Gold in Vermont
Gold is widely distributed throughout Vermont, but not in quantities that have been economically viable for large scale mining. Historically, the gold deposits in Vermont have not garnered much excitement.
In recent years, as the price of gold has reached above $2,500 per ounce, there has been a renewed interest from the public regarding the presence of gold and whether it can be found in Vermont.
Even at record-high prices, it takes a lot of effort to accumulate an ounce of gold.
Is it worth looking for gold in Vermont?
That will certainly depend on your expectations. With a bit of research and some hard work, you can absolutely find gold here. Will you strike it rich? That's going to be a bigger challenge.
Historic Gold Discoveries
An early discovery was noted along the North Branch of the Winooski River in 1858. A report in the Green Mountain Freeman said, “he found particles of gold at several points on this little stream, but as he went up towards its source all traces of the precious metal disappeared. He was satisfied that the gold was carried into the branch by some of the smaller tributaries.”
This was a common occurrence of many of the Vermont gold strikes over the coming years. Minor excitement would take place after a new gold discovery was made, only to die out as quickly as it started. The deposits simply were not rich enough to cause real excitement.
Farmers in Plymouth, Vermont discovered placer gold in Broad Brook, and worked the nearby creeks for a short time until they realized the small amounts of gold they were finding didn’t pay as well as farming. Many attribute the "gold rush" here mostly to shysters trying to hype a gold rush for their own financial gains.
The West River is a known gold producer, particularly around the towns of Jamaica and Townsend.
For the general public, the various creeks throughout the Green Mountain National Forest are going to provide some excellent prospecting opportunities for you. Gold prospecting is legal in National Forests and does not require any special permission, unlike private lands. However, there are many limitations on equipment, so it is best to get up to date information directly from the forest managers before doing any prospecting.
Gold has since been found in a number of creeks and rivers throughout the state, and although not in large enough quantities to attract much interest for commercial endeavors, they still produce small amounts of placer gold for the hard working prospector.
Most of the gold found is in the form of very small flakes and little pickers; don’t expect to find large nuggets. Basic placer methods like panning and sluicing will probably be your best bet for recovering the small gold.
Prospecting in State Parks
Camp Plymouth State Park is a popular site for gold panning. Buffalo Brook flows through the park and into Echo Lake, which can produce small bits of gold dust for an afternoon of gold panning.
Prospecting is allowed within the park, but rules must be followed. Mechanical techniques are prohibited within the park. This includes motorized and power equipment, which includes rocker boxes and sluice boxes.
Basic hand tools and gold pans are permitted. Small shovels, pry bars, etc. are permitted. Digging must be done in the creek beds, and not above the water line in areas that are susceptible to erosion and destabilization.
Extremely Pure Gold
One of the more interesting facts about Vermont gold is that it assays almost completely pure, with an average assay of 23.5 karats, or about 97% purity. This is a higher purity than nearly all other gold mining regions around the world, which assay gold anywhere between 18 karats and 22 karats.
Natural gold is never truly pure. It always has alloys in it such as silver and copper. No one knows why exactly this Vermont gold is so incredibly pure, but it is noticeable when you see the gold. The rich, yellow luster is quite unique.
Brooks and Rivers with Gold
Gold has been found in the following counties in Vermont; Addison, Bennington, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor counties. Of course, gold will not be found in each and every stream within these counties, so further research and prospecting will help you in your search.
Below are a few specific areas that have reported some amount of placer gold.
Ottauquechee River near Bridgeport
Shady Rill Brook in Wrightsville
Rock River in Newfane and Dover
Minister Brook in Worchester
Williams River in Ludlow
White River in Stockbridge and Rochester
Mad River in Warren
Lamoille River in Johnson
Little River and Gold Brook in Stowe
Gihon River in Eden
Missisquoi River in Lowell
Any of these areas are worth exploration if you want to find gold in Vermont.
Also Read: Gold Prospecting in New Hampshire
And: Rare Gems and Minerals in Vermont
Striking it Rich
Even with gold at $2,500/oz, the prospect of striking it rich looking for gold in Vermont is pretty slim. Even trying to make a modest living from gold prospecting in Vermont would be a challenge. Consider that there are currently no active gold mines operating within Vermont, and most of the historical mines that have been here did not last long. The cost of operating a mine is considerable, and acquiring permits to use larger equipment is a whole other matter.
We are all experiencing the high cost of living these days, and even with these high gold prices, the likelihood of finding enough gold to live off of is quite slim. Most prospectors in New England consider gold panning and prospecting to be a recreational endeavor rather than any means to make money.
