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Gold panning in Arizona

Where to pan for gold in Arizona, the official public panning areas, and the rules for each kind of land. Our map of Arizona draws on 57,812 gold records: old mines, prospects, placer claims and lab-tested stream samples.

Official public panning areas in Arizona

These places are set aside or managed for recreational panning, from the managing agency's own pages. Rules change: check the source before you go.

Lynx Creek Gold Pan Day Use Area

U.S. Forest Service, Prescott National Forest, Bradshaw Ranger District (Lynx Lake Recreation Area)

What's allowed: Gold pans, metal detectors and hand tools (picks, shovels) only; digging only with panning and below the high-water mark; fill holes; no motorized or mechanical equipment in the Lynx Creek mineral withdrawal.

Season: Year-round (hours vary by season)

Fee: No fee

Source: official page, checked 2026-11-04

Gold areas in Arizona

PlacerPro covers Arizona's known gold country:

Bradshaw Mountains and Globe (Prescott, Lynx Creek, Hassayampa, Rich Hill, Globe)
Coconino County
Mohave County (Oatman, Gold Basin, Lost Basin, Cerbat Mountains)
Pima and Pinal (Greaterville, Oro Blanco, Superior, Mammoth)
Southeast (Santa Cruz, Cochise, Graham, Greenlee: Bisbee, Tombstone, Gold Gulch)
Western desert (Quartzsite, La Paz, Kofa, Vulture, Wickenburg)

Which creeks in Arizona are worth your time? PlacerPro rates every creek best chance, worth a look or long shot, and shows public land, active mining claims and the rules on one map that works offline.
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Gold panning rules in Arizona

National Forest and BLM land: recreational panning with hand tools is generally allowed unless the ground is claimed, withdrawn or posted. Check with the ranger district or BLM field office.
BLM land in Arizona: prospecting with hand tools, pans and metal detectors is "casual use" and needs no permit. Small drywashers (engines under 10 horsepower, fed by hand) are allowed too. Camping is limited to 14 days in any 90-day period, then move at least 25 miles.
Active mining claims belong to the claimant: don't prospect on them without permission. BLM maps claims to survey sections, so outlines are approximate; check claim posts on the ground.
Wilderness: closed to new claims and to motorized or mechanized equipment.
Arizona State Trust Land needs a recreational permit from the State Land Department ($15 a year, $20 for a family) just to enter. That permit covers things like hiking, camping and sightseeing, not prospecting: digging for gold there needs a separate mineral exploration permit. Trust land leased for mining, farming or military use is closed to recreation.
Suction dredges and motor pumps: on BLM land a suction dredge needs a Notice or Plan of Operations filed with the BLM, and on national forest dredging needs Forest Service approval first. Ask ADEQ and the Army Corps of Engineers whether a Clean Water Act permit is needed too.

A summary from official sources, not legal advice. Confirm with the land manager before you dig.

Common questions

Where can I pan for gold in Arizona for free?

Arizona has 1 official public panning area listed below, from agency sources. Beyond those, panning is usually allowed on open public land (national forest and BLM) that isn't covered by a mining claim, and on private land with the owner's permission.

Do I need a permit to pan for gold in Arizona?

Hand panning usually needs no permit on open public land, but the rules depend on who manages the land and what tools you use. Sluices, highbankers and dredges often need permits. The rules for Arizona are below.

How do I find gold-bearing creeks in Arizona?

Gold washes downstream from where it eroded out of the rock, so the best creeks drain old mining districts and gold-bearing rock. PlacerPro rates every creek in Arizona's gold country from old mine records, USGS lab samples and geologic maps, and shows public land and active claims.