Two gold mines near downtown Dahlonega are open to visitors seven days a week: Consolidated Gold Mine, 0.7 mile from the Square, runs a 40-minute underground tour that ends with gold panning, and Crisson Gold Mine, 2.4 miles out, offers gold panning, gem sifting and a working stamp mill. Both are open rain or shine, with indoor or covered panning.
Which gold mines near Dahlonega can you visit?
Consolidated Gold Mine and Crisson Gold Mine are the gold mines near Dahlonega that welcome visitors. They offer different visits: Consolidated takes you underground, and Crisson is an open-pit mine where you pan and sift for gems outdoors. Distances below are straight-line from the Dahlonega Gold Museum on the Square; the drive is a little longer.
| Mine | From the Square | What you do | Hours | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated Gold Mine 185 Consolidated Gold Mine Rd | 0.7 mi | 40-minute guided tour about 200 feet underground, then a gold-panning lesson and a sample pan; indoor gem-mining flumes | Mon–Fri 10 a.m.–4 p.m.; Sat–Sun 10 a.m.–5 p.m. | (706) 864-8473 |
| Crisson Gold Mine 2736 Morrison Moore Pkwy E | 2.4 mi | Gold panning, gem sifting, an outdoor museum of mining equipment and a working ten-stamp mill | Opens 10 a.m. daily; its site lists both 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. closing, so call ahead | (706) 864-6363 |
Consolidated says tours leave every 20 to 35 minutes and need no reservation for parties under 25. The tour is a walking tour with three flights of stairs and two ramps, and the mine does not allow strollers, walkers or wheelchairs underground (Consolidated Gold Mine). Crisson’s general admission covers its self-guided equipment museum, one pan of gold ore, one two-gallon gem bucket and panning instruction (Crisson Gold Mine).
How much does gold panning in Dahlonega cost?
A gold mine visit near Dahlonega starts at $19.95 for an adult at Crisson and $24.95 for an adult tour at Consolidated, before tax. These are the prices each mine published on its own site when we checked on November 9, 2026; prices change, so confirm before you go.
- Consolidated Gold Mine: underground tour with panning lesson and sample pan, adults 13 and up $24.95, children 3–12 $15.95, 2 and under free. Gold panning without the tour starts at $60 with ore and instructions. Gem buckets run from $30 (Mini) to $1,000 (source).
- Crisson Gold Mine: general admission, adults 13 and up $19.95, youth 12 and under $15.95, 3 and under free with a paid adult. A five-gallon bucket of extra gold ore for the family to share is $30, and trommel or Gold Cube rental is $10 (source).
What is the Gold Fever Package?
The Gold Fever Package is a combined ticket sold at the Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Visitors Center, 13 S Park St, a one-minute walk from the Square. It covers one admission each to the Dahlonega Gold Museum, Consolidated Gold Mine’s underground tour, and Crisson Gold Mine (one pan of ore or one two-gallon gem bucket, a glass vial and a stamp mill tour). Discover Dahlonega lists it at $37.95 for adults 13 and up and $32.95 for children 12 and under, and notes that prices are subject to change (Discover Dahlonega). The Visitors Center’s phone is (706) 864-3711.
Can you pan for gold for free near Dahlonega?
Yes, on most streams in the Chattahoochee National Forest, as long as you use only a pan and a small hand shovel or trowel and do not significantly disturb the stream. The Forest Service requires no permit or fee for that kind of recreational panning, but in-stream sluices and suction dredges are not allowed on the forest (U.S. Forest Service).
- Ask before you pan. Lumpkin County’s national forest land is in the Blue Ridge Ranger District, (706) 745-6928. Discover Dahlonega suggests calling the district to find out whether a stream’s mineral rights are public or private and whether any restrictions apply (Discover Dahlonega).
- State rules. Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division says hobby panning needs no surface mining permit. It asks panners to stay in the channel without disturbing the banks, and it strongly recommends written permission from the owner of a private stream (Georgia EPD).
- Trout streams. Some primary trout streams close for a time to protect spawning trout. The DNR Wildlife Resources Division at (770) 535-5498 can tell you a stream’s status (Georgia EPD).
We have not named a creek here because no official source we checked lists a specific public panning spot near Dahlonega. The ranger district is the right place to ask.
Can you still find gold in Dahlonega?
