North Carolina was the site of the first gold rush in the United States and remained the most significant producer until the California gold rush. In 1799, the son of farmer John Reed found a 17-pound gold nugget in Cabarrus County.

WHERE GOLD WAS MINED

Gold occurs in North Carolina in both lode (veins or mineralized zones) and placer (stream sediment or residual) deposits.  Although deposits were mined in both the Piedmont and Mountain regions, most of the early production was in the central Piedmont, particularly in the Carolina slate belt and in Mecklenburg County.  The slate belt includes the Gold Hill and Cid Mining districts and such mines as the Reed Mine in Cabarrus County, the Gold Hill Mine in Rowan County, and the Silver Hill Mine in Davidson County.  Mecklenburg County contained more mines and prospects than any other county in the state.  The most important mines in Mecklenburg County were the Capps, Rudisil and St. Catherine Mines.

Other counties in the slate belt where gold was mined include Guilford, Montgomery, Moore, Orange, Randolph, Stanly and Union.  In the western Piedmont, mines were located in Caldwell, Catawba, Davie, Gaston, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Wilkes and Yadkin Counties.
In the Mountain region, mines and prospects were located in Ashe, Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Henderson, Jackson, Transylvania and Watauga Counties.  Copper mines in Ashe and Swain Counties produced byproduct gold.

STREAMS

Streams such as Little Buffalo Creek in Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, Dutch Buffalo Creek in Cabarrus County, Cabin Creek in Moore County, the Uwharrie River in Montgomery County and streams in the South Mountain area might be good places to try panning. The Cotton Patch Mine near New London, Stanly County, is open to the public for panning. For a fee, gold seekers can pan from sediments dug from a small creek.

Panning on Public Lands

The Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests cover thousands of acres in western North Carolina, and the Forest Service allows gold panning on public lands with a few restrictions. Panners must only remove a small amount of gold for personal, not commercial, use. Panning is forbidden in designated wilderness areas and along designated wild and scenic rivers. Prospectors must use small hand tools and gold pans in creek beds. Mechanized equipment, picks, shovels and sluices are forbidden. Panners should take care not to disturb archaeological or historical artifacts and, to the extent possible, avoid areas where the mineral rights are already spoken for.

Historic Sites and Panning Events

The Reed Gold Mine (nchistoricsites.org) east of Charlotte in Midland is the site of the discovery of gold in North Carolina. The NC Gold Festival (ncgold.org) held annually on the grounds of the Mountain Gateway Museum in Old Fort, a tiny town east of Asheville, features gold exhibits, treasure hunts, panning and demonstrations on gold-mining techniques.

PLACERS

Eastern Carolina Belt – An area about 300 mi2 in northern Nash and Franklin Counties, southern Warren and Halifax Counties, and west into Wilson county. Most mines were discovered where Franklin, Halifax, and Nash Counties meet.

The Gold Hill district in SE Rowan and NE Cabarrus Counties, the Cid District in southern Davidson County, southern Guilford County, and the Reed Mine in SE Cabarrus County are the most famous areas of this belt.

Charlotte Belt – Deposits primarily occur in Guilford, Davidson, Rowan, and Mecklenburg Counties. Kings Mountain Belt – Narrow belt running NE from Gaston County, through western Lincoln County, and into western Catawba County. Kings Mountain mine was the largest producer within this belt. South Mountain Belt – 300 mi2 region throughout Burke, McDowell, and Rutherford Counties. Placer nuggets can be found along major streams such as the Silver and Muddy Creeks and the First Broad River.

The Georgetown Creek gravels in Fairfield Valley (Jackson County) and the Valley River gravels (Cherokee County) have yielded a significant amount of placer nuggets.

You can always ask for permission to hunt on any private property, but there are also several places you can pan and metal detect in public access areas. However, be advised that prospecting is not allowed in NC state parks.

The following lands offering some great potential are controlled by the National Forest Service. Contact the local Local Forest Ranger for more information including maps, regulations, and mineral rights

Murphy (Cherokee County): South of city centered around Andrews from the Nantahala Gorge in the NE to Brasstown in the SW, all north/south creeks and tributaries of the Valley River and Nantahala River. Highlands (Jackson/Transylvania Counties): East of city within creeks around Chimney Top, Sassafras Mountains, east of Cashiers, and south of Oakland to include the Horsepasture River. Marion (Caldwell/Avery Counties): Northwest of city along the following streams: Rockhouse, Wilson, Timer, and Anthony Creeks. Also, Gragg Prong and their tributaries, west of Globe. Troy (Montgomery County): East of city along the Uwharrie River, Crow and McLeans Creeks, Eldorado area creeks, and tributaries on western side of Uwharrie River as far down as the Pee Dee River. The Carolina slate belt and major gold mines (modified from Hatcher and Butler, 1979).

Bechtler Mint Site Historic Park

The site is a small park with a short loop walking trail with information boards that tell the story of local gold mining.

Catawba River Greenway

The Morganton Greenway System includes the Catawba River Greenway and the Freedom Trail Greenway and currently has five pedestrian access points with parking.

Look for the gold panning signs, and follow the rules – the greenway is a multi-purpose area.

Gold Hill

With its first gold discovery in 1824, Gold Hill is considered one of today’s most charming, historic small towns in North Carolina. Home to a quaint shopping village, a 70 acre park with beautiful scenery, it is quite easy to get lost in time as you discover all there is to see here.

Gold Hill offers an ‘Au-some’ experience celebrating the gilded age of gold discovery in North Carolina.

Mountain Creek Gold Mine

We are located in New London NC off of HWY 52 North. We are open 7 days a week from 8am to 5pm. Here there are different ways of prospecting for gold such as panning, dredging, highbanking & slucing.

We also have campsites for rent, you can pitch a tent or stay in a camper/cabin.

Reed Gold Mine

Reed Gold Mine is the site of the first documented gold find in the United States.

Today, portions of the underground tunnels at the Reed mine have been restored for guided tours. A visitor center contains exhibits of gold and historical mining equipment. An orientation film highlights the first gold discovery, and tours of a restored ore-crushing stamp mill are offered. A picnic area is available, and you can try your hand at gold panning. Trails wind through the historic mining area, too.

Uwharrie National Forest

There are approximately 51,000 acres of National Forest System lands in Montgomery, Randolph and Davidson Counties.

The Uwharrie National Forest includes the Uwharrie Ranger District Office, located at 789 NC Highway 24/27 East, Troy, NC 27371. At the district office you can obtain information about the area, get brouchures, camping information, trail passes, and permits.

Recreational panning for gold is allowed on most of the Uwharrie Forest. No fee or permit is required as long as only shovel and pan techniques are used and no significant stream disturbance results. Sluice or “shaker” boxes are allowed, but no mechanized or motorized equipment, such as a suction dredge, is allowed.