Connecting with other Prospectors
To connect with fellow prospectors, consider joining a local prospecting club. The Green Mountain Prospectors of Vermont page on Facebook is a fantastic resource for Vermont gold prospectors.
Six Tips for Environmentally Friendly Prospecting
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Watershed Management Division recently came out with some guidance for prospectors using pans and sluices in the waterways of Vermont. They note that sluice boxes are now ONLY ALLOWED on private lands with permission from the landowner and approval from the state.
Contact the Rivers Program at 802-828-1115 to request an application for a Mineral Prospecting Permit.
*Suction dredging is not allowed within any waters of Vermont.
Below are a summary of the six guidelines recommended by the state.
1. Choose a stream with fast and slow moving water 2. Know the property owner when on private land, and make agreements about when you will be on the land and what you will do with any gold that is found. 3. Fill all holes and pick up any trash before you leave a site 4. Remove your sluice at the end of the day and replace any rocks or material that you moved. 5. Do not dig into banks in any way that will cause excessive erosion or harm plant roots. 6. When panning, release material from your pan in a way that will not cause excessive sedimentation of the creek or river.
Going Prepared
As with any outdoor activity, you should take precautions when venturing out on your adventures. Many locations are easily accessible and close to roads, while others may require hiking into more remote areas. Either way, it is smart to let others know where you are going before you leave.
Equipment for casual gold prospecting is relatively straight forward. You will need a shovel, bucket, some sieves to sift through gravel. At minimum, you will need a basic plastic gold pan. If you are more serious, a larger sluice box will help you process some more material and increase your odds of success.
Keep in mind that many of the gold bearing streams and rivers in Vermont are on private land, and landowner permission is required to do any type of prospecting. In addition, the state has certain requirements and limitations that should be considered before heading out.
Although basic gold panning is allowed in most areas, using larger equipment like sluice boxes and dredges may be restricted or prohibited depending on the size of equipment and the amount of disturbance to an area. Seasonal restrictions may also be in place, so be sure to check with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation for current laws and regulations pertaining to gold mining in Vermont.
In recent years, as the price of gold has reached above $2,500 per ounce, there has been a renewed interest from the public regarding the presence of gold and whether it can be found in Vermont.
Even at record-high prices, it takes a lot of effort to accumulate an ounce of gold.
Is it worth looking for gold in Vermont?
That will certainly depend on your expectations. With a bit of research and some hard work, you can absolutely find gold here. Will you strike it rich? That's going to be a bigger challenge.
Historic Gold Discoveries
An early discovery was noted along the North Branch of the Winooski River in 1858. A report in the Green Mountain Freeman said, “he found particles of gold at several points on this little stream, but as he went up towards its source all traces of the precious metal disappeared. He was satisfied that the gold was carried into the branch by some of the smaller tributaries.”
This was a common occurrence of many of the Vermont gold strikes over the coming years. Minor excitement would take place after a new gold discovery was made, only to die out as quickly as it started. The deposits simply were not rich enough to cause real excitement.
Farmers in Plymouth, Vermont discovered placer gold in Broad Brook, and worked the nearby creeks for a short time until they realized the small amounts of gold they were finding didn’t pay as well as farming. Many attribute the "gold rush" here mostly to shysters trying to hype a gold rush for their own financial gains.
The West River is a known gold producer, particularly around the towns of Jamaica and Townsend.
For the general public, the various creeks throughout the Green Mountain National Forest are going to provide some excellent prospecting opportunities for you. Gold prospecting is legal in National Forests and does not require any special permission, unlike private lands. However, there are many limitations on equipment, so it is best to get up to date information directly from the forest managers before doing any prospecting.
Gold has since been found in a number of creeks and rivers throughout the state, and although not in large enough quantities to attract much interest for commercial endeavors, they still produce small amounts of placer gold for the hard working prospector.
Most of the gold found is in the form of very small flakes and little pickers; don’t expect to find large nuggets. Basic placer methods like panning and sluicing will probably be your best bet for recovering the small gold.
Prospecting in State Parks
Camp Plymouth State Park is a popular site for gold panning. Buffalo Brook flows through the park and into Echo Lake, which can produce small bits of gold dust for an afternoon of gold panning.
Prospecting is allowed within the park, but rules must be followed. Mechanical techniques are prohibited within the park. This includes motorized and power equipment, which includes rocker boxes and sluice boxes.
