As one of the best states for gold prospecting in the US, Arizona has attracted people from all over the country ever since it was accepted into the union in 1848. Its mild climate makes it the perfect location to prospect for gold during the winters when many of the other gold-bearing states cannot be worked comfortably.
So where can you find gold in Arizona?
Well, here is the short answer:
Best gold rivers in Arizona:
- Lynx Creek
- Hassayampa River
- Big Bug Creek
- Colorado River
- Gila River
- Santa Maria River
- Santa Cruz River
- Cave Creek
- San Francisco River
- Granite Creek
Best Gold Locations for metal detecting in Arizona:
- Black Canyon City
- Stanton / Rich Hill
- Greaterville
- Quartzsite
- Gold Basin
- Chloride
- Superstition Mountains
- Little San Domingo Wash
- Oatman
- Vulture Mine
Now, in this guide to gold prospecting in Arizona you will learn:
- The gold-bearing locations in the state
- The river and creeks that have yielded a lot of gold in the past
- Some brief history of gold mining in the state. Always good to know your history:)
- Some words on abandoned mines
Let’s get started!
Table of Contents
How Prospectors Look For Gold In Arizona: Is There Gold Left Today?
There sure is gold in Arizona. Gold has been found across the whole state, and there is a long history of gold recovery at least going back to the 16th century. And although many places have yielded massive amounts in the past, there is a lot left to be found today! Especially considering that the advancement in technology and materials makes it possible to recover gold that the old-timers simply didn’t have the tools to retrieve effectively.
However, Arizona has a rather arid climate which significantly limits the use of sluicing or other water-intensive equipment. Dry-washing and metal detecting are therefore the most common methods used by prospectors in the state.
Can You Find Gold Nuggets in Arizona?
Yes, Arizona is one of the best states for gold prospecting in general and that includes gold nuggets. Many places around the state are known to have produced gold nuggets in the past, and prospectors regularly report new finds.
However, it’s important to make an informed decision about the location you choose for your prospecting ventures. Luckily, this extensive guide will provide you with countless locations to look into, and perhaps explore for yourself!
Arizona Gold Mining History (Quick Tour)
The history of Arizona indeed has been tightly knit to gold already from the very beginning.
In 1912, when Arizona became the 48th state in the Union, President Taft signed the statehood proclamation with a golden pen, made from gold mined in local gold mines.
However, the history of gold in the area goes back even further than that. Already in the 16th century, Spanish Conquistadors roamed the area, looking for the precious metal. While they didn’t seem to find much, some 200 years later, Franciscan priests started processing placers in Southern Arizona. It’s believed that they managed to mine significant amounts, but of that no records have survived to prove it.
As you probably know, in 1848 Arizona became U.S Territory, and with that Americans began their quest for gold in the area. Many of the first venture seekers were former so-called “49ers” who hadn’t had that much success in the Californian gold rush.
The Gold Rush in Gila City
In 1858, Col. Jacob Snively found gold in Gila City. It didn’t take long before thousands of miners came to the site, and Gila City quickly transformed to meet the newly arisen demand.
The boom remained for around four years, but gold miners are still active in the area.
Rich Hill and 200 pounds of gold nuggets!
In 1863, Captain Pauline Weaver and his men were led by a wandering burro up to the top of a small mesa. In just one day, Weaver and his men managed to find over 200 ounces of gold nuggets. The find site has therefore quite understandably been nicknamed Rich Hill.
In the following years, it was estimated that more than 100,000 ounces of gold were recovered, making it the richest placer gold discovery in the history of Arizona!
And as you will see, the Rich Hill Area has made it into our list, and is still actively mined!
10 Best Gold Mining And Metal Detecting Locations In Arizona
So, let’s have a look at some of the best gold mining locations in Arizona. Most of these areas lack rivers or creeks, at least in the vicinity of the gold-bearing grounds. Therefore they are mostly recommended for metal detecting or dry panning.
If you’re interested in gold-bearing rivers, then just scroll past these 10 sites listed below.
1. Black Canyon City
The placers around Black Canyon City have been worked at least since the 1850s. The site got its name from the black igneous rock in the area.
The surrounding mountains are rugged and quite inaccessible, and as a result, they have been worked very little and could hide some nice surprises. There are quite some examples of nugget hunters who have made some really nice finds in the area!
