I'm much newer to detecting and looking for areas that it is acceptable to swing a detector for gold. 

Okay, I hear desert areas are the best for metal detecting and in the dry washes, but I'm not familiar enough with the Sacramento Area to have an idea where to go that is not on private land, not already claimed, or that LLEA (Local Law Enforcement Agency) won't have an issue.  Example, I didn't know there was a public land area around the Sutter Buttes, but apparently there is areas for public access as the Butte Nugget was found there.  I still don't know what is public and what isn't public access in that area, but there is apparently gold over there.  Also, I see all the tailing piles in the Folsom Area on Google, but most of them (if not all) are on Aerojet property, so that's a no go. 

Any suggestion of open to the public areas that may produce gold is appreciated.  I'm not looking for anyone's secret spot, just general ideas.  Or if you know of a local metal detecting club in the Sacramento Area that doesn't meet only on Sundays, that would be great too.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!