Gold Panning, Rockhounding, & Metal Detecting
Gold Panning and Sluicing on National Forest Lands
- Most National Forests in western states allow gold panning and sluicing.
- Check rules before you start. Some areas are closed, including:
- Wilderness areas
- Acquired Mineral Lands
- Mineral Withdrawal Areas
- Contact your local ranger district for details.
Private Land
- Many private lands exist inside National Forest boundaries.
- These lands are not open for prospecting without permission.
- Use National Forest visitor maps to locate private tracts.
Mining Claims
- Most easy-to-find deposits are already claimed.
- Entering a claim without permission is claim jumping (trespassing).
- Check county records and look for claim markers before prospecting.
- Use the BLM MLRS tool to search for mining claims down to nearest ¼ section. Contact the BLM if you cannot find the corner posts on the ground.
Regulations in Summary
(For detailed regulations see below)
Three agencies regulate prospecting and mining on Forest Service Lands:
- State Law
- Rules vary by state.
- South Dakota: No permit for hand panning; permits needed for motorized equipment. State Info
- Wyoming: Hand tools allowed; permits may be required for dredges or motorized equipment.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
- Manages mineral rights.
- South Dakota claims: BLM Montana-Dakotas or call (406) 896-5004.
- Wyoming claims: BLM Wyoming or call (307) 775-6251.
- Forest Service
- Manages surface resources — such as wildlife, plants, water — to mitigate and minimize disturbances from prospecting and mining.
- Hand tools and non-motorized panning usually allowed without a permit or bond.
- Motorized equipment or suction dredges require a Notice of Intent. A Plan of Operations and any bonds are evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Contact your local Forest Service office for details.
Rockhounding
- Collection of small rocks or minerals from the surface for personal use doesn't require a permit.
- No digging or excavating - collection must be from the surface only.
- It is prohibited to collect from archaeological or historic sites.
- Fossil collection is prohibited.
- See the Rockhounding Guide or contact your local Forest Service office for more information.
Metal Detecting
- Allowed for prospecting and rockhounding on National Forest System lands.
- Metal detecting on forest land is prohibited in areas with archaeological, historic or prehistoric sites or artifacts. Archaeological or historical sites and artifacts on public land are protected under law.
- Metal detectors are allowed, as long as you don't dig holes.
- For more guidance on metal detecting, see the Rockhounding Guide.
In general, three government agencies regulate prospecting and mining on Forest Service lands:
- Forest Service: The Forest Service manages the surface estate of the National Forest lands and is charged with ensuring that significant disturbance of surface resources (such as endangered species, water quality, fisheries, etc.) from prospecting and mining activities are mitigated and minimized. Normally, panning or sluicing for gold using hand tools and non-motorized equipment is allowed without Forest Service authorization or bond. If an operation requires use of motorized equipment, suction dredges, results in the removal of vegetation, or has potential to cause significant ground disturbance, an operator must contact the closest Forest Service district office to file a Notice of Intent to prospect or mine. Once a Notice of Intent is filed, the district office will evaluate and notify the operator whether a Plan of Operations is required or not based on information gathered from the Notice of Intent. Reclamation requirements and bonding will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM): The federal agency responsible for managing the mineral estate of the United States is the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The BLM Montana State Office manages minerals in South Dakota and is the office in which a claim staked in South Dakota is recorded. Please contact the Montana and Dakotas BLM at (406) 896-5004 or visit their website if you wish to stake a mineral claim in South Dakota. The BLM Wyoming State Office manages the federal mineral estate in Wyoming. If you wish to stake a claim on federal land in Wyoming, please contact the Wyoming BLM at (307) 775-6251 or visit their website.
- State Law: Most western states have different requirements for mining and prospecting. In general, the State of South Dakota does not require a permit for panning or hand sluicing; however, permits and bonds are needed when motorized equipment or suction dredging is used. Specific state requirements for South Dakota can be found on the SD Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources website.
- The State of Wyoming also regulates mining and prospecting. In general, the use of hand tools, pans, and sluices is allowed; however, prohibitions may exist on certain streams due to water quality concerns. In addition, permits and bonds may be required for suction dredges and for the use of motorized equipment. Visit the Wyoming DEQ website for information on Wyoming requirements for obtaining permits.