Yes, but not much of it. Discover Dahlonega says you can usually pan no more than a few cents’ worth of gold in an hour, though a stray nugget is always possible (Discover Dahlonega). The mines improve your odds by selling ore dug on site, and Crisson sells higher-grade ore by the bucket.
Can you pan for gold in the rain or in winter?
Yes. Consolidated is open seven days a week, rain or shine; its panning and gem areas are indoors, and the mine stays around 60 degrees all year (Consolidated Gold Mine). Crisson is also open seven days a week, rain or shine, with seasonal heated indoor panning and covered outdoor troughs. It closes on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day (Crisson Gold Mine). Consolidated closes on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, and runs short hours on Christmas Eve.
What gold-rush sights can you walk to from the Square?
- Dahlonega Gold Museum State Historic Site, 1 Public Square, in the 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse. Georgia State Parks lists a complete set of the Dahlonega mint’s coins, a nugget weighing more than five ounces, a hydraulic cannon and a 17-minute film among its exhibits. It does not offer panning (Georgia State Parks).
- Stamp mill display at Madeleine K. Anthony Park, South Chestatee Street at Morrison Moore Parkway, about half a mile from the Square, with an interpretive sign and a picnic pavilion (Discover Dahlonega).
- Consolidated Gold Mine is 0.7 mile in a straight line from the Square. The mine describes itself as about one mile from downtown, beside the Walmart shopping center.
For the story behind all of this, from the 1828 discovery to the branch mint, read our Dahlonega gold rush history.
Is there gold panning in Helen, too?
Yes. Outpost Gold & Gem at 7901 South Main Street in Helen, White County, sells buckets of gold paydirt mined at Dukes Creek and buckets of gem rough, with free panning instruction and no admission fee. It is about 19 miles in a straight line from the Square. Gold buckets were $15 to $250 and gem buckets $7 to $100 when we checked on November 9, 2026 (Outpost Gold & Gem). Call (706) 878-5065 to confirm the day’s hours.
Gold mine and panning listings
Addresses, phones, websites and hours for each stop. Tap an address for directions.
Consolidated Gold Mine
Guided 40-minute walking tour of an early-1900s gold mine about 200 feet underground, followed by gold panning instruction and a sample pan; indoor gem-mining flumes and a lapidary studio.
Crisson Gold Mine
Open-pit gold mine, open to visitors since 1969, with gold panning, gem sifting, an outdoor mining-equipment museum with a working stamp mill, and a rock shop.
Outpost Gold & Gem (Helen)
Helen shop, 19 miles from the Square, with covered tables for panning Dukes Creek gold paydirt and sifting gem buckets, plus free panning instruction and gem cutting.
Listings are compiled from OpenStreetMap, the Dahlonega Downtown Development Authority, Discover Dahlonega and the businesses’ own websites. Walking times and miles are measured in a straight line from the Gold Museum, so the drive is longer. Hours change seasonally, so please confirm with the business before you go. Spot something out of date? Tell us.
Frequently asked questions
Which gold mine in Dahlonega should I choose?
Choose Consolidated Gold Mine if you want to go underground: its 40-minute tour runs about 200 feet below ground and ends with panning. Choose Crisson Gold Mine if you want more time panning and sifting for gems outdoors, plus a working stamp mill. The Gold Fever Package covers both plus the Gold Museum.
How far are the gold mines from downtown Dahlonega?
Consolidated Gold Mine is 0.7 mile from the Square in a straight line, and Crisson Gold Mine is 2.4 miles. Both are a short drive from downtown.
Do you need a reservation to tour a Dahlonega gold mine?
Not for small groups. Consolidated Gold Mine says parties under 25 need no reservation and tours leave every 20 to 35 minutes. Crisson offers group rates for 20 or more paying guests.
Is it legal to pan for gold in Georgia?
Yes, as a hobby. Georgia EPD says recreational panning needs no surface mining permit, and the U.S. Forest Service allows panning with a pan and small hand tools on most Chattahoochee National Forest streams. Get the owner’s permission on private streams.
Can kids pan for gold in Dahlonega?
Yes. Both mines sell child tickets: $15.95 for children 3–12 on Consolidated’s tour and $15.95 for youth 12 and under at Crisson, with the youngest children free at both (prices checked November 9, 2026).
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