The Georgia Gold Rush and Where to Pan Today
The gold story, and the museum and mines around Dahlonega and Helen where you can still try for gold.
The short answer
Georgia's gold rush was the first major one in the United States, ahead of California's by about two decades, and it turned Cherokee land into mining country. You can see the story at a state museum, pan for gold at working attractions and, in October, join the town's biggest festival. The history itself, including who may have found the first gold, is on our gold rush history page.
27 mi
about 43 minutes
7 days
open daily, see hours below
$24.95
adults, Consolidated
Where to go
Hours and prices checked October 2026
| Place | Where | Hours | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dahlonega Gold Museum | 1 Public Square, Dahlonega; 706-864-2257 | Mon to Sat 9 AM to 4:45 PM; Sun 10 AM to 4:45 PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. | Adults $10; seniors $7.50; youth 6 to 17 $7; 6 and under $3.50 |
| Crisson Gold Mine | 2736 Morrison Moore Pkwy E, Dahlonega; 706-864-6363 | Open 7 days, 10 AM to 6 PM, rain or shine. Open most holidays except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. | Gold panning and gem mining with instruction; see the website for prices |
| Consolidated Gold Mine | 185 Consolidated Gold Mine Rd, Dahlonega | Mon to Fri 10 AM to 4 PM, Sat and Sun 10 AM to 5 PM. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; Christmas Eve 10 AM to 1 PM. | Underground tour: adults $24.95; ages 3 to 12 $15.95; 2 and under free. Gold panning from $60; gem mining from $30. |
| Dukes Creek Ruby and Gold Mines | Near Helen; 706-878-2625 | Open April through October, limited hours of about 10:30 AM to 5 PM; weather dependent, so call first | Panning and gem mining with instruction; see the website for prices |
Websites: Dahlonega Gold Museum, Crisson Gold Mine, Consolidated Gold Mine and Dukes Creek Ruby and Gold Mines.
What each stop is like
Dahlonega Gold Museum
It's in the 1836 Lumpkin County Courthouse, one of the oldest courthouse buildings in Georgia, and tells the gold rush story with exhibits and a film. Start here for context.
Crisson Gold Mine
Established in 1969, it offers gold panning and gem mining with instructors, a self-guided open-air museum of historic mining equipment and a rock and mineral shop.
Consolidated Gold Mine
A 40-minute tour goes 20 stories underground, with panning instruction and a gold sample. Weekday mornings between 10 and noon can be crowded with school groups.
Dukes Creek Ruby and Gold Mines
The nearest to Helen. You can pan enriched ore and hunt for gems with staff instruction. The operator calls it the site of Georgia's first major gold rush; historians say no one knows where the first gold was found.
Panning at these attractions uses ore supplied by the operator, so you're guaranteed the experience, not a fortune. Dress for water and weather.
This month in Dahlonega
| Date | Event | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 17 and 18, 2026 | Gold Rush Days Festival | Public Square, Dahlonega. Opens 9 AM both days. Arts, crafts and food vendors, live music, a Saturday morning 5K, contests like hog calling, pie eating and cross-cut sawing, and the Gold Rush Parade Saturday at 3 PM. |
| Thursdays, Oct 8 to Nov 5, 2026 (plus Sundays Oct 25 and Nov 1) | Crime and Punishment Historical Walking Tour | 2 to 3 PM from the Gold Museum. Bank robberies, gunfights, moonshining and jail breaks. $5 per person. |
Festival details at goldrushdaysfestival.com. Gold Rush Days is the third full weekend of October and draws big crowds, so arrive early.
Planning the day
Dahlonega is about 27 miles and 45 minutes from downtown Helen. A good day starts at the Gold Museum, moves to a mine for panning, and ends with lunch on the square. Pair it with the Dahlonega Appalachian Jam on a Saturday in season. For more local history, see the Nacoochee Valley's Cherokee history and ghost stories.
Related Imagery from Around Helen
