The Cariboo is rich with gold history so it’s not surprising that the Quesnel Fraser Junction Recreational Panning Reserve is located right in the heart of Quesnel, BC.
As the name suggests, the Quesnel Fraser Junction Recreational Panning Reserve if focused on the confluence of the Quesnel and Fraser Rivers in the city’s downtown. This confluence is at the southern end of the panning reserve which stretches upstream on both rivers. All together, approximately 2.5 km of the Fraser River and 3.5 km of the Quesnel River on both sides are included in the panning reserve.
Of the two available arms to pan, the Quesnel River side looks much better on satellite imagery with several bars along its course including a substantial point bar at the first bend. By contrast, the Fraser River has no bars to speak of and will only reveal shoreline acreage during low flow.
If gold fever brings you to Quesnel, be sure to check out these two big gold attractions. The Annual Cariboo Gold Panning Championships is a family-friendly weekend event that occurs in Quesnel each August. And Barkerville, an impressive preserved historic town east of Quesnel that was the epicentre of the Cariboo Gold Rush.
TARGET WATERBODY
Junction of Quesnel River and Fraser River
PROOF OF GOLD
RESTRICTIONS
None known at this time.
Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada
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