Reed Gold Mine in
Midland (NC)

I was very shocked to see how big the park is.. it was very beautiful. The gold mind walk through was the best part. Very reasonable pricing.. the museum part was very informative. I would make reservations to do the panning and tour part. There’s nothing on the website that was never mentioned the tour and panning is not available between 12-1pm.. we asked why and the worker stated bc they take lunch between that time.. however there are staffing shortages..

The mine was really cool to see and the hiking trails around the mine was really great. We tried the gold mining but that was a dud. 6 of us mines but didnt get anything. It was still really fun for the kids to try. It’s too far out there so if you are interested in the history, check it out.

Awesome experience. You will learn about the history and also look the actual site. There is a small store and restroom on site. Parking area is unpaved. There are small trails. Self guided tour is available. Volunteers are knowledgeable.

Highly recommend this free activity! There is a self guided tour through the mine as well as a fun museum. There is also a gold panning activity for about $5 where you might find a real gold fleck!

We had a picnic at the picnic tables. Walked through the exhibit, walked the ungrounded mine and panned for gold. The whole thing cost $5 it was a great time.

Fun time. Enjoyed the tour & the museum. To hot to pan because of heat index (112°F to 115°F) the day we were there. So we bought home a panning kit and some extra pay dirt, worked it at home in the A/C and we found some small pieces of gold.

Good, BUT... Don't let the employees at the panning sleuths help you! My father and grandmother brought my 3 kids (age 2, 4, 5) to Reed's for a fun and educational day out to pan for gold. Obviously, we did not expect to find anything, but the hope is always there. The experience was what we were after. Thunderstorms were off in the distance, but rolling in, so we were made aware the panning was closing and we needed to hurry, BUT we had just gotten there and we're ok to finish. Everything was going well until an older man on crutches comes over (employee) and asks if we'd like assistance with our panning. He seemed pretty insistent. I don't know anything about it, so I said, "Sure, I guess." He literally took my pan and sloshed it out and dumped the entire thing in the water in less than 30 seconds, and then- literally - tossed the pan to the dirt behind him (NO exaggerating). He then proceeds to do the same thing to my 82 year old Grandmother and 4 year old son (handing the pan to somwonw else this time). THEN he does the same to my Dad and 2 year old daughter! At this point I was extremely upset and told him although we aren't here for the gold we ARE here for the experience so I asked him for my empty pans back so I could dig the mud out of the basin that he just dumped and let my son try panning since his had been taken away. He tries to hurry us up because of the thunder (which I DO understand, but again- our pans had literally been sloshed, dumped, and taken). A woman gave us my grandma's pan and I dig up the mud to let my oldest son try again, and the man proceeds to try and take it AGAIN. He slops out 3/4 of the pan and I tell him, please give it back. My son had it for less than 30 seconds before he took it again to continue trying to slosh & dump. We literally spotted gold in that pan 5 seconds later (he insisted on getting the nugget out of the pan instead of letting us do it). He kept making cracks about how my daughter was crying and how she was 'ready to leave and over it' to which I replied, "no, she wanted to pan for gold and it got taken." He actually told us that "even if he does see small specks of gold he never tells anyone because it's not worth the trouble getting it out of the dirt and dumps it." TOTAL, we were at the panning area maybe 10-15 minutes before being asked to leave. We got to pan by ourselves maybe 4-5 minutes of that. UNPLEASANT experience panning and would NOT recommend it if this man is there or if anyone tries to "help" you. The museum, trails, mines and picnic area were all really nice! I would have absolutely rated 5 STARS if it weren't for a family experience being almost ruined.

Great time, I was surprised just how large the park is. Well maintained and awesome experience, free to enter and explore as it’s a state park, there is the option to do a guided tour for like $2.00 which is a steal! The mine is super cool, it was 97* out and inside the mine was 60* if you come on a cool day bring a jacket if you’re sensitive, also due to humidity and the level of the water table the mine does have water that drips from the ceiling so plan accordingly bring a hat at minimum. Lots of areas for picnics and just to relax with the fam. The museum is awesome as well with many display pieces and cool information.

