Discover 10 Arizona Locations Where Prospectors Can Pan for Genuine Gold and Keep Every Sparkling Flake Uncovered

Gold flakes are still washing out of Arizona creek beds, and you’re allowed to scoop them up with a simple pan. No license. No gold rush beard required. I love that some of these spots sit on old mining camps where prospectors worked over a century ago. Others hand you a bag of paydirt and a quick lesson. Either way, the shiny bits that settle in your pan go home with you. Arizona makes this oddly easy. You can pan in a national forest creek, at a ghost town, or between zipline runs. I can