Start Finding Gold Northeast

Start Finding Gold!
– A Guide to Prospecting in the Northeast
The content contained in this guide is for informational purposes

only.
This eBook contains information on various gold bearing locations

throughout the Northeastern United States. Please understand that
many of these places are located on private lands, patented
mining claims, unpatented mining claims, and within areas that
may have legal restrictions or bans on some or all types of
prospecting. This information is provided strictly for informational
purposes to educate the reader on known gold bearing areas in the
Northeast. It is the responsibility of the reader to do their due-
diligence in determining that they are in an area that they can
legally prospect for gold and other minerals. Contact the local land
management agency in your area to get the latest information on
regulations and laws prior to any mining activities. The author
does not condone trespassing on private lands or mineral trespass
on mining claims. Acquire permission from landowners and claim
holders prior to any prospecting on these lands.
By reading this eBook you agree that neither Gold Rush Nuggets
nor the author is responsible for any action you take based on
your decisions relating to any information presented here.
www.goldrushnuggets.com Page 1
Start Finding Gold! – A Guide to Prospecting in the Northeast
PREFACE
found in many other parts of the country,
When the first Europeans started inhabiting
there is still plenty of gold to be found in
the newly discovered America, the possibility
nearly all areas throughout the Northeast.
of finding gold in the new world was always a
While very few of these gold deposits have
consideration. As settlers began venturing
been profitable on a commercial scale, smaller
inland and exploring the land, they began to
scale recreational prospecting is still very
find that gold was present in many of the
popular in this part of the country, and gold
waters throughout the Northeast.
can be found all throughout the region.
The gold discoveries of the Southeast,
And the good news is that there is still plenty
California, and throughout the western United
of gold left out there to be found! The old-
States renewed their interest in gold mining,
timers certainly found their share of the gold,
and men could be found exploring the creeks
but I am here to tell you that there is plenty
and rivers all throughout the country for gold.
more in the ground yet to be found. Let me
In the Northeast, many gold discoveries were repeat that; THERE IS STILL PLENTY OF
made, but after the initial excitement, these GOLD OUT THERE TO FIND!!!
discoveries were almost always determined to
When I started prospecting I spent countless
be small and difficult to mine profitably.
weekends unsuccessfully searching for even a
Despite centuries of exploration, gold
speck of gold in the bottom of my pan only to
occurrences were never found on the same
come home empty handed. I soon started
scale as those found in many other parts of
getting it in my head that everything has
the country.
already been found, and gold prospecting was
While the gold occurrences in the Northeast a waste of time.
are nowhere near the size of those that are
While my prospecting technique was probably who actually wants to go out for a weekend
ok, there was a critical step that I had and try to find a place to find some gold.
completely overlooked… RESEARCH!
The fact is that the nature of the glacial gold
The most important step in finding gold is to deposits that are found throughout this part of
search where it actually is! Fortunately, men the country (which will be discussed in detail
have been searching for gold in the Northeast further in this book) means that it certainly is
for hundreds of years, and the documented possible to find gold in just about any creek or
gold discoveries of the past can lead us to river throughout this region. With that said,
productive places to go prospecting today. there are certain places that have a
documented occurrences of gold being found,
This book is written with the sole purpose of
and these are the areas that are most likely to
helping you find places that you can go out
be productive for prospectors today. Yes, gold
and find gold in the Northeast, particularly in
could be found just about anywhere in the
the states of Maine, Vermont, New
Northeast, but you would be well advised to
Hampshire, Connecticut, Massachusetts,
follow the path of the thousands of
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, and New York.
prospectors who have searched for gold
While researching this book, we found a before you, and mine in the areas that are
common trend relating to the information known to have been productive in the past.
about gold in the Northeast. Most other
The locations mentioned in this book have a
references repeatedly mention the same 2 or
documented history of gold production. The
3 well-known places in each state that have
Northeast has some great opportunities for
gold, or they will mention so many different
gold prospecting, and regardless of where you
creeks and rivers that could contain gold, that
live there is likely an area near you that you
they provide very little value to a prospector
will be able to find some gold.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gold Rush Nuggets buys and sells natural gold
nuggets and gold in quartz specimens from
miners throughout the western United States.
Our website is also a fantastic resource for
gold prospectors, with hundreds of articles
relating to all aspects of gold mining and
prospecting.
Over the years we have noticed a trend…

while there are plenty of collectors out there
who love buying gold, there are countless
others out there who want to go out and FIND
the gold!
We have been passionate about gold

prospecting for over 15 years, and have
learned a few things over the years. Hopefully
the information in this book will help you find
your very own “Mother Lode”!
To learn more about us, please visit our

website at www.goldrushnuggets.com
INTRODUCTION With that said, please understand that many