2. Stanton / Rich Hill
Rich hill is located in Yavapai County, and is one of the most famous gold locations in the state. It’s not only known for the large-sized nuggets that have been found and still are found in the area, but also for the 200 ounces of gold that Weaver and his men allegedly found when they discovered the site.
Getting a claim here is hard, as it’s one of the most attractive mining sites in Arizona. If you want to mine this area, you might want to join a local prospecting club that has claims in the area.
3. Greaterville
The first gold in Greaterville was discovered in 1874, and as was usually the case, a mining boom followed.
Most of the placers in the Greaterville area are found in creeks and rivers that draw their water from the drainages in the Santa Rita Mountains and Cienega Valley.
Here are some locations, from north to south, where you are likely to find gold-bearing gulches:
- St. Louis
- Ophir
- Hughes
- Los Pozos
- Colorado
- Chispa
- Empire
4. Quartzsite
Another place where great gold waits to be found is in Quartzsite. The placers around the town have provided small scale prospectors with gold ever since the 1860s.
Much of the placers have been found on the Dome Rock Mountains’ east side, but the whole area around Quartzsite is known to have provided prospectors with nice gold in the past.
5. Gold Basin
Another great location is Gold Basin. With its rugged and undulating terrain, there still are a lot of gold nuggets around!
The first mining operations focused on lode gold started back in the 1870s. It would take another 60 years before large scale placer mines began operation in 1931. Attempts to recover the placer gold had been made already in 1909, but the remoteness of the area meant that the operation wasn’t deemed viable at the time.
The gold is generally quite widespread and isn’t limited to one location only. The gold-bearing gravels in the area rest on cemented gravels and are normally found around 1-3 feet deep. Gold of all sizes has been found; from fine gold to bigger nuggets. However, according to the reports, it’s distributed quite erratically in the form of thin pay streaks.
6.Chloride
Chloride is a bit different from the rest of the mining towns in this list, in that it didn’t come about as a result of a gold rush. The town was founded in 1863 as a response to the silver findings during the 1840s at a site called “Silver Hill”.
In addition to the silver, quite some gold was found as well, and when silver prices took a dive, miners turned to gold to secure their operations.
Many prospectors report having found quite some gold in the surrounding hills, including gold nuggets. In other words, it’s worth a try if you happen to be in the area!
7. Superstition Mountains
Home to the legend of the Lost Dutchman’s cave, the Superstition Mountains indeed have captured the interest of many prospectors.
The Superstition Mountain range is the biggest mountain range in the Phoenix Area and is mostly made up of true desert. Gold has been found in various places, as most of the mountain range is gold-bearing.
8. Little San Domingo Wash
The San Domingo Placers are located 3 miles northeast of Morristown, and about an hour’s drive from Prescott. Although many claims are already taken, the gold can be found over a large area, and plenty of good-sized nuggets have been found there over the years!
The Little San Domingo Placer is part of a larger area where gold has been plentiful. To the northeast, we have a range of low hills, including the San Domingo Peak, which is the drainage of the Hassayampa River.
Many other places in the area have been mentioned in the literature, so it could definitely be worth investigating the surrounding areas!
9. Oatman
Oatman is located on the west flank of the Black mountain range, and became center for the mining operations that started over 100 years ago. The city began just as a mining camp in 1915 when gold worth $10 million was found in the area. As you might guess, the city virtually exploded and quickly reached a population of 3,500.
Most of the operations were focused on lode mining, and in comparison, very little placer gold has been found in the area.
Today, Oatman is a tourist destination and especially known for the wild burros roaming the streets.
10. Vulture Mine
Between 1863 and 1942, Vulture Mine in Maricopa County was the most productive gold in Arizona.
The mine and the old mining town are now privately owned, but prospectors have seen some quite nice gold nuggets in the surrounding desert. It’s definitely worth a visit!
10 Best Rivers and Creeks In Arizona
Due to the dry and arid climate, Arizona gold prospectors mostly have to resort to dry panning and metal detecting. However, Arizona is a big state, and there are still many gold-bearing rivers out there, although quite some of them are dry for long periods.
Many of the rivers listed below have been mined for nearly 150 years. And of course, there is still plenty of gold left to be found!
