Recreational Gold Mining
Click each photo to greatly enlarge it
In the past century, over 100,000 ounces of gold have been mined on Chicken Creek and its tributaries and there still remains a great deal of gold to be found.
In 2007, we opened some of our claims to recreational mining. These claims include virgin ground as well as some ground previously mined by crude methods at
least 50 years ago. The claims have produced good gold including some nuggets as large as 3 oz.
Guests* staying at the Chicken Gold Camp can pan or mine on nearby claims for a daily fee. We allow use of pans, metal detectors, hand sluices, small suction
dredges (2½" max) and high bankers. It is approximately 2 miles by road to the claims, with a ¼ mile walk in.
Rates:
$10 per day for panning & metal detecting
$30 per day for hand sluices
$50 per day for high bankers or suction dredges (max 2½")
*Higher rates for non-camping guests apply.
Prices are subject to change without notice.
We also provide equipment rentals, concentrate cleanup demonstrations, beginner's instruction, and transportation to the claims as needed.
Chicken Gold Camp's claims were opened to recreational mining in 2007 with good results. Many 'pickers' and nice jewelry nuggets have been found by our
guests with the largest to date weighing 1.4 oz. The claims have also produced some nice specimens of jasper, chert, agate, opal, petrified wood and Pleistocene mammal remains
such as mammoth tusks and teeth.