of the places mentioned throughout this book
The northeastern United States is a beautiful are currently located on private land, active
region with countless places to go prospecting mining sites, and within areas that have
for gold. Settlers to the new land have regulations or restrictions on mining. These
casually explored for gold for many centuries places are used strictly for reference and for
now. Gold deposits are found scattered all informational purposes to indicate that an
throughout the Northeast, although there are area had historic gold production. Some areas
certainly areas that are more productive than will require permission from the landowner or
others. This book will focus on the gold claimholder prior to doing any prospecting.
bearing areas that are found throughout the Don’t be afraid to ask permission; there is
region to ensure that you can find a good plenty of great places to prospect that might
place close-by to look for gold regardless of just require a simple phone call or knock on
where you live in the Northeast. someone’s door.
It is the reader’s responsibility to do the This book has a special chapter that explains
appropriate research to determine things such the significance of past glaciation to the gold
as land ownership, claim status, and current occurrences that are found in all of the
mining regulations. There are many great northeastern states. Additionally, you will find
places to search for gold in the Northeast. special chapters for 8 different states. You will
Some of these places are easily accessed by notice that many of the noteworthy creeks,
paved roads, while others may require a good rivers, and gold mines are highlighted in red
hike to get to. There are countless locations for quick reference.
throughout this region that are worthy of
And with that, let’s get started!
exploration.
THE GLACIAL HISTORY IN THE southward into the US, reaching as far south
as Kansas and Missouri. However, our focus is
NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES on the northeastern section where glaciers
To have a true understanding of the gold covered the entire New England area and all
occurrences that are found in the Northeast, it of New York as well, along with parts of
is important to understand the roles that Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
glaciers have played in the deposition of gold The Abitibi gold belt spans across parts of
throughout this region. While many of the Ontario and Quebec for hundreds of miles,
gold deposits found throughout this part of and has produced millions of dollars-worth of
the country come from small lode sources gold, along with silver, copper, zinc, and other
located in the surrounding mountains, the valuable minerals. It is considered to be one
most significant contributor of gold to this of the most mineral rich areas in the entire
region comes from gravel deposits that have world.
been transported from the rich Abitibi
greenstone-gold belt in Canada, and left Amazingly, this part of Canada was home to
behind as the glaciers receded. This process some of the tallest mountains in the world,
has repeated itself numerous times over but the repeated movements of glaciers over
millions of years, scattering gold bearing time along with continual erosion has left
gravels all throughout the Northeast and them completely flattened. In fact, the erosive
Midwest. force of glaciers was the primary reason that
much of central Canada is flat where
Inside these mountains were some of the mountains once stood. And those massive
largest deposits of gold to be found anywhere glaciers literally transported mountains of
in the world. The hard rock deposits of gold material with them as they moved.
inside these mountains were carried
An entire book could be written about gold in texture, they have been dispersed across such
the Abitibi region, but for prospectors in the a wide area that it they are rarely found in
Northeast, the importance of this massive sizable concentrations. These deposits do not
gold belt relates to the glaciation that has necessarily account for the richest gold
transported material from this rich region occurrences, but they certainly can be
down into the Midwest and Northeastern U.S. credited for the wide distribution of gold in the
An unimaginable amount of rock and gravel Northeast. A rich pocket of gold bearing
has been transported from this rich area and material that originated in Quebec may be
scattered all across the Northeast by glaciers. scattered over an area of hundreds of square
miles today.
While the gold of the Abitibi area is
responsible for so much of the gold found in
the Northeast, the deposits that have been Tip #1: A metal detector can be an excellent
left behind are never found in the tool for gold prospecting, but if you use one
concentrated forms that they originated as in for gold prospecting in the Northeast, make
Canada. Rich gold bearing gravel was mixed sure that it is extremely sensitive for
with barren gravel and rock, often pulverized detecting small gold. Most multi-purpose
into tiny fragments of material. metal detectors are not sensitive enough to
detect tiny gold nuggets. A few proven
The movement of glaciers is hardly a gentle models are the Fisher Gold Bug 2, White
process. Gravels that were transported for GMT, Tesoro Lobo SuperTraq, and the
hundreds of miles were ground up and Falcon MD-20. Since they work without
smashed as they moved, resulting in the gold water, you may be able to locate gold
deposits left behind being extremely fine sources that are out of reach to most other
textured. Not only have the rich gravels been prospecting methods.
pulverized and ground up to extremely fine
The North American continent has undergone and rivers, and other natural erosive
several periods of advancing glaciers that processes.
have helped to carve and shape our
Keep in mind that because of glacial deposits
landscape. Today, we see the remains of the
that have transported gold from Canada all
glacial periods all across the northern part of
across the northern United States, it is not an
our continent. Perhaps the most striking effect
exaggeration to say that gold can be found
is that of the Great Lakes, which were formed
almost anywhere in the states listed in this
because of glacial movement, but the
book. Although these glacial deposits are
geological evidence of past glaciation can be
almost always limited in quantity, they are
seen all throughout the Midwest and
there nonetheless, making gold prospecting
Northeast.
opportunities available to you almost
Glacier activity is not so much a solid mass regardless of where you are exploring in the
moving down from the Arctic as it is a more Northeast.
active, undulating movement where ice builds
With that said, there are certain areas that
over long periods of time to eventually force
have gained a reputation for having higher
its way into the earth. Such activity occurred
gold concentrations than others. While it
in the last ice age, which was a relatively
would be easy to mention almost any good
short one compared to previous versions and
sized stream or river in New England and say
ended around 10,000-11,000 years ago.
that you can likely find some gold there
When the glaciers melted and receded, the (which would not be untrue), that would be of
dirt, debris, rock, gravel and gold that they very little benefit to the reader. Thus, we
carried with them were deposited on the have tried to focus on known gold producing
fringes of the glacial movement. They were areas that you have a good chance of finding
then carried further downstream by streams some gold one you get there.
Generally speaking, most experienced

prospectors in this area agree that the more
productive ground is found in Maine, Northern
Vermont, and Northern New Hampshire. Gold
seems to be less abundant the further south
you go. This could be a coincidence, or it
could have to do with the way gold was
deposited as the glacier receded back north to
Canada. Either way, it is a useful bit of
knowledge to keep in mind. Of course there
are always exceptions to any rule, and we
hope that you have success wherever you go!
This basic overview of past glaciation that has

occurred throughout this region should help to
explain why gold throughout the Northeast is
generally fine and widespread, and rarely
found in high concentrations. Nonetheless, it
is thanks to these glacial processes that we
can find gold in so many different areas in this
region.
LODE GOLD SOURCES Regardless of the source, some areas are

known to be better than others, and these are
The importance of the prehistoric glacial the locations that we will be discussing in this
movement across Canada and the northern book. Yes, gold can potentially be found
parts of the United States cannot be anywhere in the Northeast, and as the old
understated as it relates to the availability of saying goes, “Gold is where you find it”! With
gold to be found by prospectors today. The that said, the following state-by-state
rich gold deposits of Canada’s Abitibi gold belt locations will primarily be areas that have at
are without question credited as the original least a reputation for producing gold, to
source of much of the gold that is found increase the likelihood that you will be able to
throughout this part of the country. actually get out there and find a bit of “color”
for yourself!
With that said, there are native sources of
lode gold that have been found in many parts
Tip #2: When searching for a location to
of New England that feed the placer gold
start gold panning, you don’t necessarily
deposits in many of the streams and rivers.
have to get your material at the water’s
Much like the glacial deposits, almost all of
edge. There is lots of gold far away from
these gold occurrences have been limited in
the creek, sometime discarded in waste
scale, and provided little in the way of mining
piles or within bench deposits that have
opportunities on a commercial scale. Not to
never even been mined before. This is
say there were not attempts at commercial
almost certainly true in the Northeast,
mining for gold in the Northeast, both placer
where glacial gold deposits could
and lode deposits, but rarely if ever was it
potentially be anywhere. Use your trusty
considered a profitable venture.
gold pan to sample lots of different areas.
MAINE specialized equipment that is specifically

designed to separate fine gold from black
Gold has been found all throughout the state sands can be extremely beneficial.
of Maine. Although it is mainly found in
The Swift River is a popular gold prospecting
relatively small quantities when compared to
location in Western Maine, and is a tributary
many of the better known gold producing
to the Androscoggin River. Its headwaters
states in the west, there is still plenty of good
start at Swift River Pond near Horn Hill in
gold yet to be discovered by prospectors
Franklin County. Major tributaries include
willing to search for it. A few limited lode
Berdeen Stream which enters at Houghton,
deposits have been discovered throughout
as well as the East and West Branches of
Maine, many of which produced gold as a
the Swift River that enter a few miles
byproduct to other types of mining, but the
downstream of Houghton. The Swift River
majority of gold will be found in placer
continues flowing through Oxford County
deposits in streams and rivers.
through the towns of Byron, Coos Canyon,
It is worth noting that the vast majority of the Roxbury, Frye, Hale, and eventually flows
gold found in Maine will be quite fine in into the Androscoggin River.
texture, ranging from small “picker” sized
Gold can be found throughout the Swift River
flakes of gold all the way down to flour gold
and many of its tributaries. Although most of
that is so tiny that it can be difficult to see
the gold found here is very fine, the Swift
with the naked eye. Successful prospectors in
River is one of the locations in Maine where
Maine and other New England states are
you have a possibility of finding some nice
always careful to use skilled panning
flakes and maybe even a nugget or two.
techniques, since it is very easy to lose these
There have been several nice chunky nuggets
small specks of gold out of your gold pan if
that have come out of the Swift River in the
you are careless. In many instances,
past, from the main river as well as the West from Coos Canyon on Byron Road to the East
and East Branches. Branch Swift River. For the latest
information about prospecting in this area,
contact the current Timberlands Manager at
(207)364-4521.
The source of gold deposits in the East Branch

