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Gold panning in Tennessee

Where to pan for gold in Tennessee, the official public panning areas, and the rules for each kind of land. Our map of Tennessee draws on 111 gold records: old mines, prospects, placer claims and lab-tested stream samples.

Official public panning areas in Tennessee

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.

Lyons Creek (designated hand-panning stream)

U.S. Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest, Tellico Ranger District

What's allowed: Class 1 hand panning only, in this designated stream; dredges, high bankers, powered sluices and trommels are prohibited on the forest.

Source: official page, checked 2026-11-04

Wildcat Creek (designated hand-panning stream)

U.S. Forest Service, Cherokee National Forest, Tellico Ranger District

What's allowed: Class 1 hand panning only, in this designated stream; dredges, high bankers, powered sluices and trommels are prohibited on the forest.

Source: official page, checked 2026-11-04

Gold areas in Tennessee

PlacerPro covers Tennessee's known gold country:

Coker Creek and the southern Blue Ridge (Monroe, Polk, McMinn, Blount)

Which creeks in Tennessee 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.
Try the Tennessee map free for 7 days

Gold panning rules in Tennessee

Almost all of this land is private. Get the owner's written permission before you pan, dig or detect, and use legal access to reach the water. Old mines are private property and can be dangerous: stay out of shafts.
Cherokee National Forest (blue outlines): gold collecting is allowed in only two streams, Lyons Creek and Wildcat Creek (Tellico Ranger District), and only by hand panning. Dredges, highbankers, power sluices and trommels are banned on the whole forest. Call the Tellico district at (423) 397-8455 for maps of the open stretches.
Coker Creek is not one of the open forest streams. The Forest Service says gold collecting has filled it with fine sediment (the state lists it as impaired) and that mercury in its gravels must not be disturbed. Off the forest, it needs the landowner's permission like any private creek.
Tennessee's rules (TDEC general permit for recreational prospecting, 2025 to 2030): pans, hand sluices and rocker boxes need no paperwork, but the permit covers them only where the stream is wider than 30 feet (20 feet on Cherokee National Forest and TWRA land). Dig only in the water, at least a foot from its edge, with a shovel no bigger than a #2. Don't touch the banks or break bedrock, fill your holes, keep 75 feet between dig sites, and work only from sunrise to sunset. On smaller creeks, ask TDEC first.
Dredges, highbankers and power sluices need TDEC coverage before you start (a Notice of Intent and fee, then a written notice of coverage): nozzle 3 inches or less, engine 8 hp or less. Never on Cherokee National Forest or TWRA land (wildlife management areas, river access sites), in streams with protected species, in state scenic rivers such as the Hiwassee, or in streams listed as impaired by habitat alteration.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park: collecting minerals and using metal detectors are banned. State parks: removing natural resources needs a park permit, and metal detectors are banned. TVA lake land: TVA bans metal detectors; ask TVA before digging.

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 Tennessee for free?

Tennessee has 2 official public panning areas 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 Tennessee?

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 Tennessee are below.

How do I find gold-bearing creeks in Tennessee?

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 Tennessee's gold country from old mine records, USGS lab samples and geologic maps, and shows public land and active claims.