looking for gold

[travlinman and wife]

Does anyone know a place that is easy to get to were you can look for gold in Colorado. I am not looking to find much it is just my wife wants to give it a try

 

[StarEcho]

Where in Colorado are you looking at?  There's a place fairly easy on the Arkansas between Salida and Cotapaxi on Hwy 50.  I think it's called Point Bar?

38.470359, -105.871324

I've not been there, but it's public so you could try it.  

Another public one is near Granite Co, called Cache Creek.  I've been to that one and the road is very doable, but dirt and bumpy and very narrow.  Lots of shiny mica there!

39.037268, -106.302093

 There's a Pay to dig place just past Granite, CO, $10/person  I've been to it and I've heard if you know where to dig there is gold there.  We only got a few tiny fine pieces, but we're newbies and didn't pick the right spot obviously.

39.077160, -106.282178

The best thing to do is look for a local chapter of a mining organization like GPAA.    GPOC (gold prospectors of colorado) is good as well, maybe better.  Those organizations can tell you were to look locally.

 

[Dennis]

If you want to do it for the fun/experience of it, those pay to dig places in a known producing area like Cindi mentioned take a lot of guess work out of where to go. If they have it set up with a panning area or maybe at a river or stream you can get as tired as you want. Did that on the Feather River in California at a pay to dig and was a great experience. Of course I failed to get any color but a couple guys about fifteen feet from me lucked into a pocket of nice gold.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am no help with CO. but do a search of public gold panning areas in CO and you should be able to find some free areas. anywhere the old timers found free gold you can still find free gold. by free gold I mean gold in it's native state that you can pan. highdesertranger

 

[NickTheoBennett]

I'm curious, do many people turn a profit with this hobby? No judgment or anything intended, I'm just generally interested in what the rate of return is. I imagine that for most people it's probably just a diversion/something similar to playing the lottery. Is that true? I'm sure if it were easy money everyone and their brother would be doing it.

For you experienced folks out there, do most/many people even break even on equipment? How does that work re: selling what you find?

 

[highdesertranger]

first off, no true prospector will ever say they make money, or found the mother lode. beware of miners selling a sure thing claim. however it is one of the few hobbies that pays a return. I have had areas that pay quite well but others are hardly worth the time. remember prospecting is mother natures lotto. yes my equipment has been paid for many times over. hope that helps. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

I think you could make more money selling gold pans.

A mine is a hole in the ground and the owner is a liar.

I tried to trace who really said this and it is inconclusive because it has been said so many times by so many people.

If the mine does well, they will try to hide that fact. If the mine is worthless, same thing.

 

[No Prob Rob]

Makes me think of gold rush history. The sure bet at making a fortune were the merchants who supplied the miners with everything they needed. I would love to have a metal detector and give it a try. Great hobby to keep you active and think of all the old aluminum pop cans I could find. I think all the bottle tops have long since rusted away. Man I just gave my age away!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Vagabound]

... Man I just gave my age away! ...

Join the club.  A new development for me is that occasionally, when I'm talking or writing, I stop mid-sentence to consider just how old my examples or phrases are.  

But then, I usually just blow the dust off of it and continue.

Vagabound

 

[IGBT]

This guy probably thinks he made money.  4kg nugget, worth around $200,000.

 

[rvpopeye]

That right there is what I'd call a retirement nugget.....yup yup

 

[highdesertranger]

it's called mining the miners and yes that's where the money is, but that ain't no fun, sitting in a store all day. highdesertranger

 

[DannyB1954]

It is sort of like sports, acting or probably other things. Only a very few of the many make big money. Some make enough to survive, but most need a different source of income and it is more of a hobbie.

I am getting the itch, (not quite a fever).