Swift River are likely from small undiscovered
veins of gold on Tumbledown Mountain that
feed the placer deposits there. Explore the
various small drainages that come off of that
mountain. Fine gold particles can likely be
found in the various drainages in this area in
addition to the Swift River. This is one of the
more productive gold bearing locations in
Maine, so this would be a good place to spend
A nice pair of chunky little nuggets panned out of the Swift some time exploring. Hiking into areas that
River in Maine
are off of the beaten path is always a good
There is a popular gold panning area on the idea; it weeds out the lazy folks who aren’t
East Branch Swift River a short distance willing to put in the extra effort and can often
from the town of Byron. The land is owned by be very rewarding.
Boise Cascade Corporation, but panning is
If you are new to gold prospecting, or would
allowed with permission from the Timber
like to get some local knowledge on the Swift
Manager. All mining must be done below the
River area, check out Coos Canyon Rock and
water line to prevent disturbance to vegetated
Gift in Byron, Maine. They offer free hands-on
areas. To access the area, drive northeast
demonstrations on gold panning. They also very productive all throughout the area here,
have equipment available to rent for very but care should be taken to use proper
reasonable rates. techniques to capture and retain the very fine
gold particles that area present.
Another area worth checking out is just over
the hills from Byron in the area surrounding Gold can also be found in the South Branch
the town of Weld and Webb Lake. There are Penobscot River in Somerset County. Its
several small drainages that are worth headwaters start at the western edge of
checking out including Tumbledown Brook, Maine at the Quebec border and can be
West Brook, and several other waterways accessed off of State Route 6 just a few miles
around the area. A lot of this country will southeast of the border crossing. It continues
require some hiking to access the remote to flows east through Canada Falls Lake and
areas. Seboomook Lake.
The Sandy River is a known producer of fine Nile Brook flows into Rangeley Lake south of
gold. The headwaters of the river start at the the town of Rangeley. It drains into Greenvale
Sandy River Ponds and flow through the Cove about 2 miles south of town. Although it
towns of Madrid, Phillips, Strong, is a relatively small drainage, a decent
Fairbanks, Farmington, and eventually amount of placer gold has been found here
drains into the Kennebec River. Gold can be over the years.
found throughout the river and many of the
Kibby Stream flows from the Kibby
small tributaries that feed into it. Chandler
Mountains in Franklin County, and also
Mill Stream and Crossman Stream are two
contains placer gold deposits. Its headwaters
drainages that flow into Sandy River from the
start near the Canadian border and flows into
south just upstream of Madrid that will
Spencer Stream near Felker Pond. Fine gold
produce fine gold. Panning and sluicing can be
particles can be found all throughout Spencer
Stream as well. Also explore the small side show some evidence of historic placer
drainages and no-name tributaries and workings in the area. Beaudry Road follows
gulches in this area; all have a potential of the brook from Lower Pond up to its
containing some gold. headwaters. Gold can be found all throughout
the drainage. (Note: There are several gold
brooks in Maine and throughout the
Tip #3: Sometimes small prospects that
Northeast. These are almost always worth
were done by the old-timers only look
investigating with a gold pan, as they were
like a small pit dug into a hillside can be
often named that for good reason. The same
very rich areas to find gold. Don’t be
can be said for various “gold related” names.
afraid to seek out the lesser known
There are gold rich areas all throughout the
mines and prospects that are a bit off
United States with names like Eureka Gulch,
the beaten path. These are places that
Mother Lode Creek, Placer Gulch, Rich Creek,
are often overlooked by other
Jackpot Gulch, etc. They were often given
prospectors. Remember that it took a
names like this for a reason.)
LOT of gold to keep the early-day
miners interested. A location that may Another popular gold prospecting area is
not have paid to work by the old-timers along State Route 16 the Cupsuptic River
standards may still be worthwhile to a which begins at the Canadian border and
recreational prospector today. flows into the Cupsuptic Lake(part of
Mooselookmeguntic Lake) and then into the
Androscoggin River. This area north of
Just west of Kibby Stream is Gold Brook in Rangeley is known to produce a fair amount
the Chain of Ponds area. As the name would of gold, and is a popular area for Maine
suggest, there has been some gold found in prospectors.
this area, and close observation may still
There are fine gold deposits throughout the mining have been because of a few “bad
St. Croix River that defines the Maine/New apples” that caused disturbances and made all
Brunswick border. Most reports indicate that miners look bad. Treat any area that you are
the gold found here is extremely fine flour mining just the same as you would if it were
gold, and difficult to accumulate any your own property, clean up after yourself,
appreciable amounts. Of course as the saying and always get permission from landowners
goes, “gold is where you find it”, so you won’t prior to entering private property. It is also a
know how much you can find until you get out good idea to check with the appropriate
there and start looking for it. regulatory land management agency to check
on current updates to any regulations or laws
At the present time, Maine has good
within the state, as these can change at any
regulations in place that are quite favorable to
time.
the small-scale placer miner, and could be
considered much more “miner friendly” than The laws regarding gold prospecting in Maine
many of the other states in the eastern U.S. are managed by the State’s Department of
No special permits are required for simple Environmental Protection. Check the
gold panning. You are also allowed to use “Resources Page” at the end of this book for
sluice boxes that are less than 10 square feet contact information. Also keep in mind that
in size (Which would include most just 6% of Maine is public lands in various
commercially produced sluice boxes), and forms such as State Parks, National Forests,
suction dredges with a hose diameter of 4” or Wildlife Areas, etc. The vast majority is
less. Remember that all placer mining should privately owned, often by large timber
be done in sandy, cobbley, and gravel based companies or smaller landowners. Always do
structures as to not damage riparian areas or your due-diligence to determine the laws and
cause excessive erosion. Many states that regulations for whatever area that you are
have experience restrictive laws related to prospecting.
NEW HAMPSHIRE significant overburden, and getting down to