1. Lynx Creek
Lynx Creek has produced a lot of gold over the years. More than 100,000 ounces have been mined since the 1880s, and gold is still plentiful! If that wasn’t enough, there have been documented findings of gold nuggets weighing up to several ounces!
Situated close to the city of Prescott, you also have access to modern amenities, while the area itself can be accessed with relative ease.
One way in which Lynx Creek stands out is that several miles of the creek have been made accessible to the public, provided that they follow the set-out rules.
As of writing this article, they include that prospectors:
- Must fill any holes they dig
- Only use standard equipment. This includes shovels, picks, and other similar tools.
- Keep themselves below the high watermark.
- May not use mechanical equipment, including highbankers, suction dredges, and dry washers.
All in all the Forest Service only allows so-called “recreational use”, which is defined as either gold panning or metal detecting.
While large parts of the creek are open for recreational prospectors, keep in mind that it’s surrounded by private property as well as private mines. Be careful not to end up illegally working somebody else’s land!
In case you are interested, here is a table showing the value of gold and silver production in Lynx creek between 1914 to 1957.
2. Hassayampa River
The Hassayampa River flows just south of Prescott, towards Wickenburg. The river has been worked for a long time, and a lot of mines have been active along the course of the river. The first documented discovery of gold was in 1750 when allegedly a man found 1750 ounces of gold in one single year!
Some places where placer gold has been discovered in Hassayampa river include:
- Close to Walnut Grove, in the gravels. Here the gold allegedly is finer and flakier.
- In the headwaters along groom creek
- Eastern Tributaries, such as Milk Minnehaha and Oak Creeks.
- The part stretching a few miles below San Doming Wash
In addition to the streambed itself, as usual, it’s recommended that you also pay attention to the hillsides, terraces, and benches.
If you are struggling to find gold, you could have a look at gulches along Groom Creek, where gold has also been reported.
3. Big Bug Creek
Big Bug Creek is located on the East flank of the Bradshaw Mountains, and like several of the rivers in this list it was discovered in the 1860s but first worked intensively in the 1880s.
No production records from this time are available, but judging from the production records from the 20th century, one can easily assume that they were substantial.
The area is easily accessible via Highway 69 between Prescott, Humboldt, and Mayer.
Some locations where placer gold has been found include:
- 20 miles NorthEast/East of the head of the Creek: Most gold here was found close to gravel benches and tributary gulches near Humboldt, Mayer, and McCabe. Very little mining activity has been recorded downstream of Mayer.
- Upper reaches of Big Bug Creek: Small amounts of gold have been reported around 2 miles southeast of Walker, below the Mesa mine, on the south side of the waterway.
4. Colorado River
While there is gold in Colorado River, most gold panning is limited to public property or places where you have got explicit permission from the owner of the property. Also, keep in mind that many of the old placer mines you may find on a map now could be incorporated in reservoirs.
Areas where gold has been found include:
- Close to the outer bow in the Black Canyon Quadrangle. Reportedly, coarser gold was found around this area.
- At Temple bar, north of White hills
- A couple of miles below Lake Mohave
- The sand bars on the opposite side of El Dorado Canyon
5. Gila River
Gold in Gila River was found in 1858, when Col. Jacob Snively and his men struck gold outside Gila City. A four-year-long boom soon followed, and today Gila River is one of the more famous gold panning locations in the state.
Some well-known placer locations along the river include:
- McPhaul placer: A gold mine located around 200 feet northeast of Yuma.
- Las Flores placer: Just north of the McPhaul placer on the southeastern slope of the Laguna Mountains, the Las Flores placer is known to have produced gold, although in smaller quantities.
- Between San Francisco River and Spring Creeks: Gold has reportedly been found between where San Francisco River joins the river, down to Spring Creek. This area can be accessed by dirt roads that go along the river on the north side.
6. Santa Maria River
Another area that has a recorded history beginning around 1850 is the area around Santa Maria River.
Gold has been found around the following places:
- Close to the Hillside Station: The Hubbard mine is located just north of Hillside Station and is known to have produced some, although not vast, quantities of gold.
- Eureka Placers: Around 20 miles northwest of Hillside Station there has been gold found in the gulches along Burro Creek. Exploring the Eureka Placers more closely can definitely be worth it, as gold has been found in various places around the area.
