Arizona is a desert gold state famous for big nuggets and a year-round season. Like Nevada it is mostly dry, so detecting and dry washing rule here — but Arizona also has one of the best beginner perks in the country: a free public recreational panning area.
Lynx Creek Recreational Panning Area (a great first trip)
In the Prescott National Forest near Prescott, the Lynx Creek Recreational Panning Area is set aside for public recreational panning. It is open to anyone, hand tools are the rule, and you do not have to worry about claims inside the designated area. For a first outing where you can legally get your hands wet, it is hard to beat.
The big Arizona gold districts
Beyond Lynx Creek, Arizona is dotted with historic gold country:
- Rich Hill / Stanton / Weaver near Wickenburg — one of the most famous nugget patches in American history.
- The Bradshaw Mountains and the Hassayampa River.
- The Vulture Mine area and Greaterville south of Tucson.
- Gold Basin in northwest Arizona near Lake Mead — a renowned detecting area.
- The La Paz, Plomosa and Quartzsite areas in the west.
Dry washing and detecting
Because the washes only run after rain, Arizona prospectors rely on dry washers to process desert placer and on detectors to pull nuggets from the hills. A sturdy pick and a classifier round out the kit.
Public land and real cautions
Arizona has plenty of BLM and Forest land, but also tribal lands and wilderness that are closed to prospecting — always verify before you dig. Two desert dangers deserve respect: extreme heat, and the countless abandoned mine shafts. Never enter old workings.