the gold can take a lot of work. Places that
Most of the gold bearing waters in New have limited overburden will reduce the
Hampshire are located in the Northern and amount of work you will have to do to get
Western parts of New Hampshire, although down to paydirt, and increase your likelihood
scattered gold deposits have been found all of finding some nice gold.
throughout the state in limited quantities. A
very short lived gold rush actually occurred in
Tip #4: Don’t worry if you don’t have a lot
New Hampshire back in the 1860’s after a
of expensive prospecting equipment. You
small gold discovery was made. It was quickly
can find plenty of gold using simple tools
realized that the abundance of gold was
like a shovel, pick, gold pan, crevicing
nothing like the discoveries that were being
tools and maybe a small sluice box. These
made throughout the western United States,
can easily be acquired for less than $100.
and excitement quickly diminished. Still,
All the equipment in the world won’t find
many small mining operations did continue for
you gold if you are not in a good location.
many years in New Hampshire. While it is
Locate a gold rich area, dig down and
unlikely that anyone was getting rich mining
clean out the cracks in the bedrock. If you
for gold here, there was still enough to make
are in a gold bearing area and you are
it worth their time.
persistent, you WILL FIND GOLD!!!
Although the northern and western parts of
New Hampshire are likely to be the most
productive, it will be worth your time to locate
The Ammonoosuc River is a very popular
areas that have shallow bedrock available for
place for gold prospectors to explore. It
sniping and crevicing in the cracks of the
contains placer gold along with many of the
streams and rivers. Some waterways will have
small tributaries that feed into it. The source mouth of the Wild Ammonoosuc, and a decent
of the gold in this area is from small lode amount of gold was recovered. Mining
deposits believed to be scattered throughout operations existed here for several years, but
the area around the towns of Lyman, eventually the paying quantities of gold
Monroe, and Bath, and around Landaff, played out, and the mining stopped.
Lisbon, and Littleton. Many of the waters in
Just over the hill to the north of the Wild
this region can produce small amounts of
Ammonoosuc River is Mill Brook. It drains
placer gold. Look for exposed gravel bars
into the Ammonoosuc River and the stretch
when water levels are low, and be sure to
from its confluence up to Chandler Pond near
move around and explore different areas. Fine
Landaff has gold.
gold has a tendency to move around in high
water events, so staying mobile and trying A few miles north of Lisbon, the Salmon
different areas is often the key to success. Hole Brook flows into the Ammonoosuc
River. It also has been known to contain some
One of the most popular places to search for
placer gold deposits. It empties into the river
gold in New Hampshire is the Wild
at Sugar Hill Station.
Ammonoosuc River. Gold can be found all
throughout the river from its headwaters in Tunnel Brook is another popular area to pan
the White Mountain National Forest down to for gold. It starts near Mount Clough and
where it empties into the Ammonoosuc flows north into the Wild Ammonoosuc River
River near the town of Bath. It flows for just below Wildwood. There are several
approximately 15 miles through both National other small drainages that feed into the Wild
Forest and private lands. Soon after the Ammonoosuc River that will produce small
original discovery of gold here, there were a amounts of placer gold. Keep in mind that
handful of mines operating around the town of many of these drainages may not flow all
Bath on the Main Ammonoosuc River near the year, and only concentrate gold after heavy
rainfalls. Don’t overlook these smaller and Prospect Mountain have a good
drainages and tributaries, as they can often likelihood of containing at least some placer
contain even more gold than the larger rivers gold.
that have been hit harder by other
The Swift Diamond River is a known gold
prospectors.
producer, which flows for about 17 miles from
Many of the small drainages that flow directly its headwaters to where it enters the Dead
into the Connecticut River also have Diamond River, which also has some fine
concentrations of placer gold, especially near flour gold.
the confluence with the Ammonoosuc River
The Baker River that flows through the
and to the north near the town of Monroe.
White Mountains also contains gold. The area
Very fine placer gold can also be found in the
around the towns of Rumney and Plymouth
Connecticut River.
is a good place to find a little “color”, also
Indian Stream flow into the Connecticut check around Warren and Wentworth.
River downstream from the town of Anywhere within the river has potential. It
Pittsburg. Perry Stream is also another eventually empties into the Merrimack
gold producer in this area that drains into the River. Check the gravel bars when water
Connecticut River just upstream of Lake levels are low for small placer deposits.
Francis and below first Connecticut Lake. Both
The Diamond Ledge Mine in Ossipee has
of these streams flow for several miles and
also produced a bit of gold as byproduct to
offer many areas to explore for gold. There
other mining activities. Total production is
are also several small brooks that feed these
unknown but likely quite small since there
waterways that may be worthy of further
were no extensive gold operations.
exploration. Any waterways around Metallak
Mountain, Cowen Hill, Covell Mountain,
Up in the northern part of New Hampshire round in most areas, use of larger equipment
there is gold that can be found in Indian such as sluice boxes and suction dredges
Stream and Perry Stream in northern Coos requires a special permit by the state. Even
County. Many other waters in this area will gold panning must be limited to “hands and
also produce gold in the vicinity of Back Lake, pans”, and using shovels and other hand tools
Lake Francis, and First Connecticut Lake. Gold are not allowed to be used without a permit.
has also been found in the Swift Diamond Miners can apply for a ‘Recreational Mineral
River in northern Coos County as well. Dredging Application’ which costs $25 for
residents and $50 for non-residents. Current
When panning for gold in New Hampshire,
restrictions allow for dredges to be used as
there are a few important points that need to
long as intake hoses are limited to 4”
be considered. The waters of New Hampshire
diameter, and sluice boxes must be less than
are considered property of the state, but the
10 square feet. All dredging must be done in
streambed or riverbed that contains the gold
the existing stream channel, and material
beneath the waterline is considered property
cannot be removed from banks adjacent to
of the landowner. Only a very small
the stream. For the latest rules regarding
percentage of the lands in New Hampshire are
prospecting in New Hampshire, check with the
public property, meaning that most areas will
New Hampshire Department of Environmental
require landowner permission prior to doing
Services (see the “resource section” at the
any gold prospecting, since any gold that you
end of this book).
find actually belongs to whoever owns the
land.
It is also important to have a good

understanding of the prospecting laws in the
state. While gold panning is allowed year-
VERMONT Bridgewater, although gold can be found all

