Idaho is a fantastic state to prospect for gold. Over 2/3 of the state is public land, much of it managed by the BLM and Forest Service. These areas are generally open to mineral exploration, and Idaho has a rich history. Gold has been found throughout the state, with rich discoveries found throughout dozens of mining districts. Many areas that have gold are far off the beaten path, so a prospector who is willing to put in a little “leg work” has the chance of finding some very good places to mine.
The Boise Basin gold strike in 1862 was easily the largest discovery in the state, with millions of ounces of gold recovered from the region. The Boise Basin encompassed an area that included several mining towns including Idaho City, Placerville, Pioneerville, and Centerville. All of the streams in this area produce gold, with extensive working done by hand placer, and later by Hydraulic mining and bucket line dredging. Within a few years of the first gold strike, the Boise Basin had a larger population than Portland, Oregon. This area is not known for producing large nuggets. It generally produces fines and small picker sized pieces of gold. Although large nuggets are not common, large specimens of gold in quartz have been found, weighing several pounds in size.