Hello Charles, Unfortunately in an area steeped in gold mining and gold history, there are no GPAA claims. 
Everything listed in the mining guide in NC is a pay to dig site like the Lucky Strike Mine, Thermal City Gold Mine, Vein Mtn Gold and Emerald Mine, just to mention a few. Most of these do offer a 10% discount to GPAA/LDMA members.
Contact the local chapters, like you are planning, as they may have local areas or claims they have access to. There are 3 chapters in NC, they are listed in the community and chapters section.
As far as what you can bring to GPAA claims, besides your member cards and mining guide, it all depends on the claim. When you get your guide, each claim will have displayed at the top of the page what type of mining equipment is allowed on the claim.
And no if you go to a claim you don't have to be a member of any chapter, unless owned or established by a local chapter, GPAA claims are not chapter specific.
I hope this helps.
Paul
Also the LDMA has a community dig at the Vein Mtn Camp in NC the first week of June, GPAA members can pay to join in on the fun for a 3 or 5 day period, which includes a split of the gold done by draws at the end of the dig. You can contact the office for more details. It should also explain the digs in the mining guide.