BEST TREASURE HUNTING IN THE USA

Have you ever wondered if there is buried treasure in the United States? Possibly gold and gemstones just waiting to be discovered. While treasure hunting isn’t for everyone, I thought reading and daydreaming about it might be a lot of fun. It might just help us find some joy and hope today as we daydream. Who knows you might also find your next vacation spot to go do some searching for yourself.

BEST TREASURE HUNTING IN THE USA

I have always been interested in mysteries from buried treasures to the unexplained, I can never seem to get enough. Growing up the show Unsolved Mysteries was my favorite TV show. I still find myself binge-watching old episodes of Unsolved Mysteries and I never get bored. Some of my favorite episodes were the episodes about treasure hunting and legends. The stories shared are fascinating and I could watch these episodes for hours.

I don’t know if I ever really thought that I would go treasure hunting. However the thought that there may still be treasure out there is so exciting. Where are the best places in the United States to go treasure hunting? Where can you pan for gold, find precious stones, or dig for fossils?

Treasure Still Undiscovered In The USA

Crater of Diamonds state park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas

Visit the website for more details on where you can dig for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds state park. Check out their website here for more details on planning your visit and what to expect.

Search for Jade in Big Sur California

Not a great place to get rich quickly but fun to read about and visit. Follow the signage if you do visit and pay attention to the warnings displayed. You can read more about what’s required in this article and decide if this trip is for you.

Dig for Dinosaur fossils in South Dakota

Check out this article which shares a great location where you can dig for fossils and even take some fossil finds home with you.

Emerald Hollow Mine

Hiddenite, North Carolina

Pay a small mining fee and join the search for gemstones at Emerald Hollow mine. This is an activity that might make a great family day trip or part of an upcoming vacation. Check out the website for Emerald Hollow Mine here.

Rock Hound state park

Deming, New Mexico

Rich in history and in rocks and minerals this state park is a great place to visit. Spend the day at Rock Hound park where you can possibly. discover some beautiful and worthwhile finds. You can visit their website here where they share about park requirements and permits needed.

Central Florida Coast treasure

Hundreds of years ago a fleet of Spanish ships sunk off the coast of eastern Florida. The day the ship sunk a large amount of treasure sunk with the ship. Today you can still occasionally find a treasure that washes up onshore. If you are lucky you might just find some treasure on one of these Florida beaches.

Gold Panning in the United States

There are many locations in the U.S. that people still visit to pan for gold. Obviously, not like they did in the gold rush days but you can still discover gold in certain areas. Here is a website that shares more about the locations where you still can pan for gold and bring home some treasure. Below is a list of states that many people still visit pan for gold. Along with the requirements and resources if you would choose to go search for yourself.

Where Can I Still Pan For Gold In The USA Today?

Washington

Popular places to search for gold are said to be in the Northern Half of Washington state. Here are the rules outlined by the state of Washington if you do choose to make a visit and pan for gold.

California

Mainly in Eastern California people still find some success panning for gold. If you want to visit a California state park and pan for gold these are the rules outlined by the state parks and the state of California.

New Mexico

New Mexico has created a resource for those interested in gold panning and prospecting in their state. Visit their website where they have outlined the guidelines for gold panning in New Mexico.

Montana

Montana has a rich history of gold prospecting and mining that goes back for generations. You can still search for gold, precious stones, and fossils today. Just visit the USDA website for more info on prospecting in Montana before you make a trip. It outlines the rules and regulations for those interested in doing so.

Oregon

There are still areas that are frequented by people panning for gold in the state of Oregon. You can visit Oregon and pan for gold almost anytime during the year except for during certain times defined in this article.

Nevada

The state of Nevada is a great location to discover gold. Many people still travel to Nevada to search for gold. In fact, according to this article Nevada “is the #1 gold-producing state in the nation.”

Idaho

Another location that is a favorite among those searching for gold is Idaho. The state of Idaho does require mining permits to search for gold so be sure to check out the regulations and requirements here.

Utah

The beautiful state of Utah also boasts many precious rocks and minerals including gold. Many people visit Utah to search for gold panning today and the state gold panning and dredging regulations are outlined here for the state of Utah.

Wyoming

The vast state of Wyoming is another popular location for gold prospecting and panning. You can find more about the state regulations on gold prospecting for the state of Wyoming here.

Colorado

Colorado is not only rich in beauty but also in rocks and minerals including gold. You can pan for gold in Colorado and the Colorado Parks outline their guidelines for gold searchers here.

Alabama

Interested in searching for gold in the state of Alabama? Visit this article which shares what to expect and what is required to prospect and pan for gold in the state of Alabama.

South Dakota

Last but certainly not least the beautiful state of South Dakota is another awesome place to visit on your search for gold. This state has some restrictions as outlined here on those searching for gold but they are relatively less than most.

My Favorite Treasure Hunting Stories From Unsolved Mysteries

Dutch Schultz treasure

Dutch Schultz treasure in upstate New York – This episode of Unsolved Mysteries outlines the life and possibility of treasure left behind by the infamous Dutch Schultz.

