Where to go in North Carolina?

[No gold in NY]

My wife and I are looking to a week in NC for prospecting in early May. We would like to know of some public sites that everyone knows about that with a little hard work, we might find something. We are not looking for your secret spot. Also we would like to know about a respectable pay-to-dig place that you have personally been to.

 

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[DeepseekerADS]

I went to Thermal City Gold Mine panning going on 5 years ago, got a little color from the waterway, not a lot but got some. It was my first time panning.

People live on that site! Pretty rugged living!

It's on Rt. 221 South of Marion, NC. I think it cost $10 a person to get in and go at it. There's a store there, and I think a small eating place - I didn't go in and eat there.

 

[Jwoot]

There is another near Thermal city called Lucky Strike. I am not sure how the operations are though. You can probably find some information on the 2 with a search or maybe somebody with experience can chime in.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I didn't drive any further South on Rt. 221 than Thermal City. I seem to remember passing Lucky Strike on my way to Thermal City on Rt. 221.

 

[sherm]

Say, sounds like fun to me. After reading about your upcoming adventure, recalled my adventure to North Carolina years back. If you're lookin for a dig-n-pay place, you might want to try Emerald Hollow Mine in Hiddenite NC. You can mine for emeralds there up on the hill and they also have a sluicing table where you can buy buckets of material and screen for gemstones. They was a shop there, where you could have a stone cut, polished and mounted in gold or silver being a ring, necklace, etc. if you found that quality of a stone. Just behind the old office building, there's a small stream they salt with gemstones for the kids or perhaps big kids too. As I recall, it runs about a half mile or so before dumping into a bigger stream. People look for emeralds, hiddenite and gemstones there. Along the banks, are large stones that stick out into the stream. As I watched, people just walked past these. Now, being a gold prospector myself, I know that gold collects under said stones and in behind them. Just up from where the smaller stream dumps into the larger on the left side going downstream, there was a rock about the size of a wheelbarrow sticking out from the bank into the water. The water was only a few inches deep there. I could lay on the rock and dig with my hands and a little scoop I rented under that rock in the muck and stones. I found some of the washed down gemstones, but further back under it, I got a couple of small emeralds, the biggest being about a 1/2" each way. I wished I have had the tools back then that I have now. It would have been a lot easier and faster. I do recall, getting wet also, after finding that emerald I was on my hands and knees in the water digging under that rock. Had to quit cause I couldn't reach any farther. If you do go to the emerald mine, where old clothes and boots, as the soil there sticks like glue. Thermal City gold area is a little over an hours drive southwest of the mine. Hope this was entertaining for you. May the bottom of you pan always have yellow.

 

[brianc053]

Since no one has talked about Lucky Strike much I'll chime in. I've visited there twice; on one visit I used their highbanker and on the other I used my own equipment. Using their highbanker means that for a rental fee they'll set you up next to their settling pond, connect their highbanker to their water supply (which is nice because it's quiet) and even bring you a bucket loader worth of "pay dirt". I put that in quotes because what they bring you is supposed to come from their river directly, but I believe it's just dirt salted with some gold. I have no evidence to support this; it's just my opinion.
When I used my own equipment I panned sands from behind some rocks and found zero gold. I'm a good panner, able to find -100 mesh stuff just by panning. I found zero, which is one reason I think what they brought me in the bucket loader was salted.

The general "rumors" from those that go to Lucky Strike annually is that there is gold there, but only upstream beyond something called the hole or the pit or something, which is where they dig the paydirt from.
The people are nice, the food at the stand is awesome (for camp food - try the burger and fries), and the camping seems nice though I never stayed overnight.
In summary, it's worth a visit but don't try to get gold from their stream on your own. Pay for paydirt if you are ok with that, or skip this place if you like a more authentic experience.

 

[No gold in NY]

Since no one has talked about Lucky Strike much I'll chime in. I've visited there twice; on one visit I used their highbanker and on the other I used my own equipment. Using their highbanker means that for a rental fee they'll set you up next to their settling pond, connect their highbanker to their water supply (which is nice because it's quiet) and even bring you a bucket loader worth of "pay dirt". I put that in quotes because what they bring you is supposed to come from their river directly, but I believe it's just dirt salted with some gold. I have no evidence to support this; it's just my opinion.
When I used my own equipment I panned sands from behind some rocks and found zero gold. I'm a good planner, able to find -100 mesh stuff just by panning. I found zero, which is one reason I think what they brought me in the bucket loader was salted.

The general "rumors" from those that go to Lucky Strike annually is that there is gold there, but only upstream beyond something called the hole or the pit or something, which is where they dig the paydirt from.
The people are nice, the food at the stand is awesome (for camp food - try the burger and fries), and the camping seems nice though I never stayed overnight.
In summary, it's worth a visit but don't try to get gold from their stream on your own. Pay for paydirt if you are ok with that, or skip this place if you like a more authentic experience.

I hear pretty much the same thing from a dredger who visited there.
Thanks for the input Brian.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I'm about due for an adventure. If you decide to go down there let me know and I'll do another adventure and bring my Keene A52, and detectors.

 

[BobM]

I just got back with my wife from down south, we prospected NC, SC, and GA.
Google the following names and the places will pop up.
Eureka Gold Panning, Robert Way will take you out on a few spots, small gold, but a great day on the river.
Mountain Creek Gold Mine, Nadine is awesome, a lot of gold specks in the pan, not a ton of gold, but a great time.
Thermal city, we clean up here, ran 4 loads, and got appx 1 gram
Lucky Strike, We did good here, ran 2 loads, did under a gram.
Uwharrie National Forest, we pulled over in several spots, and used classifier, small shovel, and pans. found flakes and specks.

Now dollar for dollar, we didn't go to make money, we went to have a prospecting and metal detecting adventure, we hit Altoona area in GA, and found gold, as well as the pay places.

Have fun, and enjoy your vacation.