Argo Gold Mill and Tunnel
Historical landmark · Colorado
★ 4.5 (1,489 reviews)
2350 Riverside Dr, Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Hours on Google: Daily 10 AM to 5 PM
Tours and activities near Idaho Springs
More on Viator (affiliate link)
Counties with the most gold history
The table ranks Colorado counties by historic gold producers in USGS records and shows how many were placers. A long list usually means an old mining district with many claims, and creeks below those districts are where placer gold was worked.
| County | USGS historic producers | Of them placers | MSHA mines, not abandoned |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek County | 1,018 | 8 | 0 |
| Teller County | 501 | 0 | 1 |
| Boulder County | 428 | 1 | 2 |
| Gilpin County | 305 | 3 | 1 |
| Summit County | 223 | 7 | 0 |
| San Juan County | 214 | 1 | 0 |
| Gunnison County | 205 | 16 | 2 |
| La Plata County | 181 | 6 | 0 |
| San Miguel County | 173 | 13 | 0 |
| Chaffee County | 163 | 8 | 0 |
| Saguache County | 160 | 0 | 0 |
| Ouray County | 141 | 2 | 1 |
| Park County | 126 | 6 | 3 |
| Lake County | 97 | 2 | 2 |
| Dolores County | 70 | 1 | 0 |
USGS Mineral Resources Data System, retrieved 2026-10-13. It was last updated around 2011. "Placer" here means a producer whose USGS deposit type or site name says placer, so some placers recorded under other names are missed.
Largest recorded placer sites in Colorado
| Placer site | County | USGS status | Output | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackhawk District | Gilpin County | Producer | small | n/a |
| The American Placer | Summit County | Producer | small | n/a |
| Swadley Placers | Jefferson County | Past producer | small | 1858 to 1859 |
| Cache Creek Park Placers | Chaffee County | Past producer | small | 1860 to 1918 |
| Lost Canyon Placer Deposits | Chaffee County | Past producer | small | 1860 to 1959 |
| Unidentified Cache Creek Park Placers | Chaffee County | Past producer | small | 1860 to 1918 |
| Little Annie Placers | Rio Grande County | Past producer | small | from 1875 |
| Dolores River Placers | Dolores, Montezuma County | Past producer | small | 1882 to 1935 |
| Oro (Naturita) Placer District | Montrose County | Past producer | small | 1883 to 1963 |
| Fourmile Creek District | Moffat County | Past producer | small | 1892 to 1940 |
| Rock Springs Placer Co. Mine | Moffat County | Past producer | small | from 1892 |
| Badger State Placers 1-5 | Costilla County | Past producer | small | 1898 |
"Output" is a USGS size class whose meaning changed over the years. Use it to compare sites inside this data, not as tonnage. Most of these sites are on private land or under claim.
Places to pan for gold in Colorado
Tour mines, panning spots and museums from Google Maps listings, most-reviewed first. Check hours and prices with the operator.
Hidee Gold Mine Tours and Panning
Tourist attraction · Colorado
★ 4.9 (1,439 reviews)
1950 Hidee Mine Rd, Central City, CO 80427
Hours on Google: Daily 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Tours and activities near Idaho Springs
More on Viator (affiliate link)
Country Boy Mine
Tourist attraction · Colorado
★ 4.9 (1,236 reviews)
0542 French Gulch Rd, Breckenridge, CO 80424
Hours on Google: Wed to Sun 9 AM to 4:30 PM
Tours and activities near Breckenridge
More on Viator (affiliate link)
Western Museum of Mining & Industry
Museum · Colorado
★ 4.7 (1,117 reviews)
225 North Gate Blvd, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Hours on Google: Mon to Sat 9 AM to 4 PM
Tours and activities near Colorado Springs
More on Viator (affiliate link)
Phoenix Gold Mine
Tourist attraction · Colorado
★ 4.8 (836 reviews)
800 Trail Creek Rd, Idaho Springs, CO 80452
Hours on Google: Mon 10 AM to 4:15 PM; Tue to Thu 10 AM to 1:15 PM; Fri to Sun 10 AM to 4:15 PM
Tours and activities near Idaho Springs
More on Viator (affiliate link)
Old Hundred Gold Mine Tour
Tourist attraction · Colorado
★ 4.8 (800 reviews)
721 County Road 4A, Silverton, CO 81433
Hours on Google: Daily 10 AM to 4 PM
Its website says the tour closed for the 2025 season and was due to reopen in May 2026. Check before you go.
Tours and activities near Telluride
More on Viator (affiliate link)
Panning rules in Colorado
- BLM land: hand panning and non-motorized sluicing are listed as "casual use", activity that ordinarily causes no or negligible disturbance (43 CFR 3809.5). Mechanized earth-moving equipment is not.
- National forests: no notice of intent is needed for prospecting that will not significantly disturb the surface, and the rule names gold panning as an example (36 CFR 228.4).
- National parks: collecting minerals, gold panning included, is generally prohibited.
- Claims and private land: a mining claim or private property means you need the claimant's or owner's permission first.
We have not summarized Colorado's own rules. States regulate streams, fish and water quality, so check with the BLM state office and the state's wildlife and water agencies before using anything beyond a pan and a shovel.
The panning rules guide has the details and every source. Claim records are public: search BLM's Mineral and Land Records System before you assume ground is open.
Questions
Where can you find gold in Colorado?
Historic records point to Clear Creek County, Teller County and Boulder County for gold mining overall and Gunnison County, Moffat County and San Miguel County for placer gold. Those are places to research, not places that are open: check land status and mining claims before you dig or pan anywhere.
Can you pan for gold in Colorado?
On BLM land and in national forests in Colorado that are open and not under a claim, hand panning is treated as low-impact use under the federal rules. Colorado's own stream and wildlife rules can add limits; ask the BLM state office before you go. Tour mines and pay-to-pan sites are the simplest option because they control the ground.
More
Gold mines in ColoradoHow to pan for goldGold panning kitWhere to find gold in AlaskaWhere to find gold in ArizonaWhere to find gold in CaliforniaWhere to find gold in Nevada