I feel like starting a hobby of gold prospecting. I feel like knowing the equipment is easy and even finding gold but hard part is finding a place to look for gold, as well as asking permission to use private land, using the BLM records, staking claims and all that.

I live in Northen Virginia and my peliminary research pretty much states the first gold mining in the US was actually done right here on foot hills edges of the Shanendoha.

I was doing some test panning in the upper Potomac at a friends house and found a few flakes a month ago but nothing really worth going home about.
I bought an ATX gold metal detector and a high banker sluice.
Anyone here know a good place to start here? Clubs, claims and the whole process of getting permission.

I want to make clear I don't plan on getting rich or making living, I just want to do something outdoors and maybe possibly get some spending cash for more trips out.

I wish I lived out west to do this