Hello, later this coming weekend (the 14th most likely) my girlfriend and her dad, and i plan to make a trip to clear creek to have our first gold panning outing. I have hunted the internet for information pertaining to where exactly to go for either Colorado or Wyoming and so far clear creek is up there in the list. However i cant find anything definitive on whether it would be a good choice for just panning. We don't have sluices or anything like that, just a couple plastic pans and a shovel.

Any videos or anything like that that i have seen always show people with sluices or dredges for that area. Getting flour gold would be fine with us if its able to be done by a pan.

If not, is there any other creeks that would be easy to access and unclaimed around that same area? I wanna limit driving time as much as possible since we have to come from Cheyenne.

Also for that tunnel 1 stretch of Clear Creek, is this time of year a good idea? Or would the water be too high still? Also for those that frequent the area, how packed is it normally?

Thanks for any info you guys can provide. We just recently got into panning but so far we have had a lot fun doing it, we just happen to live in a place where the closest gold is a good hour and a half in any direction.

Clear Creek is fine for shovels and pans but the water level is extremely high and dangerous right now. You could always go to Vic's as an alternative in that area. It's inexpensive and his water will be workable.

That might be an option, would have to talk to the guy and see. $30 to pan might be out of the price range we have available though. Will probably cost a bit in gas just to get up there.

Is there any other options for free places in that general area? A little driving wont kill us as long as its not like an hour away.

What about this area? Elkhorn Creek north west (ish) if Fort Collins. I found it on this site. http://www.goldfeverprospecting.com/cogolo.html However i have no idea if it would even be worth going to, or more likely that even if it was it would have the same issues of dangerously high water. But it is considerably closer. Of course it is also on national forest land. I would have to call and see what their rules are for panning (The medicine bow national forest by Laramie WY doesn't even allow panning until after the 4th of July. Or so they say, other panners i talked to said other wise.)

Map of the area using google: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cheyenne,+W...33;2d40.6977591

Is there a website i can check to see if there is any claims on it?

Gather your MTRS data and take it to the County Clerk Recorder's Office and start your research. You'll need to properly identify the tract(s) of land you're interested in and conduct the research yourself. That's what we all do, we take pride in it, and it's not all that difficult.
Learn to research land status and you're as good as Gold. There is no website that's gonna do all of your homework for you. If you want it you'll have to learn and work for it. Again: That is what we all do as miners/prospectors. Land status and laws are paramount, an absolute prerequisite. They are the most important aspects of prospecting. This site teaches people how to research it and we openly discuss mineral laws. We're not gonna do your research for you... what good would that be?
Or you could just prospect at recreationally designated areas that allow prospecting and follow whatever rules they have in place. Clear Creek Jeffco Open Space is a good example of a Recreational Designated area and I don't mind recommending that to the average Joe who isn't serious enough to do their own research and is capable of following recreational rules. Cache Creek is another popular recreationally designated area that is buzzing with the gold fevered armchair prospectors. Not much homework necessary, just follow their rules and jump in their playpen. Some folks are content with that. Are you a follower or a leader?
Most of us at CP prefer to explore and discover new things on OUR NFS and BLM lands owned by We The People.... executing and enjoying our mining rights. We are leaders.
The resources and personnel are on this site to help you learn how to do it right yourself instead of handing out hotspots and doing your homework for you.
That's it in a nutshell. Make sense?