Five Places Where You Can Still Strike Gold in the United States — And How to Try Your Luck
Millions of Americans have tried their luck at gold panning, drawn by dreams of discovery and the thrill of the hunt. During the peak of the Gold Rush in 1852, prospectors pulled $81 million worth of gold from California alone—equivalent to roughly $3.2 billion today. Two centuries later, that same spirit lives on as modern-day treasure hunters search public lands across the American West. "Once you see your first flake of gold pop out of the pan, it hooks you," says Andy Brooks, president of t
