By editor
Madison County
In 1863, prospectors retreating from a hostile encounter with the Crow tribe stumbled upon gold in Alder Creek. It was the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains. The gold in the gravels had eroded from quartz veins high in the Madison Range. Alder Gulch eventually produced up to one hundred million dollars in gold, fueling the rise of Virginia City.
Visitor Access
Virginia City is a state-owned historic site open year-round, though the adjacent Nevada City operates from Memorial Day through September. Visitors can pay a fee to pan for gold in designated troughs using provided gravel, and whatever heavy yellow flakes you find are yours to keep. The fourteen-mile gulch itself is a sprawling outdoor museum of massive dredge tailings.