🥇 Public panning reserve · Fraser Canyon, BC

Yale Town Recreational Panning Reserve

✓ VerifiedBritish ColumbiaHand panning
Map showing Yale Town Recreational Panning Reserve in Fraser Canyon, British Columbia
Approximate location · © Mapbox © OpenStreetMap · open in the Explore map
Latitude
49.556
Longitude
-121.434
Region
Fraser Canyon
Type
Public panning reserve

About this spot

About 750 m of Fraser River frontage at the historic gold-rush town of Yale — head of navigation during the 1858 Fraser Canyon rush. Widely regarded as one of the better free public panning reserves in BC; fine gold replenishes with the freshet.

Before you go

Hand tools only per BC recreational panning reserve rules. Steep access to the bars in places and the Fraser runs fast — use caution. Verify current reserve status and boundaries before visiting.

Source

BC Ministry of Energy and Mines recreational hand panning reserve; Tourism Hope, Cascades & Canyons (tourismhcc.ca)

Marked Verified: confirmed against an official or authoritative source at the time of writing.

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.