Jefferson Lake Recreation Area is a great area for camping, picnicking, fishing, and hiking. Campgrounds include: Aspen, Lodgepole, and Jefferson Creek. For backpacking and day hiking, the Colorado Trail passes through the area on its way to Georgia Pass, and the Jefferson Lake and Jefferson Loop trails also offer day hikers options for long or short walks.

We feel we are selling more than the gold and minerals on beautiful land.

You would be acquiring an experience that will give you a good feel for what the old time prospectors must have felt during the days of the original Colorado Gold Rush.

A mining claim is an affordable way to enjoy the beauty of the land combined with the adventure of panning for gold.

Owning a mining claim is having access to a lifetime of great family fun and recreation, in a very beautiful, natural setting.

See the Buying Process further down this listing on how to purchase my claim with my owner financing.

See maps and satellite views with the top pictures.

Click on the top picture then arrow right to all those.

This area known as South Park is an all season area for outdoor activities in a valley surrounded by the Rocky Mountains.

Is about 45 minutes east of the town of Fairplay.

Is about an hour southeast of the cool resort town of Breckenridge.

Park County is where the show Gold Rush filmed for a season.

National Forests remained open at all times during the virus with a televised invitation by the Director for families to visit them as safe places for family recreation, making our mining claims some of the safest places for your family to enjoy and get away from all the nonsense.

Being in a valley surrounded by mountains, annual winter snow runoff brings down gold and gems into French Creek.

Beautifully forested area of pines and aspens.

The bends in the creek make for excellent gold catching areas.

Beautiful Jefferson Lake has a boat ramp for boating, and the lake is known for excellent fishing.

This claim lies within Colorados historically rich, mineral belt.

The largest nugget unearthed from this area and possibly all of Colorado, was discovered just north of our claim. It weighs an exceptional 9.3 pounds and is referred to as Toms Baby. This Nugget is the centerpiece of the Denver Museum of Nature and Science Mineral Collection, and can still be viewed and enjoyed today at the museum.

Rockhounding in Colorado

Starting with the rich gold and silver deposits which were the starting point of so many Colorado towns, the Centennial State, with over 770 types of minerals to be found, is second only to California in the number of different gems and minerals statewide.

Colorado is also host to a dizzying array of rocks and minerals. Some of the higher profile include dinosaur fossils.

Colorado can certainly be considered a rockhound and gem hunters dream.

The vast mountains of national forests gives one a newfound sense of exploration and discovery.

This claim is less than an hour from where the TV show Gold Rush was filmed on location at the Todd Hoffman mining claim near Fairplay.

Park County has miles of ATV and snowmobile trails to add to your mining claim experience.

Another good sign for our claims here are the other experienced prospectors who have claims in this area before us.

The discovery of gold in 1859 brought thousands of prospectors to this exact area.

A new mining camp called Fair Play was established. Be a part of your own gold prospecting journey in having your own mining claim as those who came before you.

It is a little known fact that Park County contains the highest gold and silver mines in North America. It also contains some of the highest historic ranches and a wealth of historic railroad sites. Some working ranches in the region provide accommodations and access to private fishing. Visitors who take advantage of Park Countys attractions do so in a beautiful mountain area that has remained relatively unchanged for more than 100 years.

BUYING PROCESS:

To purchase my claim, the process would be, I would need your name(s) and mailing address, and which payment option you choose, where I would scan and email you a signed contract.

Total price of $3500, that can be paid in one full payment where your ownership is then transferred after receiving payment,

or $3500, paying $1750 first month, and $1750 2nd month,

or $3500, paying $1500 first month, $1000 2nd month, and $1000 3rd month,

or $3500, paying $700 per month for 5 months,

or $3500, paying $500 per month for 7 months,

or $3750. paying $375 per month for 10 months.

A $199 deed processing fee is paid with final payment.

After receiving your final payment, your ownership of the 20 acre claim will be legally recorded with the Bureau of Land Management and Park County.

French Creek is a trout fishing creek,

See the Park County fishing map with the pictures.

Besides gold, this area is also known for having precious and semi-precious gemstones, including the state named gemstone aquamarine, and gems such as fluorite, turquoise, crystals, opals, topaz, amethyst, and smoky quartz.

I am a retired teacher, and got into prospecting as a hobby with my family.

I am 74 and my wife 71 and we have gained the experience to select the best areas to locate claims.

If within one year you are not satisfied with your claim, you can trade for another comparable claim, just paying the BLM and County transfer fees which will be about $125.

Claim buyer will also receive a new, free, Gold Panning Kit:

One 14 inch Gold Trap pan; One 10.5 inch Gravity Trap pan, One combination sifter/classifier with 7/16 of an inch exit holes, One Gold Guzzler snuffer bottle, One Tweezers/ Magnifying Glass combo tool.

Mining Claims as an investment: if you purchase a claim from us, at no charge, I would help you if you ever decided to sell in the future.

