Gold Panning on the Beaches of Nome, Alaska
ALLOWED
No permit required
Key Conditions
- Pans, sluice boxes, rocker boxes and high bankers need no permit, but only in the surf below mean high tide within the East and West Beach public mining areas
- State land starts at mean high tide; the beach and tundra above it are private, so mining or camping there without the owner's permission is trespass
- Any suction dredge, of any size, needs a DNR Application for Permits to Mine in Alaska (APMA), filed by May 31, plus an Alaska DEC general permit
- Sitnasuak and Bering Straits Native Corporation beach land is closed to mining, and no permits are offered
Nome beach mining at a glance
None (surf only)
Permit for pan / sluice / high banker
APMA + DEC
Permit for any suction dredge
May 31
APMA deadline
~1 ft
Average tide range
6 in / 8 in
Max dredge, West / East Beach
None
Road access
The beach you're standing on belongs to someone
The "public beach" of gold-rush legend is, legally, a strip of water. DNR's rules say state land "begins at the mean high tide level," and because Nome's average tide is only about a foot, "in order to be on state land the miner must effectively be in the water." Everything above it is private: Nome Gold Alaska Corporation, the Sitnasuak and Bering Straits Native corporations, the City of Nome and others. Setting a sluice on the dry sand, digging above the tide line or pitching a tent on the beach is trespass unless the owner has said yes, and DNR's regulations back that with ejectment, criminal trespass and treble damages for minerals taken.
In 1899 miners found gold in the sand on Nome Beach, and by 1900 upwards of 20,000 people had come to work it, according to the National Park Service. The state geological survey's own history of the rush is titled The Poor Man's Paradise, and a version of that open beach survives. The state reserves two stretches of tide and submerged land, the East Beach and West Beach public mining areas, where recreational miners don't need a claim or a lease.
What has changed is who owns the sand behind you. For a panner, the rule is simple and strict: work in the surf with a pan, sluice, rocker box or high banker, and you need no permit at all. Bring a suction dredge, of any size, and you're into a DNR permit, a DEC general permit and a stack of operating stipulations. Nome's fleet of small dredges is what reality television made famous, and DNR's own letter to would-be miners notes that two untrained miners have died offshore. If you'd rather pan somewhere you can drive to, Crow Creek Mine near Girdwood is the road-system alternative.
- Pans, sluices, rocker boxes and high bankers: surf zone below mean high tide only, no permit.
- Any suction dredge: APMA and Miscellaneous Land Use Permit required, filed by May 31.
- Dredge size caps: West Beach 6-inch intake / 23 hp; East Beach 8-inch intake / 46 hp.
- One dredge per person or company across both areas; attended at all times, no overnight anchoring.
- Minimum 75 feet between dredges and 300 feet from set nets.
- No mining within half a mile of an anadromous river mouth, and no under-ice dredging.
Source: Alaska DNR Division of Mining, Land & Water — Nome permit stipulations and offshore suction dredging FAQ
If you want to run a suction dredge at Nome
- 1
Pick the area your dredge fits
West Beach allows up to a 6-inch intake and 23 hp; East Beach up to 8 inches and 46 hp. Anything bigger can't be used in the recreation areas.
- 2
File an APMA with DNR by May 31
The Application for Permits to Mine in Alaska covers the DNR permits, including the Miscellaneous Land Use Permit. DNR warns processing takes at least three to four weeks and can take months.
- 3
Get DEC general-permit coverage
Register under the Alaska DEC suction dredge general permit for your dredge size (AKG375000 for small dredges). Add an ADF&G Fish Habitat Permit if you'll be within half a mile of an anadromous stream mouth.
- 4
Get your mining license and register your craft
Dredge operators need an Alaska mining license from the Department of Revenue, and DNR tells miners to register their craft with the U.S. Coast Guard.
- 5
Carry the stipulations with you
Spacing, set-net buffers, attendance and no-overnight-anchoring rules are permit conditions; breaking them, or trespassing, is grounds for revocation.