My sister came up for a visit from out of town and her kids wanted to see Americas first Gold Mine. We got there mid afternoon and went into to Welcome Center. The staff in the front were very friendly and helpful. We first went and watched the video explaining the history of the mine. Once that ended we did a self guided tour through the goldmine. It was a short walk there and very hot outside. As soon as we got near the mine you could feel a nice cool blast of air coming out of the mine. It was quite interesting to walk through and see all the old shafts and mining equipment. After exploring the goldmine we walked a little around the trail which was interesting but really hot outside so we went back to the Exhibit Area. Unfortunately we wanted to try panning for gold but it was closed due to the extreme heat. Hopefully next time we visit it will be open and we can experience all the park has to offer.

Very interesting. Neat museum with artifacts and information on gold mining in the US. Spent some time walking through the trails just before the museum opened and was able to see plenty of nature including turtles, squirrels and birds. It was beautiful. The coolest part was being able to see explore the underground mine.

I've brought my kids here a couple times to try and do something outside of the normal weekends while going through the daily grind of work and Summer days. For a little state park, it it very interesting and packs a lot of value for the limited cost. There's a mine you can walk through, which is amazing when its 100° outside. The entrance starts blowing crisp cool air as you walk through the entrance. It's wet, damp, and smells of fresh earth. It's surprising. There are a lot of informative displays in the museum with geology information. There are also a bunch of displays about gold, gold products, and history of the gold mine itself. Outside, there is a place to pan for gold. Don't expect a large nugget, but its not impossible to find one. Nuggets are very small when found, though. They sell gold nuggets in the help center if you really need one and don't find one while panning. You can also purchase pans and dirt in the visitor center. There are walking trails where you can follow around the estate and find a recreation of a mill, the mansion hill, and the reed graveyard. The staff are all helpful, kind, and willing to answer any question you might have. Take the time and visit this place to learn something new, experience something different, and spend time with your family to make a memory.

Lots of interesting history. Very beautiful walk through the grounds. Underground mine was very surreal. Free except for a couple of activities. It's worth the drive. Great staff.

This was a great place to stop! Very interesting history and it was cool to be able to walk through the mine! Just a heads up, if you don’t like bats, don’t go in the mine. We went in and saw 2 within a minute of being in the mine! We asked one of the workers and he said they estimate the mine to have anywhere around 30 of them! The trail was an easy walk, but make sure to grab a map first! They also had panning which was a neat little activity.

An absolute treasure. Ive been coming here since I was a child and my father would bring me and we would do the flume mine and get tiny bits of gold! Now I get to bring my son and show him the beauty of this place and the history and enjoy everything with him :) I highly recommend coming here if you ever have the time or the chance. It’s FREE!! And they have an amazing museum in the front shop that tells you all about how gold was discovered there and how gold has played an important role in society over the centuries!

Nice location and property. The majority of the location is free and there are exhibits to review and trails to explore along with various stops, including the mine. Worth a visit and especially great for kids.

Incredible trail throughout the property, informative museum/gift shop, and really fun opportunities for educational activities. Self guided tours of the grounds are very easy to navigate, especially with the free maps and guides provided. Staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The facility provides all-terrain handicap options that will reach most areas of trails, but not all areas. The gold panning area is -not- free, however you can purchase tickets at the information desk in order to participate and maybe even find gold! Plenty of places to picnic around the grounds. Plenty of trails to hike, or leisurely walk about. Plenty of history to educate yourself. Today was our second-ever visit, and I know there will be more!!

I can't believe it took me 13 years living in Charlotte to visit this place! Totally free to visit the mine. It is self-guided, and was empty when we arrived. $5 to pan for gold. The dirt is from the stream next to the mine. I came with my 2 kids, and 2 of us got a tiny flake of real gold! This is not like the "gem mines" where they "salt" the bags of dirt with gemstones. The guy was very helpful explaining how to pan for gold, and gave us free containers for the gold flakes. There is also a small museum which is also FREE!