Mining Claims are a great investment, as claims go up in value over time, just as land does.

Gold and gems discovered in our own prospecting long with the beauty of the area, makes for awesome camping and prospecting.

There are no more areas on Jefferson Creek to locate a claim.

Owning a mining claim is having access to a lifetime of great family fun and recreation, in a very beautiful, natural setting.

This is a 20 acre unpatented, gold mining placer claim, the French Creek Gold #3, with the beautiful French Creek running thru the claim, in the Rocky Mountains, and the Pike National Forest.

The claim is legally registered with the Bureau of Land Management out of Lakewood, CO and Park County. You own the mineral rights, not sharing with others, on the 20 acres, and use your 20 acres recreationally for camping and prospecting in an awesome, beautiful area.

For any building like a shed, you need to file a Plan of Operation with the BLM for approval. For anything to live in, you would need to file a Plan of Operation with the BLM for approval, and to be considered, you would need to have developed a full-time mining operation.

For the possibility of constructing any building you for others could live in, you need to file a Plan of Operation with the BLM for approval, showing you have developed a full-time operation performing diligent mining.

You do not need a plan, permission nor a permit to camp and prospect.

You do not need to be a full time prospector to file a Plan for a shed type structure.

With an approved BLM Plan of Operation, a building can be built on the land: any building that benefits and improves the claim.

As stated by the BLM, this can be the "construction of a building, road, fence, or enclosure necessary for mining."

Current usage, is what the BLM calls, Casual Use: panning, shovel, rock hammer, metal detector, creek powered sluice box, where no permission nor permit is needed to camp and prospect.

On our visits to the claim, we gathered in and around the creek, approx. 1/8 of an ounce of gold, being worth about $225. As the BLM does not specify the amount of gold to be found to locate a claim other than gold needs to be discovered, we use this amount for a 20 acre claim as a projection of good gold potential. Someone with more time may find more. Gold prices are over $2500/ounce. Though we could never guarantee what you will find, we did locate this claim in an historically rich area for gold prospecting.

Gold in just years has gone up over $500 per ounce.

You are allowed to post No Trespassing for Prospecting signs in and around the claim.

A mining claim owner may limit or restrict public recreational use of/or public access across claims or portions of claims that are actively used for prospecting, mining, or processing operations where public recreational use of a claim would endanger or materially interfere with legitimate mining pursuits.

Camp on your claim or nearby national forest campgrounds.

A claim owner does not need permission nor a permit to camp and prospect.

You can prospect as little or as much as you like.

Now that we have located the claims, you never have to declare to the BLM any gold or gems you find.

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20 acres = 660 ft. x 1320 ft.

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With 14,000-foot peaks, a rolling and colorful river valley, mining history, twisting and ancient bristlecone pine and abundant wildlife, Colorado's Park County is one of the state's most beautiful designated heritage areas and is home to the towns of FairPlay, Alma, and Jefferson.

One of the favorite Centennial State drives sweeps drivers from atop Kenosha Pass and swoops them down into the South Park valley, where they find a delightful contrast of green ranchland, oxbowed creeks and soaring, snowcapped mountain summits.

The term South Park was first used in the 1840s by hunters and trappers who traversed the Rocky Mountains. Ten years later, word spread across America of three successful gold strikes in Colorado (Check out Colorado Ghost Towns for other Gold Rush-era relics). Fortune seekers flocked to the area and gold camps sprang up overnight. From 1860-1863, Park County boasted $1.5 million in gold extraction. By the 1880s the area was known for its mineral springs, hunting, fishing and wildflower meadows.

Perched high in the Rockies, Park County is a microcosm of Western and natural history. Averaging 9,000 feet in elevation, this compelling region is home to the nation's highest town, ranches, gold mines, mountain passes, and Ute encampments.

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This claim has direct legal road access on a good Forest Service Road, with camping, and gold and gems discovered in surface prospecting.

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A transfer of ownership is a sale of legal, exclusive ownership of a mining claim site. To be a legally recorded claim, gold had to be found on the claim, which was completed by me, as I am the original claim locator.

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Your ownership is legally conveyed via a Quit Claim deed, and legally recorded with the BLM and Park County. A Quit Claim deed is the required legal document per the BLM. Each year, on or before September 1st, you need to file a simple form with the Bureau of Land Management, along with $200. By doing this, you keep the claim forever.

You can also pay online with the BLM by credit card.

I have paid the fee for the new claim year, not due again until September 1, 2025.

There are no taxes on mining claims in Park County.

You must be a current US citizen with a US address to own a mining claim in the US.

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An unpatented mining claim is a specific parcel of federal land, valuable for a specific mineral deposit or deposits. It is a parcel for which an individual has asserted a legal right of possession and the right to develop and extract a discovered, valuable, mineral deposit.

Mining claims are real property that you can buy, sell, or inherit. After proving the existence of valuable minerals on the land, the claim is legally recorded with the Bureau of Land Management and Park County.