Basic hand tools and gold pans are permitted. Small shovels, pry bars, etc. are permitted. Digging must be done in the creek beds, and not above the water line in areas that are susceptible to erosion and destabilization.
Extremely Pure Gold
One of the more interesting facts about Vermont gold is that it assays almost completely pure, with an average assay of 23.5 karats, or about 97% purity. This is a higher purity than nearly all other gold mining regions around the world, which assay gold anywhere between 18 karats and 22 karats.
Natural gold is never truly pure. It always has alloys in it such as silver and copper. No one knows why exactly this Vermont gold is so incredibly pure, but it is noticeable when you see the gold. The rich, yellow luster is quite unique.
Brooks and Rivers with Gold
Gold has been found in the following counties in Vermont; Addison, Bennington, Chittenden, Lamoille, Orange, Orleans, Rutland, Washington, Windham, and Windsor counties. Of course, gold will not be found in each and every stream within these counties, so further research and prospecting will help you in your search.
Ottauquechee River near Bridgeport
Shady Rill Brook in Wrightsville
Rock River in Newfane and Dover
Minister Brook in Worchester
Williams River in Ludlow
White River in Stockbridge and Rochester
Mad River in Warren
Lamoille River in Johnson
Little River and Gold Brook in Stowe
Gihon River in Eden
Missisquoi River in Lowell
Any of these areas are worth exploration if you want to find gold in Vermont.
Also Read: Gold Prospecting in New Hampshire
And: Rare Gems and Minerals in Vermont
Striking it Rich
Even with gold at $2,500/oz, the prospect of striking it rich looking for gold in Vermont is pretty slim. Even trying to make a modest living from gold prospecting in Vermont would be a challenge. Consider that there are currently no active gold mines operating within Vermont, and most of the historical mines that have been here did not last long. The cost of operating a mine is considerable, and acquiring permits to use larger equipment is a whole other matter.
We are all experiencing the high cost of living these days, and even with these high gold prices, the likelihood of finding enough gold to live off of is quite slim. Most prospectors in New England consider gold panning and prospecting to be a recreational endeavor rather than any means to make money.
Connecting with other Prospectors
To connect with fellow prospectors, consider joining a local prospecting club. The Green Mountain Prospectors of Vermont page on Facebook is a fantastic resource for Vermont gold prospectors.
Six Tips for Environmentally Friendly Prospecting
The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation Watershed Management Division recently came out with some guidance for prospectors using pans and sluices in the waterways of Vermont. They note that sluice boxes are now ONLY ALLOWED on private lands with permission from the landowner and approval from the state.
Contact the Rivers Program at 802-828-1115 to request an application for a Mineral Prospecting Permit.
*Suction dredging is not allowed within any waters of Vermont.
Below are a summary of the six guidelines recommended by the state.
1. Choose a stream with fast and slow moving water 2. Know the property owner when on private land, and make agreements about when you will be on the land and what you will do with any gold that is found. 3. Fill all holes and pick up any trash before you leave a site 4. Remove your sluice at the end of the day and replace any rocks or material that you moved. 5. Do not dig into banks in any way that will cause excessive erosion or harm plant roots. 6. When panning, release material from your pan in a way that will not cause excessive sedimentation of the creek or river.
Going Prepared
As with any outdoor activity, you should take precautions when venturing out on your adventures. Many locations are easily accessible and close to roads, while others may require hiking into more remote areas. Either way, it is smart to let others know where you are going before you leave.
Equipment for casual gold prospecting is relatively straight forward. You will need a shovel, bucket, some sieves to sift through gravel. At minimum, you will need a basic plastic gold pan. If you are more serious, a larger sluice box will help you process some more material and increase your odds of success.
Legal Gold Prospecting in Vermont
Keep in mind that many of the gold bearing streams and rivers in Vermont are on private land, and landowner permission is required to do any type of prospecting. In addition, the state has certain requirements and limitations that should be considered before heading out.
Although basic gold panning is allowed in most areas, using larger equipment like sluice boxes and dredges may be restricted or prohibited depending on the size of equipment and the amount of disturbance to an area. Seasonal restrictions may also be in place, so be sure to check with the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation for current laws and regulations pertaining to gold mining in Vermont.
Highly Recommended Prospecting Books on Amazon:
The Gold Prospector's Field Guide:
A Modern Miner's Handbook for Successfully Finding Gold
Metal Detecting Gold Nuggets:
The Essential Guide to Finding Gold with a Metal Detector