Where recreational panners go in Alaska
| Site | Land manager | Permit for pan/sluice? | Access | Key limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nome East & West Beach | Alaska DNR (tide/submerged land) | No | Fly-in or barge only | Surf below mean high tide only; beach above is private |
| Nome Creek Valley | BLM, White Mountains NRA | No | Steese Hwy, ~milepost 57 from Fairbanks | Hand tools and light equipment; no motorized gear without a permit |
| Crow Creek Mine, Girdwood | Private fee-dig | No (pay admission) | Road, near Anchorage | Mine's own rules and prices |
From Alaska DNR, BLM Alaska and our Crow Creek Mine page; checked 2026-09-28.
Getting to Nome and working the beach
Contact details and area rules from DNR documents; confirm current contacts before you travel.
Before you fly to Nome to pan
- Decide: pan/sluice/high banker (no permit) or dredge (APMA by May 31)
- Book lodging in town — no beach camping above the tide line
- Check the Nome tide predictions (NOAA 9468756) so you're working below mean high tide
- Pack a drysuit or waders; you'll be in the Bering Sea
- Know which stretches belong to Sitnasuak or Bering Straits Native Corporation, and stay off them
- Keep 300 feet from set nets during the June–September fishing season
Who Sets the Rules Here
- StateAlaska DNR, Division of Mining, Land & Water — Nome public mining areas (East Beach ADL 21872, West Beach ADL 233171)
State tide and submerged land seaward of mean high tide; surf-zone mining and suction-dredge permits
- State11 AAC 96 — Miscellaneous land use on state land
Recreational gold panning as a generally allowed use (11 AAC 96.020); trespass and permit-violation penalties (11 AAC 96.145)
- StateAlaska DEC — suction dredge general permits (AKG375000 small, AKG371000 medium, AKG374000 large)
Water-quality authorization for every suction dredge
- PrivateNome Gold Alaska Corporation, Sitnasuak Native Corporation, Bering Straits Native Corporation, City of Nome and other owners
The beach above mean high tide and the uplands around Nome
Permits & Licenses
| Permit | Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Surf-zone panning, sluicing, rocker box or high banker | No | No permit, application or fee, as long as the equipment is used in the surf below mean high tide inside the public mining areas. DNR is explicit that this gear may not be used "higher up on the beach." |
| APMA + Miscellaneous Land Use Permit (suction dredge) | Yes | Required for any suction dredge in the East or West Beach areas, regardless of size. Upper limits: West Beach 6-inch intake / 23 hp; East Beach 8-inch intake / 46 hp. Apply by May 31; processing takes at least 3–4 weeks and can take months. DNR's Nome offshore coordinator: (907) 269-8648. |
| Alaska DEC suction dredge general permit | Yes | Every dredger needs coverage under DEC's small (AKG375000), medium (AKG371000) or large (AKG374000) general permit. An ADF&G Fish Habitat Permit is also needed within half a mile of an anadromous stream mouth, and dredge operators need an Alaska mining license from the Department of Revenue. |
| Landowner permission (beach above mean high tide) | Yes | Needed to mine or camp anywhere above mean high tide. Sitnasuak Native Corporation says mining is prohibited on SNC and BSNC beach land and it cannot issue mining permits. |
Time & Seasonal Restrictions
- Surf zone only: at Nome's roughly 1-foot average tide range, being on state land means you're effectively standing in the water
- No mining or camping on the beach or tundra above mean high tide without the landowner's permission
- One dredge per person or company across both areas combined; dredges must be attended, with no overnight anchoring or markers left behind
- Dredges must stay at least 75 feet apart and 300 feet from set nets (500 feet for an 8-inch-plus dredge producing turbidity)
- No mining within half a mile of an anadromous river mouth, at any time of year
- No winter under-ice dredging in the recreation areas
- Don't cross into adjacent offshore leases or claims without the written permission of all their holders
Equipment Notes
- Gold pan and classifier: the no-permit option, worked right in the wash
- Sluice box or rocker box, set in the surf below mean high tide, never on the dry beach
- High banker (pump-fed), also allowed without a permit in the surf zone
- Drysuit or chest waders; the Bering Sea is cold even in summer
- Suction dredge only with an APMA, DEC permit, mining license and USCG-registered craft where applicable
What People Find Here
- Beach placer gold, the deposit that started the 1899 Nome rush when miners found gold in the beach sand
- Fine gold in the surf-zone gravels worked by recreational panners and small dredges today
