The major gold-bearing areas in Oregon are primarily in the southern part (Grants Pass & Medford area) and the eastern part of the state (Baker City, John Day area).
Illinois River
The Illinois River is an golden river flowing through Southern Oregon in Josephine County. It starts in the Klamath Mountains of northern California and drains into the Rogue River near the small town of Kerby.
South Umpqua River
The South Umpqua River is not very well known for producing large gold nuggets, but it does have lots of fine gold dust that can really add up.
Burnt River
The Burnt River is a very rich gold-bearing river is Eastern Oregon
Powder River
The Powder River is yet another gold bearing river in Oregon.
Applegate River
This river drains the far southeastern part of Oregon starting at the Siskiyou Mountains of northern California and enters the Rogue River just west of Grants Pass, Oregon. This is a particularly rich part of the state and nearly all of the tributaries in this area have gold.
John Day River
Several forks of this river drain some of the richest areas in the Blue Mountains. Dredging was done on many parts of the river, and many mining towns such as Greenhorn, Susanville, Dixie, and Canyon City are all located on very rich tributaries of the John Day River.
There are dozens of rivers and hundreds of different gold bearing creeks throughout the state.
The richest gold strikes were in the Blue Mountains in the Eastern Oregon, while a few other were in the southwestern corner of the state.
WHERETO PAN FOR GOLD IN OREGON To find gold, you should go where gold has been found before-in northeast Oregon, southwest Oregon, and the Western Cascades .
These areas have many streams and rivers that can be successfully panned for gold. FEDERAL LANDS Mining claims on Federal land are not open for gold panning unless permission has been granted by the owner. However, four areas have been set aside on Federal land in Oregon for recreational gold panning .
Area 1. Quartzville Recreational Corridor: Located in the Western Cascades, Salem District, Bureau of Land Management (free site). The Salem District Office address is 1717 Fabry Road SE, Salem, OR 97306, phone (503) 399-5646.
Area 2. Butte Falls Recreational Area: Located in southwestern Oregon, Medford District, Bureau of Land Management (free site). The Medford District Office address is 3040 Biddle Road, Medford, OR 97504, phone (503) 770-2200.
Area 3. Applegate Ranger District: Located in southwestern Oregon, Rogue River National Forest (four fee sites where there is a charge of a dollar a day for panning in areas adjacent to campgrounds). The Applegate Ranger District address is 6941 Upper Applegate Road, Jacksonville, OR 97530, phone (503) 899-1812.
Area 4 Wallowa-Whitman National Forest Located in northeastern Oregon (free sites). The Forest Supervisor is located at P.O. Box 907, Baker City, OR 97814, phone (503) 523-6391. Areas set aside for recreational gold mining in the WallowaWhitman National Forest are listed below:
a. Eagle Forks Campground, 9 mi northwest of Richland, T. 8 S., R. 44 E., Pine Ranger District, Halfway, OR 97834, phone (503) 742-7511. b. McCully Forks Campground, on McCully Forks CreekjustwestofSumpter, T. 9 S., R. 36E.; Deer Creek Campground, on Deer Creek north of Phillips Lake, T. 9 S., R. 38 E.; and Powder River Recreational Area, on the Powder River just below Mason Dam, T. 10 S., R. 39 E.; all located in the Baker Ranger District, Baker City, OR 97814, phone (503) 523-4476. c. Antlers Guard Station, on the Burnt River, T. 11 S., R. 36 E., Unity Ranger District, Unity, OR 97884, phone (503) 446-3351.
In addition, gold panning is permitted on nearly all streams and rivers running through campgrounds on Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and USDA Forest Service (USPS) land in Oregon. Maps showing locations of campgrounds may be obtained from local BLM and USPS offices; from the USPS Recreation Information Office, 319 SW Pine, Portland, OR 97204, phone (503) 326-2877; or from the BLM Oregon State Office, P.O. Box 2965, 1300NE44thAve., Portland, OR 97208, phone (503) 280-7001.
