Posted March 22, 2013 | Updated April 18, 2017

Gold was discovered at Lake Anna State Park during the gold rush of the 1800’s. Gold Hill was what they called the land within in the park. The Goodwin Gold Mine was located along a stretch of land by Pigeon Run, this area was a hot spot for gold diggers, and one of 23 goldmines operating in the local area.

THE LAND MADE OF GOLD

Ranger led programs demonstrate the technique of gold panning

Lake Anna State Park is a goldmine, well it sits on them anyway (three of them to be exact)

Back into the woods along Gold Hill Trail there is evidence of mining operations with sloughs and pit-like depressions. The abandoned mine shafts are up to 100 feet deep with unsteady rock walls. For your safety, we recommend a visit to the mine with interpretive staff only. 

It may be hard to imagine a gold operation without some interpretation from our rangers, so consider taking one our Gold Mine Tours offered during the summer.

If you stand on the observation deck, the sign points out the location of the water tank, boilers, a 70 horsepower steam engine, jaw crusher, and stamp mill. Each piece of equipment was used as part of the mining operation.

Tunnels were built into the hillside where veins of gold were found. A guided hike by one of our rangers, will point out the Whitehall Mine and the Vaucluse Mine. These were the two most productive mines out of the three.

OTHER DISCOVERIES

The observation deck offers views of mining activity 

In addition to gold mining, there were zinc, lead and copper mines in the local area. Not only was this another source of income, but was important during the World War I and II. The lead and zinc were extracted from the ore and transported by railroad to factories up North. The factories used the lead to make bullets and the zinc to make shell casings. A hike along Railroad Ford Trail offers plenty of interpretive information on this subject.

PANNING OUT

Try a little panning for gold on a ranger led program

Please note that this is an activity only, no gold may be removed from the park

Gold panning seems easy when you watch, but actually it isn’t. Panning during this time period required hours of bending in ice cold water with the sun beating down on the miner’s back while he tried not to spill the contents of his pan into the water. Although the modern image of a prospector is a man with a gold pan, most miners quickly set their gold pans aside in favor of other inventions.

Learn more about some of the other inventions used to find gold, such as Rockers, Long Toms, the Stamp Mill, see a gold sluice replica in Lake Anna's Visitor Center, or take a guided kayak tour down Pigeon Run. Sign up for a weekend Gold Mine Tour and maybe try a little panning for gold as well. 

PROGRAMS

Homeschool and other educational groups welcome

Programs are held Wednesday through Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day and on various weekends the rest of the year. Programs include canoe tours, panning for gold, gold mine tours, and children in nature, geo-caching and more. Click here to view park's events and interpretive programs. 

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

The park has a facility for groups interested in teaching individuals about the world around them. To enhance the experience, canoe tours are available at certain times of the year. A stream, pond, lake and forest surround the center and the outdoor classroom.

These facilities are great places to reserve for group programs. Educational groups may use Lake Anna’s Let’s Explore and Research Nature environmental education lesson plans, DCR’s Your Backyard Classrooms lessons, and park materials, equipment and grounds free of charge. Learn more here, or call the park at (540) 854-5503.

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Lake Anna State Park is very conveniently located an hour and a half from Washington, DC, only 25 miles to Fredericksburg where the Virginia Railway Express runs daily to Washington, DC. A drive of less than an hour will also get you to Richmond or Charlottesville. 

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Editor's note: Eureka we found it! The gold mining program "Stampmill Sam's Gold Adventure" is a popular park program, make sure you sign-up in advance as it is often sold out and there is a small fee to participate. The Gold Panning program is free. 

Posted March 22, 2013 | Updated April 18, 2017