Gold Prospecting in the Swasey Recreation Area

It wasn’t long after the start of the California Gold Rush that Shasta County (where Swasey Recreation Area is located) made it to the California Gold map. Pierson B. Reading, an early settler who owned the 26,632-acre Rancho Buena Ventura along the Sacramento River, made that first discovery on Clear Creek, west of present-day Redding, California.

The gold discoveries on Clear Creek brought prospectors from all over California, and by 1849 the rush for gold in Shasta County was in high gear. Records indicate that between 1880 and 1959, 2,033,000 ounces of gold were produced in the county.

The major areas that have produced gold in Shasta County are:

The Deadwood-French Gulch district had produced $30 million worth of gold by 1970.

Whiskeytown district which is 5 miles southeast of French Gulch along Clear Creek.

Harrison Gulch district in the southwest.

The Igo district along Clear Creek.

Old Diggins, located about 6 miles north of Redding.

 

The Location

 

Swasey Recreation Area is located west of Redding and east of the Whiskeytown National Recreation Area. The area is managed by the Bureau of land Management (BLM) and offers 35 miles of rugged trails for mountain biking, horseback-riding and hiking. Of course, there is also opportunity for gold prospecting.

There is good access throughout the area using a network of trails that provide good access to many gold-bearing areas.

To access the area while approaching it from Redding, take Placer Street until you reach Swasey Drive. Turn north on Swasey Drive to spot the Swasey Recreation Area entrance about a mile away on your left.

 

Why is Swasey Recreation Area Good for Prospecting?

 

The rugged trails of Swasey Recreation Area are perfect for many activities. Although the area has been set aside for all different types of recreation, several factors make it ideal for gold prospecting:

It lies in a region surrounded by historic gold producing districts.

In recent years a dozen or so small mines have been active in nearby areas.

The land within the Recreation Area cannot be claimed.

Clear Creek (where that first gold discovery was made in Shasta County) flows through the western side of the Swasey Recreation Area.

 

Access Trails for Prospectors

 

A nice network of trails can be used to access areas that are further in from the main roads. Hiking in a few miles can significantly increase your chances of success as a prospector. Search in the areas that are harder to get to and avoided by others.

 

Wintu Trail

 

This trail crosses the Olney creek several times providing a number of spots to pan for gold.

 

Meiner’s Loop

 

As you move southwards on Meiner’s Loop, Olney Creek follows you on this part of the trail providing opportunity to spot areas you can prospect. It has meadows and is semi rocky with spots suitable for prospecting.

 

Mule Mountain Trail

 

When you reach the Mule Mountain Pass, take the Mule Mountain Trail to go back to Wintu Trailhead. Here, the Terminator Trail offers some rocky and steep terrain where you can use a metal detector. Some parts of Mule Mountain Trail contain loose rock and on the way back you will cross several sections of Olney Creek with several ditches along the way.

While at Mule Mule Mountain Pass, you may want to get closer to Clear Creek by taking the Mule Ridge Trail and connecting to Cosmos Way at Black Bear Pass. You will then cross Stoney Gulch (which pours into Clear Creek) while on the Princess Ditch Trail.

 

Prospecting Tips for Swasey Recreation Area

 

Most of these trails follow historic mining routes taken by pioneers.

While gold pans and sluice boxes can be useful in this area for placer deposits in the creeks, metal detectors can hit jackpots in the numerous drainages, dry gulches and on bedrock.

Olney creek and the other small drainages flowing though this area originate on Mule Mountain – an area that had several mines.

As you follow the many trails in the area, look out for the dry gulches spread out across this area. Most of them hold some hidden gold waiting to be discovered.

Don’t follow the beaten path – the harder to reach areas are more likely to be productive.

Although trees and debris have been cleared from the trail, you will encounter hazards on the unbeaten areas. Expect an abundance of poison ivy and thick Manzanita.

Pay attention to areas with yellow or red clay deposits which may contain gold.

Remember to fill in your holes due to environmental concerns and avoid conflict with other land users.

 

In Summary

 

Swasey Recreation Area offers gold prospecting opportunities for today’s fortune seekers who are willing to go the extra mile and trod the unbeaten path. If you’re yearning for the experience lived by the first prospectors and are ready to find the nuggets the old-timers missed, pack your tools and head for this rugged terrain in Shasta County, California.

While the areas gets a lot of use from gold prospectors, there are still hidden gold deposits that you can find. The thick manzanitas make traversing the land very challenging in some areas. It takes a lot of work, but the payoff for a hard working prospector can be impressive. There is still lots of gold here.

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