Gold Rush Season 13: Release Date, Cast, And New Details

While the days of mass migrations out west, with troves of aspiring gold diggers hoping to strike it rich, may be behind us, there are still those brave few who make it their mission to find whatever gold is left. In one of its most popular unscripted series, Discovery has followed these miners for 12 seasons with little indication of slowing down. With the twelfth season coming to a close, eager fans are wondering if there will be a "Gold Rush" Season 13. Here's what we know.

The show follows a motley crew of gold miners who head to remote, and often dangerous, locations in search of hidden riches. Fortunately, gold mining has come a long way from simple pickaxes and pans. These days, the crews are armed with large teams and complex technology enabling them to do much more than those who came before. But gold isn't in limitless supply, and competition and heated interactions make for compelling TV. Discovery has yet to renew the series, but its enduring popularity is a good sign that there is more to come. 

In the past, seasons of "Gold Rush" have premiered during the fall. And while many shows have had to slow down production throughout the ongoing pandemic, the outdoor nature of gold mining has kept the Discovery series going. Season 12 was filmed and released without delay as the cast and crew made their way to Canada; new episodes premiered in late September 2021 — a whole month earlier than Season 11, which aired its first episode in October 2020. Season 11 focused on the miners' return to work and efforts to make up for lost time (via People).  

Discovery is still releasing new episodes at the time of this publication, so the lack of official renewal announcements isn't all that troubling for fans. As the show begins to wind down production, the network will likely release more information on what comes next for the "Gold Rush" team. 

There are a lot of faces on Discovery's "Gold Rush." Its massive crews and changing locales make for a lot of mugs. But despite the comings and goings of those there to help, the core cast has remained pretty much the same throughout the years. Parker Schnabel, Fred Dodge, and Chris Doumitt have been on "Gold Rush" since the get-go and have returned regularly as its seasons progressed. And the other central figures, Tony Beets and Rick Ness, joined the crew and have become staples on the show, as well. All five of these guys are likely to be around when new seasons roll out. 

Two other cast members that fans are surely eager to see return are the gang's canine companions, Blue and Dozer. Blue is fellow cast member Jack Hoffman's Australian Shepherd, whom he adopted some years ago from Blue's first owner, who was serving time in prison and abandoned him (per Discovery). Dozer is Schnabel's little labrador puppy that he adopted in Alaska, who has quickly taken to mining for gold. The pair have become popular members of the crew and should make their way back to the new seasons. 

With no official announcement as of yet, no details particularly pertaining to a new season have been released at the time of publication. But Discovery has been sharing updates on the show's progress so far, and the series is going well. In a January 2021 press release put out by the network, reports stated that "'Gold Rush' continued to buck trends and reign as the #1 unscripted series among Men in ALL OF TELEVISION — outperforming all broadcast networks — on Friday nights." Additionally, the show's spin-offs were also among cable's top 10 unscripted series among men in 2020; with "Gold Rush" coming in at #3, "Gold Rush: Parker's Trail" at #5, "Gold Rush: Dave Turin's Lost Mine at #6, and "Gold Rush: White Water" at #8. 

The success of the entire franchise suggests that the public hasn't gotten enough of those wacky gold diggers just yet. So as you're finishing out the current season, try not to stress about if and when more episodes are coming. The show probably isn't done just yet.