About this spot
Designated recreational panning reserve on the Fraser River around its confluence with the Thompson at Lytton — ground zero of the 1858 gold rush. Gravel bars here still give up fine gold and the odd small picker.
Before you go
Hand pans and shovels only. The village of Lytton is still rebuilding after the 2021 wildfire and local access points have changed — verify current status and access before visiting.
Source
Reported BC recreational panning reserve (community documentation, e.g. acrockofschmidt.com Lytton Reserve Site 2); not re-confirmed against a current official map
Marked Unverified: publicly documented, but not re-confirmed against a current official source — treat the status and boundaries as unconfirmed until you check.
This guide is general information for recreational prospectors — it is not legal advice. Mining, land-access, and environmental regulations change and vary site by site. Always verify the current rules with the official sources linked above before heading out, obtain permission from private landowners and mineral-claim holders, and respect First Nations rights, settlement lands, and treaty areas — some lands require permission or are closed to panning entirely.