I want to go gold prospecting in a national forest in california. Is it legal?

Question

I want to go gold prospecting in a national forest in california. Is it legal?

Answer 1

If you mean dig up land and look for gold, then no.

California or the Federal Govt. owns the land and most likely the mineral rights. (Land and mineral rights to the land are 2 different things and sometimes have separate ownership)

So anything found in the ground belongs to California/Federal Govt or whoever owns the mineral rights.

(Unless they allow people to do little the water filter thing, you cannot go digging up a national forest)