Is treasure hunting dangerous?
Verdict summary
It can be. The biggest dangers are abandoned mines (hidden shafts, rotten timbers and bad air kill people every year), heat and dehydration in desert country, flash floods in washes and canyons, falls on steep loose rock, venomous animals such as rattlesnakes, and trespassing on private land or active mining claims. Plan the route, carry more water than you think, tell someone where you are going, and never enter an old mine.
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration's 'Stay Out, Stay Alive' campaign exists because abandoned mines are the deadliest feature hikers and detectorists meet; many shafts are open, unmarked and hidden by brush.
In the desert, carry at least 4 litres (1 gallon) of water per person per day, and turn back when half your water is gone. Flash floods arrive from storms miles away, so stay out of narrow canyons and wash bottoms when clouds build upstream.
PinPoint Treasure's live field guide warns you near recorded mines, cliffs and steep ground on your route and shows recent dangerous-wildlife sightings reported nearby.
Sources: US Mine Safety and Health Administration, Stay Out Stay Alive; National Weather Service flash flood safety; BLM Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS).
How can I find old mines near me? Old mines are listed in geological survey databases such as the USGS Mineral Resources Data System, and marked on old topographic maps with crossed-pick symbols and shafts. Never enter an old mine: shafts, bad air and collapsing tunnels kill people every year.
How do you search for treasure? (How to locate hidden treasure) Search records before you search ground. Start with a documented loss (an old newspaper report, court record or mine file that names a place and says the valuables were never recovered), place it on old maps, check who owns the land and what the law allows, then scan the spot with LiDAR and aerial imagery before you go. Only then walk in, and only dig where you have permission.
Is treasure hunting legal? Yes, in most places treasure hunting is legal with permission: on private land with the owner's permission, and on much public land for casual metal detecting and panning. It becomes illegal when you dig in protected sites, remove archaeological objects, detect where it is banned (such as US National Parks), or work someone else's mining claim.
Primary sources cited
- US Mine Safety and Health Administration, Stay Out Stay Alive
- National Weather Service flash flood safety
- BLM Mineral & Land Records System (MLRS)