throughout the river.
Gold deposits in Vermont are quite similar to
New Hampshire and Maine, in that overall
production of the metal has been relatively
low, thus not attracting significant attention
from larger mining operations. While there
was certainly some initial excitement soon
after the initial discovery of gold here, the
general consensus was that the gravels did
not pay well enough to work profitably. Of
course this didn’t stop a few folks from trying,
and several areas in Vermont have been
prospected quite extensively over the years.
By far, the most interesting area for a gold
prospector is in the general areas around
Plymouth and Bridgewater, where lode A beautiful display of small gold nuggets and “pickers”
found in Northern Vermont
deposits have supplies gold to many of the
nearby waters in the area. An interesting fact Broad Brook flows into the Ottauquechee
about gold from this area is that it assays as River near Bridgewater, and is also an
some of the purist natural gold in the world, excellent place to look for gold. From its
near 23.5 karats. mouth to the area around Five Corners is a
great place to find some gold. The original
A very popular place to search for gold is in
discovery of gold in this area caused quite a
the Ottauquechee River, and one of the
bit of excitement when the locals in the area
richest places on the river is near the town of
first found it. Of course, like most gold with many tent and trailer camping sites and
occurrences in the Northeast they soon found showers and restroom. If you camp here you
that the quantities of gold were quite limited, will be near many good areas to explore for
and it paid better to farm the land around gold.
them than it was to prospect for gold in the
The White River is a major tributary to the
brook.
Connecticut River located in Central
Tip #5: Almost without exception, placer Vermont. The stretch along Highway 107
gold can be found in the gulches, between Gaysville and Bethel is a known
creeks, and rivers below lode mines. gold producer.
Look for signs of past mining activity The creeks around Shady Rill are known to
that would indicate that placer gold has contain small amounts of placer gold. It is
been found there before. located just west of the Wrightsville Dam;
check out Herrick Brook, Martins Brook,
Of course not everyone moved on, and there and Patterson Brook. This area is just a few
have been plenty of attempts made to mine miles north of Montpelier.
this area profitably. History suggests that A few miles north of Wrightsville Dam is the
although have certainly been many ounces of small town of Worcester. If you take the
gold recovered from this area, the cost of road to the west out of town you will be
recovery was never enough to justify large- following Minister Brook. Its headwaters
scale mining operations. Certainly this is of start in the Putnam State Forest and flows
little concern to the recreational prospectors, southeast toward the town of Worcester. Fine
since good enough gold is present to satisfy gold can be found in this brook.
when “cabin fever” hits. A popular camping
spot in this area is at the Coolidge State Park
Rock River flows into the West River near The Mad River is known to contain very fine
the town of Williamsville. Gold can be found gold. The best known area to search is around
all throughout the river around Brookside, the town of Warren, but there is likely to be
South Newfane, and Williamsville. West fine gold deposits throughout the river
River also has some gold in it. A popular system.
camping area is found at Jamaica State Park
The Lamoille River in Northern Vermont
in the town of Jamaica on the West River.
drains into Lake Champlain and is known to
The Williams River between the towns of produce find gold. The area around the town
Chester and Proctorsville contains gold. of Johnson is worth looking at, but anywhere
Highway 103 travels along the river and in the river has potential for gold. The Gihon
provides good access to the river. You can River that flows into the Lamoille River at
also turn off on Smokeshire road and travel Johnson also contains gold.
west toward Whetstone Hill. This will take you
Another tributary to Lake Champlain is the
closer to the headwaters of the Williams
Missisquoi River. Anywhere around the
River. Gold can be found all throughout this
towns of Lowell or Troy will produce gold.
area.
Many of the waters around the town of Stowe
Gold can be found in many parts of the Black
contain gold. Gold Brook is appropriately
River, a major tributary to the Connecticut
named. The headwaters come off of Hogback
River in Windsor County. The area around the
Mountain and flow into the Little River just
town of Ludlow is known to be productive.
downstream of Stowe. Gold is also found in
Gold can be found in Seavers Brook, which the Little River itself from the towns of Stowe
flows into the Black River just above its down to its confluence with the Winooski
confluence with the Connecticut River and just River.
south of the town of Springfield.
Vermont has lots of good opportunities for

gold prospectors throughout the state, but the Tip #6: Don’t be afraid to contact private
regulations in place are a bit more restrictive landowners for permission to prospect. A
than in neighboring states. It is always a good smile and a handshake can go a long way,
idea to check and get the most updated rules and might get you access to some great
relating to prospecting. At the time of this locations that most other people pass by.
writing, hand panning is allowed on private The majority of land in the Northeastern
lands without a permit, but using anything U.S. is privately owned, so asking
larger including shovels and sluice boxes will permission is not only a courtesy, but the
require a special permit from the state. law as well. A large percentage of the land
Motorized equipment such as suction dredges in New England is owned by timber
and highbankers are not currently allowed in companies that allow day-use access on
Vermont. Check with the Vermont Department their properties. But again, get permission
of Environmental Conservation to get the before making any assumptions about
most up to date regulations (see “Resources access. Prospecting isn’t fun if you have to
Page” at the end of this book). look over your shoulder worried about
getting into trouble.
As always be sure to gain permission from
landowners prior to any prospecting on
private land, and treat all areas with respect.
Getting permission in writing is always a good
idea.
MASSACHUSETTS Westfield River around the towns of Russell,

Huntington and Chester. Look for exposed
Gold is found in Massachusetts primarily in gravel bars on inside bends of the river.
the western part of the state. Fine placer gold Sluicing operations occurred here during the
deposits can be located by carefully gold Great Depression, and evidence of past
panning in many of the creeks and rivers working may be seen in certain areas
within the state, but the far western section is indicating locations that may be richer than
definitely where you have the highest others.
likelihood of success. As with most other gold
occurrences in the Northeast, nearly all gold
recovered will most likely be extremely fine.
Carefully panning techniques should be used
to ensure that fine gold particles are not lost.
Many of the known gold occurrences are

found on the eastern slopes of the Berkshire
Mountains and west of the Connecticut
River in Western Massachusetts. Fine gold
can be panned in many of the drainages in
this region. One specific area worthy of
investigation is around the town of
Westfield, Massachusetts, including the
A nice pinch of fine placer gold mined panned “somewhere”
Westfield River that flows right through
in New England. Note the pocket knife for size reference.
town just a few miles upstream to where it
enters the Connecticut River. Continuing
upstream, fine gold can also be found in the
The West Branch of the Westfield River Mill River enters the Connecticut River near
near Becket will also produce fine gold. the town of Northampton. Further upstream
it is found near the town of Leeds,
Tip #7: You can get basic maps that Haydenville, Williamsburg. Fine gold can
show roads, rivers, creeks, mountains, be found throughout this relatively short
and land ownership at a local land stretch of river.
management office. However, once Another very productive area to search for
you have keyed in on a specific area to gold is Couch Brook in Northwestern
explore, consider getting the 1:24,000 Massachusetts, just a few miles south of the
scale topographic maps. They are Vermont border. It is a very small drainage
extremely detailed and often show that only flows for a few miles before it enters
mines, prospects, and other details Fall River, but there is plenty of gold to be
that are not shown on the more found in its waters. Fall River itself will
generic maps. produce some fine gold from Couch Brook
down to Bernardston and further on to the
confluence with the Connecticut River.
Gold can be found throughout the Deerfield
River and many of its tributaries also.
Anywhere around the towns of Deerfield,
Shelburne Falls, Charlemont, up toward
Sherman Reservoir and the town of
Readsboro. Mill Brook, Maxwell Brook,
and Tatro Brook just north of Charlemont
will also produce some fine gold.
RHODE ISLAND consequence have occurred here. The gold

was present in the hardrock, and a stamp mill
Rhode Island has several documented gold was built on site to process the ore. The site is
deposits, some of which were mined now abandoned, but the possibility of finding
commercially off and on for many years. at least some gold in this area is decent.
Commercially operated gold mining operations Explore the streams and gulches in this area.
have been very rare in most of the Northeast,
mainly due to the low grade deposits and
sporadic nature of the gold deposits found
here. There were a few gold mines in Rhode
Island that were the exception to this rule. Of
course, overall gold occurrences in Rhode
Island are limited by the small size of the
state, but as with anywhere in the northeast,
there is always a chance of finding some gold.
Your highest likelihood for success will be to
explore the areas nearby the documented
gold deposits discussed below.
The Durfee Gold Mine was located in

