Pan for gold and learn about recreation gold mining in Alaska, which is recognized for its historical gold rushes & present mining prospects. Locals & visitors alike can become engrossed in the pursuit of this elusive yet expensive metal (now worth over $1,233 per ounce).
Before you begin, you should educate yourself with the existing regulations. Unless you have the owner’s permission, panning, sluicing, & suction dredging on private land, documented mining claims, or Alaska Native held lands is considered trespassing. In designated recreational mining sites managed by the Department of Natural Resources, recreational gold panning, mineral prospecting, or mining utilizing gentle portable field equipment e.g. shovel, hand-operated pick, pan, earth auger, and backpack power drill or auger is allowed without mining claims. Motorized gold panning is prohibited on public sites designated for recreational mining & panning. This means that if you want to do your own gold panning, you’ll need to use gold pans or sluice & rocker boxes. Many Alaska sporting good stores, such as Sportsman’s Warehouse, sell sluice boxes in Anchorage, Wasilla, Fairbanks, & Soldotna.
Panning for gold can be a fun outdoor sport, but you’ll need the right tools to have a good day. Prepare for fluctuating conditions by dressing in layers, having adequate rain gear & waterproof boots on hand, having warm glove for working in Alaska’s icy streams, and having lots of insect spray on hand.