South Fork American River at Greenwood Creek (BLM)
Public area set aside for recreational collecting
Native material: you search the natural ground on site.
BLM river access on the South Fork of the American River a few miles below Coloma, the river where the Gold Rush started. The BLM lists gold panning among the activities here, together with fishing, hiking and kayaking, and its South Fork lands are among the easiest public spots near Sacramento to try your pan.
Make a weekend of it
820 gold spots on open public land with no claim on record, within 50 miles.
There are more on the map, some of them with a possible mining claim.
Clubs and places nearby
- Marshall Gold Discovery State Historic ParkFree public dig · 4 mi
- Auburn State Recreation Area (American River)Free public dig · 8 mi
- Gold Country Treasure Seekers (Placerville)Club · 9 mi
- El Dorado County Mineral & Gem SocietyClub · 11 mi
- River City Prospectors (GPAA Sacramento)Club · 18 mi
- Roseville Rock RollersClub · 19 mi
Access
Highway 49 about 14 miles south of Auburn, just past Magnolia Ranch, on the right. Limited parking; overflow parking at the Magnolia Ranch Trailhead, with a trail back to the river. Day use only, no fee.
Technique
Gold pan and hand tools at the water's edge. Parts of the trail system border private property: stay on BLM land and on the designated routes. Commercial or organized group activities need a BLM permit.