Maine is a very big state, and anyone who has driven around there knows just how huge it is. Lots and lots of trees (and moose of course)! But, there is also lots of gold to be found in Maine.

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Coos Canyon, ME

By far the most popular spot is in Byron at Coos Canyon along the Swift River and the East Branch of the Swift River. There is a great little Rock & Mineral shop there called Coos Canyon Rock & Gift. You can buy prospecting supplies there as well as learn panning techniques.

Here are some other locations as published by the state of Maine:

River Town County
Swift River and its tributaries Byron area Oxford, Franklin
Sandy River Madrid to New Sharon Franklin
South Branch-Penobscot River Sandy Bay; Bald Mtn; Prentiss Somerset
Gold Brook Bowman Oxford
Gold Brook Chain of Ponds; Kibby Franklin
Gold Brook Chase Stream Somerset
Gold Brook T5 R6; Appleton Township Somerset
Nile Brook Dallas; Rangeley Franklin
Kibby Stream Kibby Franklin
St. Croix River Baileyville Washington

But of course, there are MANY other great locations…you just got to do your homework. For example, this is what I call the New England Prospector’s Bible and is an important resource for all prospectors looking for gold in the northeast:

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The New England Gold Bible!

Just remember to bring this book with you whenever you are traveling the back roads of New England (and be sure to always have a pan and shovel in your trunk).

Finding gold along the Kennebec River

Here is a great example of how you need to sample the ground wherever you go in NE. My wife Heidi and I were camping up north in Maine a few years back along the Kennebec River. I thought I would try our the dirt along the shoreline and to my great surprise, there was gold! So I checked my book and sure enough, that area was listed as gold bearing. So do your homework!

MORE TO COME…