is it legal to detect in a colroado national forest?

[colorado14ers]

I want to detect a abandoned ski area (geneva basin) this summer but its on national forest land. Is it legal to detect?

[Jeep]

Most people will tell you no but it is up to the local forest service.

I have detected them and some I was confined to the camping areas and such, others I was given free
range.

Most people get National Parks confused with National Forests. Check in, be nice and get the name of the Ranger that allows you to detect.

Check in person to the HQ closest to where you want to hunt. Colorado Rangers are pretty cool and you should have no problems as long as you respect the land.


http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fs...t-%2520Offices

[Wild Boulder Bill]

It ils perfectly legal to prospect as long as it has noy been legaly withdrawn from mineral entry, such as a wilderness area. However around abanded buildings it gets tricky as much of colorados areas could technically be archeological sites. I always call Denver and seek their blessing as they are the regional office. They also send you the prospecting laws. I have found the Denver Office to be friendly, truthful and helpful. I have them fax me claim papers all the time to make sure I am not on somebodies claim. I think they charge me .15 cents a page. Its the homegrown personel they hire in their branch offices as receptionists and such I have trouble with. They try to make up there own laws at the receptionists desk. I have yet to run into a forest ranger that was a jerk. I did have one call his home office as he was incorrect in what he was stating, He did. I wave at him every time I see him. He waves back.

[RGINN]

Wild Boulder Bill has some good advice. I've never had a problem with the forestry service. I am starting to see some more signs being put up at trailheads about removing 'historic or archeological artifacts'. We've been doing a lot of detectin out east of Leadville (you know the area I'm talkin about), particularly those tailings for gold. Some guys have been doin pretty fair, not me. I've heard the Little Johnny Mine tailings produce a little better and hope to get over there this summer. I spend more time in Half Moon Gulch south of Leadville. Lot of history, legends, stories, and I found a little mystery in there that no amount of my research has solved. Wanna get rich and famous, write a definitive history of Half Moon Gulch. Like J. Frank Dobie said, that's where the real gold is, in writin about it.

[Wild Boulder Bill]

LOl RG
So true, so true. And if you write about it you don't have to know anything and it doesn;t have to be true. Also you don't have to break your back hauling a pack and metal detector.

[Gold_Striker]

I have heard that the first thing to do is pass the attitude test. All be it hard we must be nice and respectful.

All these people are like us in that they are working their job and living their lives they are not trying to be jerks really just trying to do their job and go home. They even have the authority to give special permission if they want. At the end of the day they are there to preserve the forest and protect the rights of the people who dwell there.

Far as I can tell the law allows us to metal detect in the national forest. Who knows maybe we will make some of these guys discover that geology is really fun after all especially with 1800$ gold

[RGINN]

And kind of an update. The place out east of Leadville where we used to detect the tailings and around some of the old mining buildings has sprouted a whole bunch of brand new 'keep out' 'no trespassing' signs. 14er's has been there. No tellin why that came about, but I did respect the signs.