Over the course of its 12 seasons and various spinoffs, Discovery’s gold mining reality series “Gold Rush” has spotlighted a wide variety of amateur and professional gold miners alike, each with their own, unique approach to their craft. Amidst the ever-changing subjects of “Gold Rush,” Parker Schnabel has played a central role in the series for over a decade straight, beginning his tenure as a teenager and associate of his grandfather, before inheriting his grandfather’s mine and leading his own operation.
In addition to serving as the focus of countless storylines on the mainline series, Schnabel is also at the center of a few of the show’s spinoffs. For example, Schnabel oftentimes provides fans with unique insights into what goes on behind the scenes of the production of “Gold Rush” in fan-favorite spinoff aftershow “Gold Rush: The Dirt.”
Schnabel likewise starred in a spinoff titled “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail” that aired between 2017 and 2020. In that series, Schnabel and a few other “Gold Rush” mainstays visit famous gold mining locations all over the world. Here’s the episode that fans of “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail” have voted the series’ best on IMDb.
Gold Rush fans enjoyed Parker’s adventures in the jungle
The two highest-rated episodes of “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail” on IMDb are the second and fourth episodes of Season 2. However, Season 2 Episode 2 has more 10-star ratings as well as more ratings overall than Episode 4, making it the closest to what IMDb users have determined to be the single best episode from throughout the series’ entire run.
In Season 2 Episode 2 — titled “Welcome to the Jungle” after the Guns N’ Roses classic — “Gold Rush” stalwart Rick Ness joins Parker Schnabel as he journeys through a jungle in Guyana known for its gold deposits. Whereas the prior episode merely set up their Guyana adventure, in Episode 2, the “Gold Rush” crew sets out alone, with no local guidance, seemingly at some risk to their own well-being. It’s likely because of the very real danger inherent in traversing a remote jungle with a small, inexperienced team that made this episode such a hit among fans.
Those interested in watching this episode of “Gold Rush: Parker’s Trail” can stream it on Discovery+, where each of the series’ four seasons are available to subscribers.