We visited Reed Gold Mine on a sunny and warm Friday afternoon. My wife had been wanting to explore this historic attraction for years and we finally took the 40 minute minute drive from Charlotte. We’re happy we did! Upon entering the visitor’s center, we were immediately impressed by friendly employees who explained what we could expect and the best way to explore the grounds and property. We opted for the self-guided tour which worked out great for us because we like to take our time and ingest everything at a slow pace. There is a very informative short film that explains the history of the mine and everything it entails, a large and well laid out museum, and gift shop all within the visitor’s center. Surprisingly, the entire experience is free! We did, however, pay a small fee of $4.50 per person so that we could pan for gold afterwards. You can also pay a small amount for a guided tour if you choose. We walked a beautiful outdoor path, through blossoming trees and a creek to the mine itself. It was quite astonishing. Had I known what to expect, I would’ve come here sooner! Entering the mine proper was like taking steps backwards in time. We could barely imagine the hard labor that people endured almost 200 years to create this mine and dig for gold. Hint: Although it was in the high 70’s outdoors, it was easily 30 degrees cooler in the mine. After exiting the mine, we walked the well marked paths to explore other parts of the property which included a mill house and a pump house (I think). We then went to gold panning site for our 2:00 p.m. appointment and were greeted by two kind young men who gave us thorough instructions on how to properly pan for gold. After I immediately forgot and disregarded their instructions, one of the young men came over to reiterate and show me what I was doing wrong. And then…I found gold! ? My precious gold flake was placed into a small vial, filled with water, for safe keeping. We were informed that 1 out of 10 guests find gold. I found some and wasn’t even paying attention! Imagine what I could’ve found had I been a more attentive student! ? We highly recommend this experience. It was unique and like no other. The mine was incredible and offers some unique photo experiences, as well as an opportunity to cool off on a hot day.

This experience was fantastic. The museum was the best we'd seen regarding gold. Great displays and explanations. Being able to actually walk the mine was super cool. The guide sheet was informative. Doing our own panning was fun as well. I didn't find any gold in my pan. I'd be interested in paying more for more dirt to sift through. We actually purchased one of the kits with a small pack of dirt at the gift shop and it contained a surprising amount of gold we found once we got home!

Reed gold mine is an excellent little place to visit. Historic first discovery of gold in America. The mine and grounds are free and self guided. You can go in a real mine, see how the ore was refined and later processed. Plenty of trails and picnic areas. Neat little museum showing off different mining implements and different uses for gold. Gift shop is very reasonably priced and gold panning was fun for only 3 dollars. Absolutely fun and cheap place to take the kids.

Took my kids we had a great time walking the trails and exploring the mine. Very informative exhibits in the main building with a small gift shop. We also tried our hand at some gold panning all around fun time and it's extremely cheap. I would recommend taking snacks and drinks.

Very interesting place! Full of education ! About the hard work of the mine workers and how had work that industry in the past! The mines trip is a real experience under the surface of the ground! That way you can realize that is the sun that warms the earth not the planet his self! Immediately you are at the front of the entrance temperature starts to change! It’s incredible!

Great place to spend a few hours. The only charge is for the optional gold panning. The visitor center offers a 10 minute video about the site and the discovery of gold in North Carolina. The exhibits are extensive and educational. The underground tour is an easy level walk though it ends with stairs. The stairs lead up to additional points of interest on the grounds. There are also some trails on the extensive grounds. On the downside the entrance road is in bad condition.

Enjoyed this a lot. Most of the museum is free. You have to pay for gold panning. The employee who taught us how to pan was very nice as was the front desk staff. There are a lot of picnic tables. The trails are nice and well maintained as is the mine and museum. The only thing that could be improved is that the bathrooms could use some maintenance/cleaning.

We had a blast! The trails are beautiful. The staff are so friendly! 10⭐️ to the staff! Management should encourage tipping!! Shame on you management!! The tour guide and the guys at the panning station didn’t get any tips. I gave the guy at the panning station a tip and he didn’t know what to do with himself! He said, “what’s this? You can pay inside.” He told me they had never been tipped. WHAT?! Every tour guide gets tipped! They set us up for mining, gave instructions, checked on everyone, helped so many people, then cleaned up after everyone. Admission is free, but the tour and mining cost. The museum is also free. The mining was $3 and worth it. So fun! PLEASE TIP THE STAFF HERE! ?? The tunnels were cool. The trails are beautiful. There are picnic tables and benches everywhere. Everything was very clean. I’ll definitely go back!

This place is free! What a wealth of knowledge. Learned so much about mining and the Carolina golden state. They have a movie you can watch. A fun trail you can walk and a mine you can walk through for a self guided tour. The gift shop is not super impressive. There is no earring or gold jewelry type item. I liked that they had shirts. I think the gift shop could do better. I really enjoyed the entire experience. It was great to do on a rainy day. Loved it.

It was a unique experience and was able to learn a lot. You are able to do most things around here for free. The only thing that costs is the gold panning and its only $3. We did it for each kid and one pan had a little fleck of gold and the other had nothing. Kind of surprised they didn't have more in the gift shop or a way to donate to the place. A ton of walking paths and tables for a picnic. Recommend going and bring the kids!