BUENA VISTA — Chaffee County

Source: Gold Fever Prospecting — Colorado Gold Panning Locations. Compiled by Tom Ashworth (Prospectors Cache / goldfeverprospecting.com). Documented placer gold or recreational panning area. Coordinates geocoded to the named town or district. Verify claim status, private land, and current regulations before prospecting. Southeast 5 miles of Buena Vista, at Free Gold on Trout Creek, the area mines produced lode gold. East, to Riverside, 6 miles off U.S. 24, last 2 miles are difficult, altitude, 12,000-13,000 feet, area copper-lead-silver mines produced a by-product of gold. Northeast 13 miles, just South of Trout Creek Pass, area mines produced lode gold. West 14 miles, near headwaters of Cottonwood Creek, small mines produced lode gold. The Chalk Creek district is in the west part of county near headwaters of Chalk Creek, 16 miles northwest of Nathrop. It had a total production, 250,000 ounces of by-product gold. Some 20 area mines in T15S R80 and 81E, but chiefly the Mary Murphy Mine was the largest producer, with 220,400 ounces of by product gold. The area creek gravel's have minor placer deposits.