La Porte Placer District

Originally settled as 'Rabbit Creek' in 1850, La Porte became one of the most famous hydraulic and drift mining districts in the Northern Sierra. The district targeted a highly productive Tertiary river channel (the La Porte channel) containing heavy deposits of coarse gold.

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Record typeghost town

LocationLa Porte (formerly Rabbit Creek), Plumas County

Probability indexMedium

Land statusPlumas National Forest / Private Properties (Allowed for mineral panning on open USFS land, respect claims)

Research coordinates39.6821, -120.9841

SourceCalifornia Division of Mines and Geology Bulletin 193 (La Porte District)

Field Research Notes

Gold panning and metal detecting are permitted in open, unpatented sections of the Plumas National Forest surrounding La Porte. Always verify that you are not on active mining claims by checking the BLM LR2000 database. Respect private property lines inside the townsite.

Recommended Gear

Dry washer or sluice box, Gold pan, Shovel, BLM Claim Maps

Related ghost towns

Columbia Placer District ghost town · Columbia State Historic Park, Tuolumne County · High probability
Known as the 'Gem of the Southern Mines,' Columbia was established in 1850. Placer miners discovered gold trapped in a labyrinth of limestone karst formations. Miners used high-pressure water hoses to wash away the.