Our 2010 Oregon map shows there are currently 5,916 active gold mining claims and 18,356 abandoned claims located throughout the state. Of those active claims, 3,196 are lode claims and 2,720 are placer claims. Of those abandoned claims, 14,518 are lode and 3,838 are placer. Oregon’s roughly 5,916 active gold mining claims represent about 2% of all active gold claims in America.
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When you first open our active Oregon gold map you’ll get a satellite view of the state boundaries with little yellow clusters throughout. Those yellow clusters represent high concentrations of active gold mining claims. This view of these yellow clusters gives us a very accurate idea of where most of Oregon’s gold is being found. Abandoned claims will appear as little blue clusters mostly mixed in with the yellow clusters. |
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Now zoom in about 20 miles SW of Grant Pass to a little mountain town called Selma Oregon. You can clearly see the active (yellow) and abandoned (blue) gold mining claims boundaries throughout the area. You are just outside public land in the Siskiyou National Forest. Once inside Siskiyou you can find dozens of non-claimed public gold panning sites for you and your family to try your luck at. The mining claim boundaries shown are accurate to within feet of what you’ll discover at ground level. |
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Zoom in further still and you can click on any active or abandoned gold claim for ownership and other information about the claim. This information is to help those prospectors wanting to establish their own claims. Recreational gold panners should not try to contact claim holders and always stay away from claimed property. Use the claims to guide you to where the action is but always respect the property rights of others. |
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Still looking at the Selma area, turn on the Google Earth™ overlay entitled Places of Interest. Now you can see Siskiyou National Forest campgrounds, ranger stations, hiking trails, hotels, gas stations and stores. You can zoom in further still to get a birds-eye view of roads, creeks and other points of interest. Using Google Earth™ satellite imagery, altitude and distance measuring tools will eliminate most surprises like, “I didn’t know that hill was so steep.” |
Oregon Gold Prospecting Notes: None of the Oregon images above show just how close you can zoom in and see potential gold panning sites. You’ll be amazed at how crisp the satellite imagery is and how much exploring and planning you can do from the comfort of your home. And Google Earth™ is a free download.
