Gold panning (a person with a pan – no sluice box, no dredge suction pumps) is allowed on Clear Creek County Open Space land and on United States Forest Service(USFS) land. If you pan for gold on private property, it should be with the consent of the property owner.
If the hunt for gold goes beyond “a man with a pan,” the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (DRMS) and the USFS may require the filing of Notice of Intent to Prospect. The Forest Service would also advise individuals to do research to determine if someone else may already be prospecting on an unpatented claim in their specific area of interest.
Please contact the following agencies for guidance:
DRMS
The Centennial Building 1313 Sherman St., Room 215 Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303.866.3567
USFS – Clear Creek Ranger District 101 Chicago Creek Rd.
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Phone: 303.567.3000
Mining is interlaced in Clear Creek
County’s history!
If you are looking at either prospecting or buying a mining claim in Clear Creek County, it is very important to do your research. We recommend visiting the Bureau of Land Management website to obtain more information, including information on the location of both patented and unpatented mining claims.
www.blm.com
BLM Colorado State Office
2850 Youngfield Street
Lakewood, Colorado 80215
303-239-3600 | Fax 303-239-3933
Hours 9 am – 4 pm M-F