If you enjoy cool rocks and other minerals that are found along stream beds or even hiking trails, so many times I have picked up a rock just to study to see what it has to offer. I think of the times back when some of the first people would walk along a stream and see gold shining up though the water at them, Wow, I always hope to have that happen. This is a great family time activity in search of a gold nugget.

It is best if you know where to look, they always say you might as well start looking for gold in places it has been found before, gold can be found in stream banks, old tailings piles from early miners, up on hillsides. Usaully if you find quartz and black sand you are close to finding gold, these are in the same area most of the time, Gold is heavier than most sands, other than the black sand, so these rest in the lowest places along stream beds, on inside curves of a stream as the water slows the gold will start to work its way to the bottom.

Gold has been found in old ancient stream beds that have been silted over,as floods have changed the course of the stream, this may have moved the stream several feet or even hundreds of yards from the original water flow. In this case you have to try and locate that ancient stream, understand how the stream must have flowed hundreds of years ago, it can take a lot of research, once you find that stream you need to dig down to bedrock. This becomes a bigger gold mining adventure than most hobby gold miners want to experience, because at this point we are talking heavy equipment and premits to mine.

For the hobby gold miner or gold prospector as they are most commonly called it is realtively easy and cost efficent to begin exploring the world of gold panning, and having some fun. Most of the gold panning tools can be purchased at a local hardware store, such as the shovel, garden trowel and a small pick to break up smaller rocks, The gold pan may have to bought at a rock shop or gold panning supply store online or possibally in a local store.

There are a lot of good books and information on the subject of gold panning on the market. It does not hurt to study some of this material before you begin, looking at some maps is also a good idea, because there are a lot of folks that are already gold panning and have staked claims on public land, these claims are like private land somebody owns the rights to that area and should not be trespassed on. Knowing before you go can be the difference of a great day in the outdoors or a bad experience. Remember we want this to be a fun and enjoyable time for the whole family. Another fun way to enjoy gold panning is to purchase some gold panning paydirt or concentrates, this is gold mining dirt that has been seeded with small amounts of gold and can be panned in your backyard, a great way to tell if this a hobby you may want to pursue further.