Providence County a few miles west of Lode gold like this that is encased in quartz and other rock
Glocester. While the productions of this mine can be found in the Northeast, although it is quite rare.
were never anywhere near the levels that can
About 6 miles south of the town of Foster are
be found in mines throughout the western
several old gold mines. The gold bearing are
United States, it nonetheless shows that
is located in the vicinity of Cucumber Hill
natural gold occurrences of at least some
east of the Cucumber Hill Road. These are

often called the South Foster Gold Mines. A Tip #8: Look for gold where it has been
stamp mill was constructed to extract gold found before! After 200 years of mining
from the quartz veins at the site. These mines history in the Northeast, the odds of
are currently abandoned, but the known finding a totally undiscovered area with
occurrence of lode gold in this area give gold is unlikely (though not impossible).
potential for other deposits to exist nearby Focus on the well-documented gold
that may yet to be discovered. With gold bearing areas described throughout this
known to occur in hard rock sources, it may book. Prospect in those same general
also be worthwhile to look for interesting areas and explore new areas that are
bedrock outcrops that show signs of high nearby the documented discoveries.
mineralization and crush them. If there is any
free-milling gold present, finely crushed
specimens can be panned out in the same
way that you would pan gravel looking for
placer gold.
In the northeastern corner of Rhode Island in

Providence County, gold has been found
around Diamond Hill, just west of Diamond
Hill Reservoir.
There was a very small amount of historical

mining that took place around Johnston and
Warwick.
CONNECTICUT gold would settle and concentrate. The gold

that is found here is almost always very fine
Connecticut has many areas that gold can be textured, so use careful gold panning
found. Like so many other states in this part techniques to ensure that you retain the gold
of the country, gold is widespread and in you pan.
abundant, but rarely found in high enough
One place that gold can be found near
concentrations to attract much interest. Even
Harford, Connecticut is in the Farmington
with the recent high gold prices that we have
River to the north. It is a sizable tributary to
been experiencing, there has been virtually no
the Connecticut River, and is also known to
commercial interest in the gold deposits in
contain very fine deposits of placer gold.
Connecticut. Despite that fact, recreational
gold prospectors can still find plenty of good
Tip #9: The glacial gold deposits that
“color” by locating known gold bearing areas
are responsible for so much of the gold
and using proper prospecting techniques to
in the Northeast are widely distributed
recover the small concentrations that area
and generally very fine textured. It may
available.
be worthwhile to use specialized mining
A known gold producer in Connecticut is equipment that is designed specifically
Leadmine Brook, a tributary to the for capturing fine gold.
Naugatuck River just north of the town of
Thomaston and above the Thomaston dam.
The upper end of Leadmine Brook can be Another known gold bearing area in Litchfield
found in the area of Harwinton and along County is Spruce Brook. It is a very small
Birge Park Road and Hill Road. Gold can be tributary to the Naugatuck River, and
found all throughout this brook by carefully caused some very short-lived excitement
panning the gravels. Look for areas where fine when gold was first discovered there. Like so
many of the gold deposits found in other lode deposits around this area, or in
Connecticut and other states in this part of placer deposits in nearby waterways such as
the country, the gold concentrations found in Mine Brook, Great Hill Pond Brook,
Spruce Brook have were never found to be Rattlesnake Brook, and many others in the
economically viable on a commercial scale. vicinity.
Nonetheless, a recreational prospector can
definitely find some nice gold here. It can be
located along the main road along the
Naugatuck River just south of the town of
Naugatuck, and the upper end intersects
Hunters Mountain Road.
A fairly recent discovery of high-grade gold

ore was found at the old cobalt mines located
on Great Hill just north of the town of Cobalt
near the Connecticut River. What was
surprising about this gold deposit was that it
was completely overlooked by earlier miners
who were mining for cobalt. The gold bearing
ores were discarded and remained that way
for centuries. This mine is located on private
Several grams of beautiful New England gold
property, and is not being worked to our
knowledge. However, it does raise questions
about the possibly overlooked potential of this
area for gold and other valuable mineral. It is
quite possible that gold could be found in
NEW YORK New York. With that said, glacial gold deposits
are still present here just as in all of the other
The state of New York was fully engulfed by states mentioned throughout this book, so
the glacial movement, and the rivers and there is definitely some gold to be found. In
streams in most of the state as well as New fact, we’ve spoken with several prospectors
York City itself like the northern parts of from New York while writing this book that
Pennsylvania and all of New England should showed us several grams of nice bright gold
have the potential for some gold deposits. dust and “pickers” that were recovered from
their own little secret spot somewhere in
The State of New York is a little different than
Upstate New York.
the other states discussed in this book. The
geology found throughout New York is not Unfortunately, any documented areas where
consistent with most of New England and gold has been found in the State of New York
parts of Pennsylvania, in that there is very are very difficult to find. Many might think
little likelihood of finding any gold sources that this is because there hasn’t ever been
that come from lode deposits. Although these any gold found, but that is certainly not the
deposits are rarely of much consequence on a case. In fact some very early reports from
commercial scale, they are nonetheless early settlers in the state indicated that they
responsible for much of the gold that can be did in fact find a bit of gold, but the
found in those states. concentrations were so small that it did not
warrant any significant interest and locations
This cannot be said for New York however.
were not well documented. Also, the fact that
The geology of New York State is not what
gold can be found in such trace amounts has
you would expect for producing native gold,
much to do with the lack of interest in gold
and it is believed that there are few if any
mining compared to the fertile farm land.
noteworthy hard rock gold deposits within
However, there is a rather important state law
that has prevented any significant gold as long as this law is in place. As far as
exploration from taking place in the state and recreational gold prospecting is concerned,
limits the reports of any significant deposits of there are a few things to consider. The law
gold that may have been found here. states that any gold discovered may not be
kept. You can prospect for gold in New York;
The main reason that limited exploration and
you just can’t keep the gold. With that said,
reporting of gold (and other minerals for that
there are quite a few active gold prospectors
matter) has not been well documented is
in the State of New York, and we have a
because of a silly law written into the state
hunch that they are successfully finding a
constitution that mandates that any gold
little bit of glacial gold. What they are doing
discovered within the borders must be turned
with that gold, we will leave to speculation.
over to the state authorities. This applies
whether the mineral is discovered on public The information on gold occurrences in New
land or even if it is found on private property York is pretty slim. However, using the
in your own back yard. Why anyone would knowledge that we have about glacial gold
ever come up with a rule like this is unknown, and how glaciers have deposited gold all
and even more bewildering is how it managed throughout the Upper Midwest and
to stay on the books for over 230 years is northeastern U.S., we can speculate that
hard to comprehend. Nonetheless, it is nearly any area that was covered by glaciers
currently the law of the land in New York at one time could potentially contains some
State. gold.
Needless to say, this law has hampered most Focusing on places where bedrock is exposed
any serious efforts made to search for gold. and easier to get to is always a good idea,
No commercial gold mining operations would particularly in the cracks and around the
ever consider searching for gold in New York broken slabs where the stream water is being
directed much like a natural sluice. Most of glaciers did leave behind coarse gold and an
the gold that is to be found using the panning occasional nugget that a prospector can find.
method will be located in these cracks and But it should not be exaggerated to say that
places around the slabs. Find the darker this is a common occurrence, and it should
colored streams with exposed bedrock. Fine definitely be understood that sizable nuggets
gold will get caught down in the cracks and in the Northeast are quite uncommon (some
accumulate, and when you are prospecting for might also say rare, or extremely rare,
glacial gold, you definitely want to find some depending on how optimistic they are), so it is
accumulations to make it worth your while. always best to take great care to use skills
that will trap the finest gold particles that you
Avoid areas that appear very light colored,
can. If you are fortunate enough to fine a nice
sandy, or muddy, as these places are less
sized picker or nugget in your pan then
likely to produce. Gold may be in the stream,
consider yourself lucky, but know that it can
but it will either by hidden beneath significant
and does happen from time to time.
overburden that will require a lot of work to
move, or it will be unable to settle down and Naturally, because of the currently laws in the
be captured, thus moving it further state, there have been relatively few
downstream. This is true of all placer gold, publicized reports of gold discoveries in New
but is especially important with glacial gold York. Just don’t take this to mean that gold
deposits due to their extremely fine texture. can’t be found. We know for certain that the
same glacial deposits that are responsible for
With the repeated mention of fine textured
gold deposits all throughout the Midwest and
glacial gold, it is worth noting that the
Northeast have also left gold scattered all
occurrence of fine gold is not a rule in New
throughout New York State.
York or anywhere else in the Northeast;
sometime on rare occasions, the receding
PENNSYLVANIA in the center of many of the gold discoveries

