The Stanislaus River passes through five counties in California and more significantly, its three forks (North, Middle and South) originate in the Sierra Nevada - an area that was the epicenter of the California Gold Rush. The North and Middle Forks join first to form the start of the river proper while the South Fork merges in at New Melones Lake.

The river drains through the Sierra Nevada foothills, carrying with it alluvial sediments from gold-bearing rock as it flows across the scenic countryside to finally pour its waters into the San Joaquin River. Its watershed provides a great opportunity for placer gold to be deposited along its entire length.

 

History of Gold Prospecting in the Stanislaus River

 

It did not take long after the discovery of gold on the American River by James W. Marshall on January 24, 1848 that kicked off the California Gold Rush, for the Stanislaus River to join in the fray. It was a few months later in August 1848, when Captain Charles M. Weber, who was leading a Native American party, discovered gold in the river.

News of the discovery spread like wildfire across the region and more than 200 men who had put up the Dry Diggings mining camp at Placerville, abandoned it and descended on the Stanislaus River. Thousands of prospectors kept arriving via Sonora Pass and by 1849, more than 10,000 people were active along the Stanislaus River and the adjoining countryside.

The Stanislaus and the areas near the river, which were referred to as the "Southern Mines,” were some of the most productive in the main gold diggings of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Numerous mining camps such as Melones, Tuttletown, Carson Hill and Columbia were established on the river. Melones got its name from the gold recovered in the area that was coarse and shaped like melon seeds.

Some of the mining camps grew into sprawling towns such as Oakdale and Knights Ferry (named after William Knight, who ran a ferry across the Stanislaus River). By the 1850s when the gold rush ended, many of the camps were abandoned but Knights Ferry had blossomed during the era to become the seat of Stanislaus County for ten years between 1862 and 1872. The seat was then transferred to Modesto. Oakdale’s rise was largely attributed to former gold miners who took up farming.



 

Gold Prospecting Areas on the Stanislaus River

 

During the gold rush era there was gold throughout the Stanislaus River with the lower foothills recording most of the major deposits. Some of the areas modern prospectors can explore include:

New Melones Lake

This area, especially northeast of New Melones Lake can be good hunting ground for any prospector.

Italian Bar

This is the site of an old gold rush mine located on the South Fork of Stanislaus River which is owned by a prospecting group known as the Lost Dutchman Mining Association. It’s a members only club that welcomes the public to visit. The association owns about 160 acres of land that includes two miles of the Stanislaus River that can be explored.

Oakdale

Explore the gravel bars on the Stanislaus River near Oakdale where you can find placer gold.

Knights Ferry

The river’s gravel bars near the famous Knights Ferry Covered Bridge can be fertile ground for gold hunters.

Stanislaus National Forest

This forest has several locations along the river and the many smaller tributaries where gold can be panned. A metal detector can also be useful to find gold nuggets in the many canyons in the forest. It’s important to do your research to ensure you aren't on any active mining claims.

Columbia State Historic Park

This state park offers visitors a chance to learn about early gold mining, tour the gold rush museum and pan for real gold in the river. This is a fun place for tourists and anyone who enjoys learning about California mining history.

 

Gold Mines Near Stanislaus River

 

Some of the major mines that dominated the Stanislaus River catchment area were rich in lode gold deposits. Most of these mines fell in the Carson Hill District which stretched from Carson Flat to the town of Melones right on the river. They include:

Hardy Mine

This was a lode gold mine that was active from the 1880s to early 1900s. It was located about a mile from Carson Hill town.

Finnegan Mine

Located about half a mile south of Carson Hill town, This gold mine was a lode deposit that was active between 1856 and 1931 and produced more than $100,000 worth of gold.

Stanislaus Mine

This mine was located on the southern slope of Carson Hill, about half a mile northwest of Melones.

Carson Creek

Located one mile west of Melones, this mine was discovered in 1862 and produced gold worth more than $1 million. It operated until 1904.

Also Read: Merced River Gold Mining



 

Mining the Stanislaus River Country

 

As mentioned above, the Stanislaus River has many areas with the potential to reward the patient prospector. Success may not be instant but persistence in exploring the hard to reach areas, mostly off the beaten path, will definitely yield that elusive yellow speck. Areas such as the challenging canyons of the North and Middle Forks of the Stanislaus may be worth the effort.

While the allure of gold in the Stanislaus River is only a shovel and gold pan away, it’s imperative to note that the river’s watershed drains through gold country - a group of mines in the district mentioned above, the Carson Hill Mines produced more than $26 million worth of gold - which not only makes the prospect of finding gold in the river itself high, but exploring the areas beyond the river even more rewarding.

Next: Kern River Gold Mining