Gold Dredging in Arizona

Gold Dredging in Arizona

Gold dredging in Arizona is certainly not the most popular method of gold recovery in this dry state but many gold prospectors still use their dredges regularly. Especially during the “quiet” moments in the Arizona monsoon season. I have not owned a dredge or high banker in almost 10 years (mostly detect and drywash for gold) but have used them with friends from time to time. The pictures you see here are of me dredging for gold between 1999 – 2005. One of the main reasons that dredging in Arizona is not popular is a large majority of the gold bearing washes are dry almost all year, except during the rains. And as the population in Arizona has grown the water tables have dropped from many higher mountain areas like the gold rich Prescott, AZ. Don’t worry though, Arizona has plenty of water.

Arizona Gold Dredging

In the last few years with my gold detecting travels I’ve seen a gold dredges in many areas, including but not limited to Sycamore Creek south of Payson, Arizona, Tonto Creek, Poland and Turkey Creek, Black Canyon, Prescott, Yuma and around Tucson. Often prospectors will dam a wash with vinyl tarps to ensure the have a pool of water to operate their dredge in when a gold dredging opportunity arises.

Dredge Clean up Sluicing with Camera on Turkey Creek

I’ve never went underwater with a Hookah rig to dredge for gold but am planning on doing that in Alaska and Idaho soon. Gold dredging in Arizona for me was always an in the water gold prospecting adventure and from what I’ve seen and heard Arizona can be have much muddier water that any of the states and areas with substantial gold and water flow. Don’t even get me started on California, our gold prospecting brothers and sisters there have been plowed by government insanity.

Gold Bearing Wash near Bumble Bee Arizona

So if you are planning on buying a gold dredge to recovery gold in Arizona you will certainly have plenty of opportunity but may not get as much opportunity as drywashing for gold presents. I actually gave my dredge to a buddy from Arkansas for free when he was visiting years ago because he had much more use for it that I did. And on that same note I have recovered some very nice gold dredging in Arizona.

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