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The French Creek Gold #3 is an unpatented, gold placer mining claim, ideally situated on French Creek, surrounded by beautiful Rocky Mountain ranges.

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Your 20 acres is the West 1/2 of the SE 1/4 of the SE 1/4 of Section 20, Township 7 South, Range 76 West, 6th Prime Meridian, known as the French Creek Gold #3 mining claim, in the Rocky Mountains.

BLM claim number: CO106391572

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:

8 miles north of the town of Jefferson,

to north onto County Road 35 (also known as Michigan Creek Road),

slight right on Michigan Creek Rd

Turn left to stay on Michigan Creek Rd,

Turn right to stay on Michigan Creek Rd, the claim road,

Then using GPS coordinates below and maps on the listing to the claim.

And is about 25 miles northeast of the quaint mountain town of Fairplay.

GPS Coordinates:

French Creek Gold #3

NW 39.4240, -105.9044

NE 39.4240, -105.9018

SW 39.4206, -105.9044

SE 39.4206, -105.9018

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The claim location monument has a 4 foot wooden post near the river, with copy of Location Notice attached, as required by the State of Colorado.

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The creek on the claim is a unique advantage for gold prospecting.

Gold always occurs in gravels in the metallic state and when so found has various physical characteristics. Gold is dense and heavy, it has a characteristic metallic color, and it is soft and easily malleable (it is easily formed by hammering). These are the characteristics used by prospectors to identify gold in the field.

Placer gold occurs on the claim as small grains derived from gossan formed by weathering, and oxidation of the gold, copper and iron rich veins. Gold also occurs as grains flakes and small nuggets derived from the erosion of mineralized fault zones on, and upstream from the claim.

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Additional Features:

Several National Forest campgrounds to choose from.

Year round French Creek on the claim for panning.

Fishing in the creek.

Beautiful Rock specimens for you Rock Hounds

Located in one of the most beautiful mountain areas in the US.

National Forest Service Fee Area. Access to this area and facilities requires payment of a $5 entry fee at the entry guard station or un-manned kiosk.

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The Federal Government owns the land.

You own the mineral rights, including gold and gems on the claim, as real property, being the same legal ownership as for land and homes.

Prospect, explore, on the whole 20 acres.

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BUYING PROCESS:

To purchase my claim, the process would be, I would need your name(s) and mailing address, and which payment option you choose, where I would scan and email you a signed contract.

Total price of $3500, that can be paid in one full payment where your ownership is then transferred after receiving payment,

or $3500, paying $1750 first month, and $1750 2nd month,

or $3500, paying $1500 first month, $1000 2nd month, and $1000 3rd month,

or $3500, paying $700 per month for 5 months,

or $3500, paying $500 per month for 7 months,

or $3750. paying $375 per month for 10 months.

A $199 deed processing fee is paid with final payment.

After receiving your final payment, your ownership of the 20 acre claim will be legally recorded with the Bureau of Land Management and Park County.

The quit claim deed is the correct document to be recorded for a mining claim, as stated by the BLM. This is not a sharing with others of your 20 acre claim.

We live in Ohio. Our connection to Colorado is our daughter lives in Denver, though she is not involved with our claims. We visited her in September, then went to prospect and locate mining claims, as we have been doing for a number of years.

And just a note of encouragement for you if purchase:

My wife and I have located, prospected on, and sold mining claims in

California, Colorado, & Arizona, for 30 years.

You can trust we will process your notarized deeds correctly and quickly.

In that mining claims are processed thru the Bureau of Land Management, a Federal Govt. agency, not following thru per our legally signed contract, would be a federal crime. I certainly will do what I say, and would never put myself nor my wife in any legal jeopardy.

Also, we have sold properties on 3 sites online for over 25 years:

Landwatch, LandsofAmerica, and LandandFarm.

Our continued good status on these sites is due to our always following thru, as just one time we would not, we would not be allowed to sell on these sites ever again.

COMMENTS FROM SATISFIED CLAIM BUYERS:

"Living in Colorado, the purchase of our mining claim from you has been great for family fun and recreation. We have camped overnight a number of times, and panned for gold in the creek. We were even able to find gold flakes on several of our attempts. Thank you so much!."

I'm looking forward to having some time on the mining claim.

We used to go camping 4-6 weeks out of the year.

Even though I realize this is a retirement business for you. I wanted to say thank you for giving so many people over the years the opportunity to purchase your claims. I've seen them available for a long time, but never had the opportunity to purchase anything. They have probably brought many smiles to so many people. It will be the same for us.

"We purchased 2 mining claims from Michael Leu over the last 2 years, one in California, and one In Colorado. We have been to our claims on several occasions, and we could not be happier! They are exactly as described, and our camping on our claims and prospecting in the creek on each claim is the highlight of our vacations. You can trust Mr. Leu. If you are looking for a great time in the awesome beauty of the west, buying a mining claim from Mr. Leu will be a blessing."