UTAH
Regulations differ depending on which federal or state agency administers the land on which you wish to pan or dredge. These agencies have maps showing the land under their jurisdiction, and land-ownership maps for the entire state can be obtained at U.S. Bureau of Land Management offices.
School & Institutional Trust Lands (formerly State Lands): You need a lease for recreational gold panning and dredging. Contact the School & Institutional Trust Lands Administration for lease information
Utah Division of Water Rights: This agency does not regulate recreational panning when conducted beneath the existing water surface of an active stream channel. Prospecting is only allowed on streams open to this type of activity (which depends on fish spawning and other factors). Contact the Utah Division of Water Rights for a list of open streams. Recreational dredging on any stream requires a permit from the Utah Division of Water Rights.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM): You need to determine if the land is open to prospecting, withdrawn from mineral entry, or already covered with mining claims. No mining can occur on withdrawn land. To obtain withdrawal and claim status, contact the BLM. Recreational dredging on any stream requires a permit from the Utah Division of Water Rights.
U.S. Forest Service (USFS): Most of the National Forests in Utah are open to prospecting, including gold panning. However, some areas within the National Forests are privately owned or already contain mining claims; therefore, you cannot prospect in these areas without permission from the owner or claimant. Additionally, other areas are closed to all types of prospecting and mining. Contact the local District Ranger’s office for information about these areas and land ownership. Recreational dredging on any stream requires a permit from the Utah Division of Water Rights. A “Notice of Intent” is required to be filed with the local District Ranger if your dredging operation might cause a disturbance of surface resources in a National Forest.
You do not need a permit for recreational gold panning on BLM or Forest Service land, as long as you follow the regulations stated above. However, recreational dredging on any stream requires a permit from the Utah Division of Water Rights. The Recreational Dredging and Sluicing Application must be filed with the Division of Water Rights and the federal land management agency (BLM or USFS) must be contacted prior to any activity or the permit will be void. With this permit, recreational dredging is only allowed for a total of 45 days during the calendar year.
U.S. Bureau of Land Management
440 West 200 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 84101
801.539.4001
email: blm_ut_so_public_room@blm.gov
U.S. Forest Service,
324 25th Street, Ogden, UT 84401
801-625-5605
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r4
School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration,
675 East 500 South, Suite 500, Salt Lake City, UT 84102,
801.538.5100
https://trustlands.utah.gov
Utah Division of Water Rights,
1594 West North Temple, P.O. Box 146300, Salt Lake City, UT 84114-6300
801.538.7240
https://waterrights.utah.gov. Updated stream prospecting regulations and permits; open stream listing.