in the state. So beginning there and the
This is a very popular state to pan for gold in surrounding counties are also good places to
the northeast. Although the state is mostly start your search for gold. The Susquehanna
known for its coal and iron deposits, there River has produced both gold flakes and
have been gold discoveries in Pennsylvania as nuggets over the years, making it a great
well, mostly small grains and tiny nuggets. place in the state to start searching for gold.
Lancaster and York counties offer arguably
The Susquehanna River flows through the
the best chances for finding gold, along with
town of Tunkhannock. Gold can be found all
the northern part of the state that was
throughout this area in many of the creeks
affected by glaciation.
that drain into the river. Stony Brook Creek
The southern extent of the glaciers that are found near the town of Bloomsburg will also
responsible for so much of the gold in the produce some fine gold as well. Meshoppen
Northeastern U.S. is found just south of the Creek flows into the Susquehanna at
New York/Pennsylvania border. The northern Meshoppen and will also produce some
sections of the state where the glaciers carved “color” for a hard working prospector.
out terminal moraines and left behind small
Fine placer gold has been found in the many
amounts of gold as they receded are good
streams of York and Lancaster Counties.
place to start your search for gold. These
areas of Pennsylvania offer more In York Country, gold deposits at the tops of
opportunities, again in the rivers and ridges have often found their way down to the
streambeds, to potentially find gold. streams and rivers below, making for another
good place to pan for gold. In particular, the
One specific area worthy of note is Wyoming
areas around the towns of Dillsburg,
County in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It lies
Grantham, Wellsville, and Rossville are
known to have gold present in many of the gold, a considerable amount for a state where
streams in this area. Bermudian Creek, most people think gold does not exist.
Conewago Creek, and their tributaries are
Apart from Cornwall, the Grace Mine in
worthy of investigation.
Morgantown also reported discoveries of
In Lancaster County near the town of gold as well.
Quarryville, check out the Susquehanna
In fact, during the Civil War the famous battle
River. This is a large river that does contain
of Gettysburg was fought on terrain known as
some very fine gold. Even small platinum
“diabase ridges” where gold deposits exist.
particles have reportedly been found here.
This means that the action around Little
While Pennsylvania is well known for its Round Top and Cemetery Ridge had soldiers
wealth of mining from coal to iron, far fewer fighting on ground where gold existed and
people know that gold has also been found now can be located in the streams and rivers
there as well. While the discoveries of gold around the area (of course, this specific area
has not made the headlines here, it does exist is off limits to gold prospecting, but it is still
and people are continuing to find gold flakes an indicator of potential gold bearing areas
and small nuggets in the river and nearby).
streambeds as well as mining operations that
There are several other areas in the state
have dug up a considerable amount of gold
where gold is likely to be found, particularly
over the years.
the eastern section where potential lode gold
Some people may be surprised to learn that occurrences may be found.
much of the gold that has been mined in this
Another area that gold can be found in
state came indirectly as a by-product of iron
Pennsylvania is at mines near the town of
mining. The mines in Cornwall for example
New Albany. The New Albany Gold Mine and
have produced more than 60,000 ounces of
the Three Brothers Gold Mine are found not There is a fairly decent sized gold prospecting
far outside of town and fine gold can be found community in Pennsylvania. If you are new to
in the creeks around this area. prospecting, or would just like to meet fellow
prospectors in your area, be sure to take a
Rivers and streambeds transport fine gold and
look at the various clubs that are listed at the
help to concentrate the fine gold that exists in
end of this book. There are currently 4
the gravel and debris.
different Gold Prospectors Association of
Since iron and coal mines often have America (GPAA) chapters in Pennsylvania.
produced gold as a byproduct, you may want Many of the members have a lifetimes worth
to look in the surrounding streambeds of of experience looking for gold in the state and
mines that have produced gold in the past. can be an invaluable source for information.
Many of the old mine reports claim gold Additionally, they often have outings
occurrences of a few cents worth of gold per throughout the season at different gold
ton of ore. bearing creeks around the states. This is a
great way to learn about prospecting in
Pennsylvania, as well as meet up with like-
Tip #10: Finding gold is not difficult. It is
minded individuals who love hunting for gold!
simply a matter of finding areas where
gold is known to exist, and then using the
proper methods to extract it. The latest
greatest gadget is less important than
fundamental mining knowledge.
PROSPECTING TIPS FOR FINE GOLD common way for the amateur gold hunter to
pursue their trade. The art of panning is the
As we have mentioned numerous times ability to use the pan to separate the lighter
throughout this book, the vast majority of sand, bits of gravel and debris from the
gold found in this part of the country is very heavier flakes and small nuggets of gold.
fine textured. Most commonly called “flour
gold” or “gold dust”, sometimes it can take A standard gold pan is your best tool for
literally thousands of specks of gold to finding gold in the northeast. Modern plastic
accumulate into any substantial weight. There pans generally have built in riffles help retain
are certainly some exceptions; occasionally a the smallest gold particles and prevent them
nice sized gold flake or nugget can be found in from escaping your pan. Efficient panning is
the Northeast, and some areas are better really an art; even skilled panners can easily
known for larger gold than others. With that lose gold if they are not careful. There is a lot
said, gold nuggets are quite rare in the region of good information out there about learning
when compared to the well-known gold to pan for gold (You can find a lot of good
bearing areas of the west. information about prospecting on the gold
prospecting resource page of our website at
If a prospector want to be successful at www.goldrushnuggets.com/prforgo.html).
finding gold in the Northeast, then it is critical
that they use methods that will ensure that In addition to a trusty gold pan, a set of basic
fine gold is retained. It is very easy to lose crevicing tools can be extremely valuable.
fine gold if you aren’t careful. Generally speaking, the highest densities of
gold will be found deep down in the cracks of
Barring a full scale mining operation which bedrock, and these hidden gold
would require permits, licenses and concentrations can be tough to access.
government approval, panning is the most Bringing a variety of hand tools that will help
you clean out the bedrock and capture the research and find something that will fit your
gravels that are deep down in these cracks. budget and work well for your needs.
Another thing worth reemphasizing is that One of the best places to find out about
much of the gold that has been found by equipment for fine gold recovery is
hobbyists has generally been widespread prospecting magazines. Two of the best ones
across the northeast, meaning that it is are Gold Prospectors Magazine and the
always a good idea to move from location to International California Mining Journal. Both
location until you find a decent area. will be chocked full of advertisements for
many different types of prospecting supplies.
Once you have located an area that has some
gold, you will probably want to use some type Bringing the right equipment will maximize
of equipment that will help you process more your chances of finding gold. Remember, the
material. The reason for this is quite simple; better your research and planning, the higher
the more gold bearing material that you can likelihood you have for a productive trip. Bring
process, the more gold you are going to find. the right equipment and resolve to search an
area thoroughly before moving on.
There are quite a few different types of
equipment that you can use for this. A simple Just remember that fine gold recovery is the
sluice box will work well, but make sure that it most important thing to consider. The larger
is set up properly so that you aren’t blowing gold nuggets and flakes will take care of
gold out of the back. There is also quite a lot themselves, but the fine gold is really the
of prospecting equipment that has come out “bread and butter” of what you are going to
in recent years that is specifically designed for be finding, so make sure your equipment can
fine gold recovery that is very affordable for handle the job.
the recreational gold prospector. Do some
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Maine Department of Environmental
Here are a few resources that will provide
Protection
additional information about gold prospecting
in the northeastern United States. http://www.maine.gov/dep/
Environmental Fact Sheet - New Hampshire New Hampshire Department of Environmental

