Did you know that a gold rush took place in Northern Michigan during the late 19th century? As the glaciers moved across the entire state during the last ice age, gold deposits were left scattered throughout the state’s waterways. Small quantities of gold can be discovered in nearly any creek or river in Michigan.
According to the US Forest Service, gold has been unearthed in over 100 locations in Michigan. It has been detected in rivers such as the Manistee, Au Sable, Flat, Little Sable, Rapid, Yellow Dog, and various others, as well as on numerous beaches along the Great Lakes. However, rivers and lakes are not the sole locations for finding gold; many prospectors believe that gold can be extracted from almost any Michigan gravel pit through the method of dry panning.
Where to find gold
Information found in Northern Michigan Gold Rush offered these tips on where to find gold in Northwest Lower Peninsula. Some of these are within 30 minutes of Dyer Lake Vacation Home!
- Charlevoix County – A little over an hour northeasterly – Placer Gold can be found along the Boyne River in the low water gravels.
- Cheboygan County – More than 2 hours northeast – Cheboygan River and Mullett Lake
- Emmet County – About 2 hours northeasterly – Along the Little Traverse Creek and its tributaries gold can be found. It is sometimes 5 or 6 colors per pan.
- Grand Traverse County – You are in Grand Traverse County! – Around Walton in the area creeks, in the low water gravel bars, some very fine placer gold can be found. (US 131 & M113)
- Kalkaska County – About 45 minutes east – The gravel bars along the Rapid River produce placer gold.
- Leelanau County – About 30 minutes north – near Lake Leelanau along the shore and stream tributaries, particularly north of Solon
- Manistee County – About an hour south – All along the Little Sable River you can find many placer deposits that contain gold. At low water gravel bars in the Manistee River you can find placer gold.
- Wexford County – About 45 minutes south – Around West Summit, the local streambeds contain placer gold. In the Northwest part of the county, along the Manistee River you can find some placer gold as well.
Many instances of gold in gravel deposits along waterways in Northwest Michigan
For more information on gold panning and sluicing on state land visit the Michigan Department of Natural Resources website.
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