I have prospected in three locations in the Bradshaw Mountains, and of all the club claims, this area seems the one where I find the most placer.This area in Yavapai county is famous for gold mining, both hard rock and placer.
Many a 49er on his way back east after the gold rush in California topped there and wound up mining the area. The Bradshaws were first scoured in 1863. Lynx Creek was very rich in certain areas, and successful prospectors recovered an ounce or more per day; word spread and additional miners came to work the area.
Whether you find gold nuggets is a matter of some luck, but I panned a couple small nuggets. Most of what I find is placer flake. But where as I can get skunked in Arizona at some claims, I have always been able to bring home a bit of small gold from the arroyos that drain the high elevations.
Groom Creek is south of Prescott near the town of Groom Creek. It flows southwesterly until it intercepts the Hassayampa River. Since it appears Groom Creek as named starts west of Groom Creek, it is 6 miles by vehicle to Prescott. It is said that the area is good for placer. All manner of amenities are available there. There is also camping.
Five miles south of Prescott the creek joins the Hassayampa. The gold districts within the Bradshaw range are among the most productive placers in the state. Gold districts in this area include Lynx Creek, Big Bug Creek (majority of historical mining), upper Hassayampa River, Groom Creek, Black Canyon, Poland Creek, Blind Indian, Milk and others. There are many gulches running off the Hassayampa and many have placer. The key area for finding gold is bounded by McCabe, Humboldt and Mayer, however there are lots of gulches without name.
I have prospected south of Crown King Mine off of Castle Hot Springs Road. In addition to having placers, the area is one of the prettiest in Arizona. It's lush and green with wild burros frequently seen. You will find the creeks running after the rains, but that ends fairly soon with puddles remaining. After the puddles have stood for awhile, the insects can get pretty thick so bring some bug spray. But having said that, puddles don't last long in Arizona. Many gold prospecting websites claim this is the place to go in Arizona for the amateur prospector. I would agree. I enjoy a couple other areas, but since this note is to focus on the "best" place to go, I would say that the Bradshaw Mountains in Yavapai County, Arizona is the spot you want to try.
For a great history of the Bradshaw Mountain Area, check this site out - http://bradshawmountains.com/history.htm
For mine locations, see http://hhengineering.com/ARIZONAGOLD.htm
Photo from Wikipedia attributed to I, Murderbike -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradshaw_Mountains#/media/File:Bradshaw_Mts..JPG
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