nugget hunting areas around Phoenix or north AZ?

[M3R1IN]

hey Im heading down to Phoenix and will be driving back late in the week (on a north route)... I am wondering if theres any decent areas I could hit on my way back up?

 

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[mrs.oroblanco]

Which way you planning to go?

B

 

[M3R1IN]

All I know at this point is north fron Phoenix, so long as Im heading north it doesnt really matter to me... I will go wherever there is a good chance of finding color.

 

[golddigger14s]

Lynx Creek? Public pan only area.

 

[djui5]

Wickenburg has some great areas, though a lot of it is claimed. Seems to be some public land still around the Little San Domingo Wash

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Yea, I was thinking the Lynx Lake area, Lynx Creek - Wickenberg (does have alot of claims there, though), Lake Pleasant (but I don't think they allow metal detectors, just panning - and some areas near Kingman.

Here is a link from Desert Gold Diggers:

* Prescott National Forest - Recreation: Recreational Prospecting in the Lynx Creek Mineral Withdrawal Area. A large public prospecting area in a good known gold area. Restricted to panning and metal detecting. All other methods, including sluice boxes and any mechanized methods, are not allowed. Please leave the area as you found it so that this area remains open to public prospecting.
* Lake Pleasant Park. The Arizona Dept. of Mines and Mineral Resources, on their Arizona Rockhound and Tourist Information page, mentions in regard to Lake Pleasant Park: "Gold panning is allowed in the park, but not metal detecting or rockhounding. There is a nominal entrance fee. Twenty miles northwest of Phoenix on Castle Hot Springs Road." However Maricopa County manages the 24,000-acre regional park and the rules seem to be different. According to a call to the Lake Pleasant Contact Station (928-501-1710) on 2/13/04, metal detecting is allowed in the park (don't leave holes) but other types of recreational prospecting must be cleared through the Operations Center (602-372-7460).
* The 11,400-acre La Posa Long-Term Visitor Area (LTVA) lies approximately two miles south of Interstate 10 and the town of Quartzsite off of U.S. Highway 95. This was mentioned on another web page as a recreational prospecting site but a call to the BLM Yuma Field Office (928-317-3200) on 2/13/04 indicated that recreational prospecting, including metal detecting was not allowed in the LTVA.


There are also some "lost treasure" stories, from outlaw days, in Black Canyon, Pine Springs Station (on public lands, and not claimed as of 2 years ago, but you have to check).

2 years ago, the area surrounding Crown King Mine had several unclaimed (claims lapsed) areas. (within about 1-1/2 miles). Again,
You will have to check.

Try to allow a weekday to check land status with the appropriate offices. Don't depend on LR2000 - though its a good place to start.

B

 

[warsawdaddy]

Weaver at Congress has a lot of claims/acreage.He sells a family membership for $25 a yr.However,he doesn't seem to really mind people on the claims that have not paid.Maybe if you stop in and tell him where you are from and that you just want to metal detect a short time,he'd probably tell you to go ahead.His claims are bordering the GPAA claims at Stanton(Rich Hill).A friend of mine when I was out there a couple wks ago,found a lot of color panning on Weaver's and after a couple of days he went ahead and bought a membership.

 

[M3R1IN]

Excellent replies guys, thanks for your tips. I am in the greater Phoenix area looking to purchase a vacation property to escape the freeze in the winters of Canada.. I hope to spend more time in the area in the future prospecting and MDing.

 

[Fast Randy]

I just got a new minelab GPX 4000 from Gerry's in Boise and I'm dying to try it for nuggets. Are you MD-ing or just panning etc? Gerry has a three day training period that comes with it but he is leaving for England today on one of his group THs. As soon as I get trained I am going to Nevada to MD old gold mines and mining towns. I also have some property up by Lake Mead in northern Arizona. Meadview. It is way back on a dead end road where the colorado river dumps into the lake. I have always wanted to hit that area two. A few old mines in that area. Also can find meterits MDing. So when will you be traveling back North. I would like to meet you somewhere for a hunt.

Randy

 

[M3R1IN]

depending on my schedule i could be leaving as early as Friday march 7 but I hope I can get someone to cover for me back at home so I can stay down a little longer. I do have a DFX but im still looking for a custom gold program for it because its not exactly designed for prospecting... more specified to coins, jewelry and relics... I am hoping to buy a dedicated prospecting detector this year though... I might take my DFX out and try prospecting some time... PM me when you are going to be in the area... i might be back in mid to late April.

 

[tbriglia]

Does anyone know of some past ghost towns that are open to the public to metal detect near the phoenix area?

 

[DanB]

yes.....nice spots between Bumble Bee and Cleator AZ......here is a picture where I like to find nuggets.....

db

 

[catalyst742]

New to AZ and to metal detecting and gold prospecting. Anyone in PHX north that hunts nuggets in here? I am in Anthem area

 

[IDdesertman]

Some info about gold in the Phoenix area...

Phoenix Gold Prospecting Areas - Arizona Mining Locations

 

[Joe Z]

New to AZ and to metal detecting and gold prospecting. Anyone in PHX north that hunts nuggets in here? I am in Anthem area

Sending you a PM

 

[catalyst742]

Thank you both!

 

[timemachine]

Great info! Thanks