Skamania County Washington Gold

There are 27 lode mines and 2 placer operations listed in Skamania County as being gold producing in history of the county. The best chances to find gold bearing deposits of are McCoy Creek, Camp Creek and Quartz Creek areas.

McCoy Creek

On Mccoy Creek, in T10N R8E, in section 15 is the Hudson and Meyers Placers which were very rich. In section 10, is the Perry Mine, which was a lode gold mine in arsenopyrite. Along both sides of Camp Creek in Section 10, the Primary Gold Mine and the adjoining Bruhn Mine. Both of these produced free milling gold and platinum. The Primary Gold Mine can be accessed 4 miles by trail from end of the Niggerhead Road. In the creek bars and bench gravels, the Camp Creek placers were very productive.

Quartz Creek

On the north side of Quartz Creek, in SW 1/4 of the SE 1/4 section 7 T8N R8E, is the Plamondon Mine. You can access 3.5 miles by trail from end of road. This mine was 29 claims and produced gold in chalcedonic quartz.

Spirit Lake

Northwest of Spirit Lake, in extreme northwest corner of the county, on Black Mountain, in sections 2, 3, 10, 11 T10N R5E is the location of the Independence Mine. This mine was 6 claims that produce copper, lead, silver and minor gold. Opposite Spirit Lake is the Minnie Lee Mine, which was a lode gold with copper and silver mine. Near Grizzly Creek, probably in section 20, is the Grizzly Creek Mine. You can access this by trail. It produced lode gold with lead and silver. Northeast of spirit lake,in T10N R6E, in sections 8 and 17, is the Germania Mine. The Germania Mine was 12 claims for lode gold and copper. Near the W 1/4 corner section 16 is the Golconda Mine. You can access the Golconda mine .5 miles up Ryan Lake trail from the Green River Trail.

Stevenson

Northwest of Stevenson, in E 1/2 section 25 T4N R5E, is the Texas Gulch Placer, which was very productive.

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