
If you want gems with a little bit of gold... work the dirt piles.
If you're after just gold, work the creeks.
It really is the only "open to the public" good gold bearing area in GA really.
Also if you are a GPAA member you can go to the Buchannan Claim as was mentioned earlier.

That's a little "summarized" but hop it helps.
Doc

 

[meMiner]

This may seem like a smart-alecky suggestion, but can't they camp for free with a camper at Walmart? Then where to prospect? Gold n Gems is pay as you go. I was there years ago and there was a little bit of fine gold to be found. But if you want to go for free and not need permission, how about under bridges? Where I am from, that is owned by the highways dept and as long as you are not destructive, it is open ground. I personally would not travel across the country for this. More important, I have no idea if this is a good or bad idea.

 

[goldhog]

This may seem like a smart-alecky suggestion, but can't they camp for free with a camper at Walmart? Then where to prospect? Gold n Gems is pay as you go. I was there years ago and there was a little bit of fine gold to be found. But if you want to go for free and not need permission, how about under bridges? Where I am from, that is owned by the highways dept and as long as you are not destructive, it is open ground. I personally would not travel across the country for this. More important, I have no idea if this is a good or bad idea.

Some of the land around bridges is owned by the state, some is just an easement.
The easement doesn't allow usage by the public in most cases and does not cover mineral rights.
Also, if you're going to enter state owned land in GA for an "activity" it usually must be approved prior.
Often this is at the county level. If you really dig into it... it gets crazy.
Good example is the river area running through Dahlonega that is "Corps of Eng property"
Many people have been down there prospecting... but...after MANY phone calls and emails...
come to find out the Corp turned the usage control over to the city and they no longer allow prospecting.

Most of GA is a "bit of fine gold" if you're panning or sluicing.
If you find 2-5 colors per pan that's good.
If you want good gold... you have to dredge down to bedrock.
(Hence the reason the gold rush moved to CA)
GNG charges $15 for 1/2 day $25 full day.
That includes their dirt. You can pan or sluice for that.
95 acres and no worries.
To me that's worth a day at least and the gems are fairly abundant in their dirt, not in the creek.

Doc

 

[Chaboznic]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the input and advice. I don't really expect to get rich in GA but my uncle thinks he can. I'm pretty sure I would be able to find just as much gold in Texas as I'm going to find in GA. ONE MORE QUESTION. Are the rivers and creeks in dahlonega open to prospecting? The last post was referencing something to that affect.

 

[goldhog]

Just wanted to say thanks for all the input and advice. I don't really expect to get rich in GA but my uncle thinks he can. I'm pretty sure I would be able to find just as much gold in Texas as I'm going to find in GA. ONE MORE QUESTION. Are the rivers and creeks in dahlonega open to prospecting? The last post was referencing something to that affect.

No... I think you're missing the main point.
The majority of land in GA is "owned"......... and most by private land owners.
You're not allowed on the land.
What is not owned by individuals is very tightly regulated.
Pan and trowel only and only in certain areas of the National Forests mainly.
There are a VERY few exceptions, but they are very hard to find.

A lot of this gold came out of GNG, but you have to get to bedrock to find the big stuff.
Still there's decent flakes and course gold if you work the gravels in the creek.

 

[russau]

ive always thought and was told that the feds /state/blm/ coe /city/ county ETC> DO NOT OWN ANY LAND they only manage public land for us! and it don't matter what coast your on. its America.