Lost Dutchman mine

Lost Dutchman mine in Arizona – This episode of Unsolved Mysteries shares the story of Jacob Waltz who was a prospector in the late 1800s. Legend tells us that Jacob located a treasure worth over 200 million dollars in the superstition mountains in Arizona.

The Alamo treasure

Alamo treasure San Antonio, TX – The Alamo is a famous historical site in San Antonio, TX. The legend of the Alamo also shares a story of a possible treasure. Obviously, you can not search for this treasure yourself but it is a fun legend to hear about and read.

Leon Trabuco's gold

Leon Trabuco’s gold New Mexico – Another Unsolved Mysteries episode I loved was the legend of Leon Trabuco’s gold. This is the story of a pilot who smuggled a lot of gold into the United States for millionaire Leon Trabuco. Legend says it was buried somewhere in a less populated area in New Mexico.

Poverty Island treasure

Poverty Island treasure Lake Michigan – On a small piece of land just east of Wisconsin lies Poverty Island. The legends surrounding Poverty Island share stories of fabulous gold and treasures that may lie waiting.

Victorio Peak treasure

Victorio peak treasure White Sands New Mexico - Not a location that many would dare to search for the legendary treasure that might be buried here. Why? Because the location is also inhabited by rattlesnakes. Legend has it that Doc Noss left behind 15,000 gold bars in a cavern at Victorio Peak.

Skeleton Canyon treasure

Skeleton Canyon treasure Arizona – Near Arizona’s eastern border lies Skeleton Canyon where there is a possibility of a large treasure left behind by outlaw robbers who had stolen the treasure from some Mexican smugglers.

Plummer's treasure

Plummer’s treasure Bannack Montana – Another famous buried treasure is Plummer’s treasure supposedly buried somewhere near the area of Bannack, Montana.

Treasures Yet To Be Found In The USA

Forrest Fenn’s treasure

Many clues have been discovered and part of the riddle has been solved. However, no one has ever completely solved the mystery or found Forrest Fenn’s treasure.

Update: Forrest Fenn's treasure

June 2020

Forrest Fenn's treasure has now been found. You can watch this video to find out more details on the discovery of Forrest Fenn's treasure. How cool to think that someone searched and actually discovered Forrest Fenn's treasure after all these years.

Forrest Fenn's treasure has been found

The Secret Treasure Hunting Book

Another story you might enjoy and a mystery that has not yet been completely solved is the story of the Secret Treasure. This story was shared on another favorite show of mine Expedition Unknown where they shared about 3 parts of the treasure that have been located. The rest of the parts of the treasure are still unresolved in multiple locations around the United States. You can find the treasure hunting book and get started unlocking the code yourself. Who knows you could be the fourth to discover a gemstone buried by author and treasure hunting enthusiast Byron Preiss. Below I have included my affiliate link for the book. If you choose to purchase using my link here it helps support what I do here at SavingJoyfully.com and it’s the best price I could find to snag a copy. You can find the book here on Amazon which is basically the treasure map for all 12 buried treasures. This is by far one of my favorite stories of undiscovered treasure just waiting to be discovered.

Jesse James lost treasure

Expedition Unknown did another episode regarding Jesse James and a treasure supposedly buried in the Wichita Mountains in Oklahoma. I found an article that discusses it more in-depth and shares more of the story.

Thomas Beale treasure

Bedford County Virginia is the home of a mystery dating back to 1821. A miner Thomas Beale supposedly discovered the treasure in New Mexico which he brought back to bury in Bedford county, Virginia. Some people believe that Beale’s treasure may be a hoax. Many people, however, believe strongly that it is not a hoax and still chase clues today.

Blackbeard’s hidden gold

Queen Anne’s revenge was shipwrecked off the coast of North Carolina. Queen Anne’s revenge was one of the possibilities according to the legend of where Blackbeard’s treasure may have come to rest. Expedition Unknown explored this possibility among others in this episode aired on the discovery channel previously.

Lost Spanish Fortune

Expedition Unknown shares the story of lost Spanish Fortune in this episode. They travel from the coast of Florida into the country of Cuba investigating the mystery of the Lost Spanish Fortune.

Butch Cassidy’s Lost loot

Another awesome episode of the discovery channel shows Expedition Unknown aired during season 4. This episode about Butch Cassidy’s famous treasure shared their search for the legend. If treasure hunting and history are favorite subjects of yours you will love this show.

Florida’s lost pirate treasure

Expedition Unknown Season 7 chronicled the search by Josh Gates and the Expedition Unknown team for Jose Gaspar’s lost treasure in West Florida.

Final Reminders

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and learning more about some of America’s legendary treasures and locations. Many places listed above are places that you can discover actual treasure. If you plan a visit to any of these locations I encourage you to search for more detailed information on the locations listed especially current hours of operation if these are state parks. Keep in mind that many regulations and times may vary based on the time of year as well as other factors.