- Crosby mine: This is a mine that produced large amounts of gold between the years around 1900-1930. It is located around 13 miles northwest of Hillside Station, just south of road 96.
7. Santa Cruz River
Santa Cruz River is another river that is known to contain gold.
Here is where gold has been found:
- On the slopes of Mount Benedict: Fine gold has been found on the eastern side of Mount Benedict, close to the river.
- Guebabi Canyon drains the flanks of the Patagonia Mountains and then passes by some alluvial deposits. The area is known for good gold.
Like with many other rivers in Arizona, the river is found in a dry state most of the time. This could become an issue if you rely on water-intensive prospecting methods.
8. Cave Creek
The earliest records of gold mining in the Cave Creek District dates back to 1888, but it is probable that mining operations were present even before that.
Not that much information other than production records is to be found about cave creek. It is believed that the placer gold is located in Cave Creek near the Phoenix and Maricopa gold mines. Moreover, according to some writings from the year of 1911, most of the gold was found between 1 to 16 feet deep, situated between a layer of cement and bedrock.
Another place where gold is reported to have been found is 12 miles south of the Cave Creek district, on Cave Creek in the Winifred District.
9. San Francisco River
Gold in San Francisco River was discovered in the 1870s, and a lot of gold was extracted during the 1880s. A lot of investments went into building water supplies and infrastructure to be able to mine the rich placers located above the current riverbed. The operations weren’t a financial success, but enough gold was still found to cover the expenses.
The mines remained active until the 1940s.
Gold Locations
The placer gold found in the San Francisco River could loosely be divided into two areas.
- North of Clifton: Here the gold is found in the ancient riverbed that runs around 50-60 feet above the current riverbed. The riverbed starts in the area around Dorsey Gulch and extends down to Clifton.
- Placers around Oroville: This is perhaps the gold that has got the most attention. The gold is generally found in the benches above water level, and come in the form of thin paystreaks near bedrock.
The area is relatively easily accessible. South of Clifton, roads lead from Highway 666 to several places along the river, and the river is paralleled by light-duty roads.
Here are some more places where gold has been found:
- Morenci Gulch: Fine flakes of gold have been found in this gulch. You might also want to look at the ancient river gravels located around 50 feet above the contemporary riverbed.
- Bokares Placer: At Evans Point, 4 miles north of Clifton.
- South of Clifton: Gold has been found along some of the curves, in the old river gravels.
10. Granite Creek
Placer Gold in Granite Creek was first discovered in the 1860s, and as the rumors spread, it was actively worked during the 1880s.
Most of the gold in Granite Creek was found between the head of the creek and Prescott, in the upper drainage. However, gold has been found as far north as Granite Dells.
Abandoned Arizona Gold Mines
Arizona has a long history of gold mining, and throughout the years, gold mines have been opened, closed, reopened, and permanently closed.
According to some figures, there are currently more than 100,000 abandoned gold mines in the state.
In fact, Arizona is believed to have more abandoned gold mines than any other US state!
However, concerns have been raised that the state doesn’t have enough resources to secure the mines, and prevent accidents as more and more people seek them out.
That’s why you need to be extremely careful when you explore abandoned mines. Go with somebody who has got the right experience, and be aware that it’s not risk-free.
Since 1969, nearly 40 people have died, and 22 have been seriously injured when exploring old abandoned mines in Arizona.
Due to this, we are not going to list any gold mines in this post, but rather discourage people from visiting these dangerous still alluring sites.
The Legend of Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine
One of the most famous lost mines in the US can be found in Arizona and is called”Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine”.
The legend has it that a German immigrant by the name “Jacob Waltz” discovered the mine and its riches in the 19th century, but never disclosed the location.
Even since 1892, a total of nearly 10,000 people are estimated to have ventured out in the wilderness in search of the mine, but to no avail. The mine lies hidden to this date but is still regularly looked for.
Want to go head out and look for it yourself?
Well, it’s believed to located around Superstition Mountains east of Phoenix.
That’s all we know at the moment!
Ending Words
Arizona indeed is one of the best states for gold prospecting, despite lacking a lot of active waterways. Gold nuggets are found regularly, and if you know where to go, it’s very probable that your efforts will pay off!
As always, just be careful to not trespass on private land or active claims! Be sure to look up the current active claims before you head out there!