Department of Environmental Services Services
http://des.nh.gov/organization/commissioner/pip/factsheets http://des.nh.gov/
/geo/documents/geo-1.pdf
Vermont Department of Environmental

A collection of papers about Gold in Vermont Conservation
compiled by the Vermont Geological Survey
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/dec.htm
http://www.anr.state.vt.us/dec/geo/pdfdocs/GoldInVT_199
8.pdf
The Non Fuel Mineral Resources in

Pennsylvania
A collection of papers about gold occurrences
in Pennsylvania http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/d
ocument/dcnr_014590.pdf
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/content/dam/psul/up/emsl/do
cuments/pags_reports/no.77.pdf
GOLD PROSPECTING CLUBS IN Pennsylvania
THE NORTHEASTERN U.S. There are currently 4 GPAA chapters in

Pennsylvania. More information can also be
Joining a gold prospecting club is a great way found on the GPAA website under the
to meet fellow prospectors in your area. If you “Membership” and “Local Chapters” tabs.
are new to gold prospecting, we highly
recommend that you join a club in your area. GPAA Mason Dixon Chapter – meets
monthly at Rosie’s Restaurant in New Oxford.
Maine
GPAA Maine Chapter - meets monthly at the GPAA Bald Eagle Chapter – meets monthly
Windsor Town Office in Widsor, Maine and has at the Halfmoon Township Building in
prospecting outings throughout the summer. Stormstown. www.pa-gold.com
www.mainegoldprospectors.com GPAA Delaware Valley Chapter Based in
Connecticut Bethlehem, PA. More information on their
website at www.dvgpaa.com
Nutmeg Prospectors – meets monthly at
the Killingly Library in Danielson, Connecticut. GPAA Allegheny Chapter – based in NW
www.nutmegprospectors.org Mercer County. www.goldinpa.com
Massachusetts New York
GPAA Massachusetts Chapter – meets WNY Gold Prospectors – meets monthly in

monthly at the Masonic Lodge in Greenfield. Depew, NY. www.wnygoldprospectors.com
www.goldprospectorsofwmass.org
GPAA New York Chapter – visit the main
GPAA website for specifics on this chapter.
PROSPECTING GEAR CHECKLIST GENERAL CAMPING CHECKLIST

 #2 Shovel  Maps
 Hand Trowel  Camera
 Gold Pan  Beer 
 Sluice Box  GPS
 Suction Dredge  Basic Survival Kit
 Highbanker  Lighter/Matches
 Drywasher  Tent/Camper
 Gold Vial  Bedding/Sleeping Bags
 Snuffer Bottle  Tarps
 Tweezers  Knife/Multi-tool
 This book  Daypack
 Metal detector and batteries  Flashlight/Headlamp
 Picks  Lantern
 Pry Bar  Drinking Water
 Crevicing Tools  Food/MRE’s/snacks
 Wetsuit & Snorkel Gear  Raingear
 Hip Boots  Extra Clothes/Jackets/etc.
 Gloves  Camp Stove
 5 Gallon Buckets  Pots/Pans
 Classifier  Plates/Forks/Knives
 Panning Tub  Bug Spray
 Black Sands Magnet  Sunscreen
 Jewelers Loupe  Basic First Aid Kit
 Safety Glasses  Toilet Paper
 Permits/Permission (if needed)  Coffee

Start Finding Gold Northeast

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Start Finding Gold Northeast

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Start Finding Gold!

– A Guide to Prospecting in the Northeast

The content contained in this guide is for informational purposes

This eBook contains information on various gold bearing locations

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Over the years we have noticed a trend…

We have been passionate about gold

To learn more about us, please visit our

INTRODUCTION With that said, please understand that many

Generally speaking, most experienced

This basic overview of past glaciation that has

LODE GOLD SOURCES Regardless of the source, some areas are

MAINE specialized equipment that is specifically

The source of gold deposits in the East Branch

NEW HAMPSHIRE significant overburden, and getting down to

It is also important to have a good

VERMONT Bridgewater, although gold can be found all

Vermont has lots of good opportunities for

MASSACHUSETTS Westfield River around the towns of Russell,

Many of the known gold occurrences are

RHODE ISLAND consequence have occurred here. The gold

The Durfee Gold Mine was located in

east of the Cucumber Hill Road. These are

In the northeastern corner of Rhode Island in

There was a very small amount of historical

CONNECTICUT gold would settle and concentrate. The gold

A fairly recent discovery of high-grade gold

PENNSYLVANIA in the center of many of the gold discoveries

Environmental Fact Sheet - New Hampshire New Hampshire Department of Environmental

Vermont Department of Environmental

The Non Fuel Mineral Resources in

GOLD PROSPECTING CLUBS IN Pennsylvania

THE NORTHEASTERN U.S. There are currently 4 GPAA chapters in

Massachusetts New York

GPAA Massachusetts Chapter – meets WNY Gold Prospectors – meets monthly in

PROSPECTING GEAR CHECKLIST GENERAL CAMPING CHECKLIST

You might also like