The town of Fairplay owes its very existence to mining.
It was the gold deposits found in the South Platte River that brought men here to seek their fortune sifting amongst the gravels.
The placers around Fairplay weren’t nearly as rich as some surrounding areas, but this was still the main supply town for most of the surrounding mines in the late 1800s. Nearby mining camps around Alma, Buckskin Joe, and Montgomery saw more activity during those early years.
Gold production on the river skyrocketed in later years with the construction of several large bucket-line dredges. These huge machines processed untold amounts of gravel and recovered millions in gold. These tailing piles are still very evident even today.
There is still gold here to find. And access is quite good for a casual prospector if you want to try your luck along the banks of the South Platte River.
Gold Prospecting Access
Colorado is a great state for small-scale gold miners. Most of the mining towns have made efforts to provide access where people can do a little bit of panning. This encourages tourism and supports local businesses in turn.
Fairplay is no exception, and there are great places where a person can pan gold around town. There is about 1/2 mile of access to the river that runs right through some historic tailing piles. Gold can be found everywhere amongst those big piles, but you’ll have the best luck right in the river itself. Plus the water obviously helpful for panning or running a sluice box.
If you simply want to spend a day on the river and want to find a few specks of gold then by all means a simple gold pan is all you need.
A more serious prospector would be advised to bring along something like the Sluice Fox 31″ portable sluice since you’ll be able to run a lot more material using one.
The South Platte River has good water flow all summer, so you will have no trouble running a sluice. Just prospect around first and sample different areas to locate the richer concentrations of gold. Most of the gold is pretty small, but there is plenty of small stuff to keep you busy.
Permits & Regulations
Be aware that Fairplay has a gold panning permit that is required if you want to do any prospecting. It costs $10 per day, or $100 per year. Children 12 years and younger do not need a permit.
These permits are valid from April through October. Please keep a few simple rules in mind:
Gold Panning at Clear Creek Canyon