- Offshore gold worked by the small suction-dredge fleet made famous by television
Penalties for Violations
← Scroll to see all columns
| Violation | Statute | Penalty |
|---|---|---|
| Mining or camping on private beach or uplands without permission | 11 AAC 96.145(a); AS 09.45.730 / 09.45.735 | Ejectment, trespass and damages actions; arrest and prosecution for criminal trespass in the second degree; treble damages where mineral resources are taken |
| Suction dredging without an APMA, or breaking permit stipulations | 11 AAC 96.145; DNR Nome permit stipulations | Permit revocation (including for trespass or aggressive behavior), civil action and possible criminal trespass charges |
| Mining on Sitnasuak or Bering Straits Native Corporation beach land | Landowner policy; state trespass law | Fines under SNC's land policy, on top of state trespass remedies |
Etiquette & Leave No Trace
- Stay below the tide line and out of the way of local set-netters, who have priority water from mid-June to mid-September
- Keep your distance from working dredges; their operators are in the water and can't see well
- Don't set up gear or tents on the dry beach, even if nobody seems to be around; someone owns it
- Backfill your surf-zone holes; the next wave won't always do it for you
- Ask before photographing working miners or their equipment
Nearby Alternatives
← Scroll to see all columns
| Site | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crow Creek Mine, Girdwood | 540 mi | Private fee-dig near Anchorage, road-accessible; you pay to pan but keep what you find |
Distances are straight-line, not driving distance.All 2 gold panning sites in Alaska
Frequently Asked Questions
Can anyone pan for gold on the beach in Nome?
Yes, with no permit, but only in the surf below mean high tide inside the East or West Beach public mining areas. DNR says pans, sluices, rocker boxes and high bankers may be used there, "but not higher up on the beach," because everything above mean high tide is privately owned.
Is the dry beach at Nome public?
No. DNR's rules say "all of the uplands at Nome are privately owned" and that anyone mining or camping on the beach or tundra above it is in trespass without the owner's permission. State land begins at the mean high tide line.
Do I need a permit for a small suction dredge in Nome?
Yes. In the East and West Beach recreation areas DNR requires an APMA for any suction dredge regardless of size, filed by May 31, plus DEC general-permit coverage. The size caps are a 6-inch intake and 23 hp at West Beach, and 8-inch and 46 hp at East Beach.
Can I camp on the beach while I pan in Nome?
Not on the beach above mean high tide without the owner's permission, and DNR notes there are no campgrounds in the immediate vicinity of the recreation areas. The City of Nome has also published a notice that camping isn't allowed on city beaches. Arrange lodging in town before you go.
Can I work a Sitnasuak or Bering Straits beach?
No. Sitnasuak Native Corporation says mining and taking minerals are prohibited on SNC and BSNC beach property, and because BSNC doesn't allow mining, SNC can't issue mining permits there.
How do I get to Nome with mining gear?
By air or sea only. DNR points out that Nome isn't connected to the road system, so all equipment has to be flown or barged in. That's a big reason most visitors bring a pan and a small sluice rather than a dredge.
Disclaimer
Information is provided for general guidance only. Regulations change frequently. Always verify current rules with the official jurisdiction before relying on this information for legal decisions. Permitted Pursuits is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Report an error.
Sources
- Alaska DNR — Suction Dredge Rules & Requirements & Permit Stipulations (Nome public mining areas)(accessed 2026-09-28)
- Alaska DNR — Nome Offshore Suction Dredging FAQ(accessed 2026-09-28)
- Alaska DNR — Nome Offshore Mining(accessed 2026-09-28)
- Alaska DNR — "Dear Gold Seeker" letter on recreational mining at Nome(accessed 2026-09-28)
- Alaska DNR — Mining Laws & Regulations (11 AAC 96.020, 96.145)(accessed 2026-09-28)
- Sitnasuak Native Corporation — Mining brochure (land and permit policy)(accessed 2026-09-28)
- NOAA Tides & Currents — Nome, AK (9468756)(accessed 2026-09-28)
- National Park Service — Cape Nome Mining District Discovery Sites(accessed 2026-09-28)
- Alaska DGGS — Cole (1983), A History of the Nome Gold Rush: The Poor Man's Paradise(accessed 2026-09-28)
- BLM Alaska — Recreation activities (Nome Creek Valley recreational gold panning area)(accessed 2026-09-28)
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