camping and gold panning location recomendation (?)

[7idl]

Would like to go camping for the weekend, somewhere relatively close to a location where we could do some gold panning w/o any hassles. somewhere not too far from the Denver area. might leave on a friday afternoon, so I'd like to be there and set up camp before nightfall. moderate hiking is ok.

any location suggestions?

[Marlin]

How Rustic?? There are a couple of gold "Panning" places Up near Idaho Springs.

[7idl]

rustic enough to do everything ourselves.

We've been to the tour at the Argo Mine

kinda a tourist trap, especially the "gold panning" they do right there outside the place.

just looking to camp out, walk to the stream, do some panning 2/4 people going haven't done it before.

[theGinsue]

I don't know the name of the place, but there is a small site off of Hwy 77 between Terryall Reservoir and Lake George, CO that offers good panning.

If you use Google maps and type in:
Unknown road @39.152830, -105.478220 (cut and paste this)
it will show you the location which you can zoom in and out on to find out exactly where it is.

I don't recall if there are ANY facilities (toilet), but I remember panning there about 12 years ago (There is a stream/creek/river right there). You can supposed find some gold but you are almost absolutely guaranteed to get garnet in your pan - mostly small bits, but occasionally you can find a decent sized one. There is an old garnet mine somewhere across the stream and up the hill.

I hope this helps.

[theGinsue]

Sooooo... Did you ever go camping & gold panning? Fill us in.

[Sixgun]

I don't know how to tell but check if anyone has a claim. I've heard of some bad stories of people getting gold taking away and fined.
GOOD LUCK and have fun.