"There's Gold In Them Thar Hills"," That remarkable yellow metal that is so heavy and yet so soft and malleable will drive it's victims to irrational behavior.
Most people believe that gold comes from deep, dark holes in the ground, somewhere in Africa.
Hold your horses.
Gold prospecting is a great activity for kids.
It's cheap, but requires a little elbow grease to get some color in your pan.
These are available all over the internet.
Most of your findings will be small flakes or tiny nuggets that you can't easily pick up with your fingers.
Alaska and California are known for their gold, but states like Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Montana, North Carolina, Arizona, Colorado and many more also have great gold prospecting opportunities.
You never know when you could strike it rich.
You can talk to locals, but when it comes to gold, people get very tight lipped.
Another great way to get started is to visit a commercial prospecting location, where you are more likely to get some beginner assistance.
Before you head out to the stream, it's important to know a little about gold.
When it mixes with sand in flowing water is quickly settles to the bottom of the stream much like kernels at the bottom of a shaken popcorn bag.
Only very fast moving water, like spring floods, will pick up a nugget and wash it down stream.
That's where gold will most likely have settled out.
Large boulders often have deposits of sand and gravel on their downstream side.
Another good area are holes or cracks in exposed bedrock.
Any stream area with cracked and rough bedrock should not be overlooked.
Fast flowing streams with exposed bedrock and sandbars are your first choice.
Even if you're not that successful at finding gold, they have a great time just playing in the stream.
Either way, a family can have a terrific day on the river, gold or no gold.
Remember, always check your local laws and regulations pertaining to recreational prospecting.
So do your homework.
learn something new