1 Jacksonville • Talent area: Placer mining has been limited to Bear Creek and ita tributaries draining the Siskiyou Mountains. lt was the strike in this area on Rich Gulch, a tributary or Jackson Creek, in 1851 that first attracted the many prospectors to southwestern Oregon. The first placers worked were usually of the gulch type. One of the first dredges in Oregon was near Tole in 18,81 in later years small dredges operated on Jackson Creek and in parts of Bear Creek Valley in and near Jacksonville. The auriferous gravels at the base or the Cretaceous sediments, found in the foothills of the Siskiyou Yountains, have been placered sporadically.
2. Applegate drainage: Yany of the tributaries of the Applegate River have been placered at one time or another. All main placer mining methods have been used, and in some areas, mainly along the Applegate River and Forest Creek and its tributaries, the more modern methods have had profitable operations after older methods had reached their economic limit. The hydraulic operations of the Sterling Mine and the dredging operations on Forest Creek are typical. All types of placer deposits occur. ).
3Evans Creek – Rogue River area: Parts of nearly all of the tributaries of the Rogue River south of Gold Hill have run the gamut of placer mining operations. Dredges have worked on Kane, Foots, and Pleasant creeks, and in the Rogue River. Evans Creek has long provided sites for placer operations but most of the work has been confined to the area from Sykes Creek to its junction with the Rogue. The “old channels” west of Wimer, although the scene of activity in early times, have not been worked for many years.
4. Umpqua drainage: Very little work has been done in this area in comparison to that in the areas of Nos. 2,3,4 and 5· Cow Creek and “high channels” adjacent to it have received the most attention. The Victory Mine near Glendale is a typical operation. Other areas that have reported some production are on Olalla Creek, tributaries ot Myrtle and North Myrtle creeks, and tributaries of the South Umpqua between Days Creek and Tiller.
5· Grants Pass – Wolf Creek area: Grave Creek and its tributaries Wolf and Coyote creeks, Jumpoff Joe, Taylor, and Galice e creeks have been the most consistent producers in recent years. At one time or another, however, work of some type has been done on portions of practically every stream in the area. Dredges have worked on Grave Creek and in the Rogue River. “Old channel” deposits are found in many places and are scenes of periodic activity.
6. Upper Illinois area: The Esterly Mine in this area is one of the famous old mines of Oregon. Hero gold and platinum are found in both the Tertiary and Quaternary gravels, with most of the production from the latter. Mining has also been done on Sucker, Althouse, Josephine, and Briggs creeks ever since gold was discovered in Jacksonville. All types ot mining have been utilized, froM the crudest methods to large dragline dredges, and gold has been found in all classes of deposits, from Crotaoeous gravels to Recent stream channels.
7• Chetco drainage: Very little recent work has been done in this area. It is quite possible that its inaccessibility has much to do with this. The work that has oeen done has been mainly in Quaternary stream channels or high on the hillsides, such as in Gold Basin. There has been no dredging in this area. Most of the work has been limited to ground sluloing.
8. Lower Illinois – Rogue River area: Yost of the mining has been confined to gravel bars and “high channels” bordering the two rivers. Some hydraul1cking and ground sluicing have been done on Silver, Collier, and Mule creeks, but the operations were usually small.
,9 Coquille – Sixes – Lower Rogue area: Only minor production has been reported from this area. Streams on which most of the past work has been done are Boulder Creek and the Rogue River; Rook, Johnson, and Salmon creeks of the South Fork of the Coquille River drainage, Elk River and Sixes River. Work has been confined to hydraulicking and ground sluicing in present•day stream channels.
10. Coast areas Beaoh plaoes lnolude both present beaches and elevated marine terraces. Rich sands were found at Gold Beach and Bandon ln 1855 and beaches have been prospected and worked tor gold and platinum as far north as Cape Arago. In former years, several operations on the elevated terraces were attempted, including the Eagle and Pioneer mines, north of Bandon, and the Uadden ·.uihe, north ot Sixes.
