Can You Pan for Gold in Illinois? What if You Find Some?

My friends put together a Facebook group to talk about outdoors-type stuff. It started off as a funny idea, like a middle-aged Goonies. Some brought up the idea of a canoe trip, going camping, or hiking.

You know, things we talk about doing (usually a few drinks in) then never actually follow through.

It's a bunch of 40-somethings trying to do something that we probably should have done in our 20s but now we've got kids as an excuse to do crazy stuff like "treasure hunting". We've got "adult money" so we can buy metal detectors and collapsible shovels.

Old Man Goonies

The first Old Man Goonies adventure is a weekend we had already planned to do our own camping adventure with the kids.  I'll have to sit this one out, but they shared an article that caught my eye. It focussed on how people actually pan for gold in Illinois.  I never would've guessed it.

Can You Pan for Gold in Illinois?

Given, according to this article: "You shouldn’t expect to find notable riches within creeks. Recreational prospectors in Illinois typically take on this venture for the pleasures of relaxing outside, enjoying the peaceful creek and river beds, and sharing their hobby with like-minded friends."

What Will You Need?

Water-proof boots, warm socks, gold pan, sniffer bottle (for sucking up little bits of gold out of your pan), strainer, digging tools, buckets, gloves...and a WHOLE lot of patience.

If you're up for a road trip/hiking adventure you might want to check out these places for the "rich stuff".