Lost Underground River of Gold

Reaper

Tenderfoot
Dec 31, 2007
7
4
I didn't see this legend on here and was actually quite surprised, so here it is:

This is the story of the lost river of gold located near the California and Nevada state line just off of the 15 Interstate Highway. The mountains of this area are honeycombed with caves and it is one of these caves that three Indian brothers supposedly found the lost river of gold and one brother was killed while exploring them. They were friends of a local prospector named Earl Dorr and told him the location of one of the entrances. Dorr located the entrance and explored the cave deep within the Kokoweef peak.

In 1934, Dorr tried to interest investors in the possibility of mining the caverns he said he had found. He described a cavern 3000 feet deep and of an unknown length. There was an underground river running throughout the cave. Dorr said he followed the river for approximately 8 miles walking along a shelf next to the underground river. At some point, he said he saw a shaft of light but otherwise the cavern was dark (the light that Dorr saw and the distance of approximately 8 miles are significant). On one of the shelves Dorr filled a leather pouch with black sand to have analyzed for possible minerals.

When Dorr made his way back to the top, he noticed 2 prospectors watching him. Worrying about claim jumpers, he returned to the entrance and dynamited the entrance closed. Dorr spent most of his remaining years trying to locate the "shaft of light" he had seen when he was following the underground river. He was never able to find the second entrance. The remains of the original entrance, Dorr’s cabin, and smaller caverns can still be located in the area. Dorr had the pouch of black sand assayed and it ran $2000/ton of gold at the then price of $20/ounce. At today’s prices of approximately $280/ounce this would come to $28,000/ton. Not bad for a days work!

Now, I have been searching for this cavern for quite some time, and I HAVE found the entrance that was dynamited shut. However it is not possible to asertain how much rock has actually fallen to block this entrance, making digging the entrance back open nearly impossible (I simply do not have the tools or manpower for such a task) I will be returning to the site next weekend and will take some pictures of the collapsed entrance. Of course it is possible that the entrace I found is completely unrelated to the river of gold, and in fact the river may not even exist. But the thought of it excites me, and I shall do my best to find it if it is there.

Now I don't mind if others go in search of this natural treasure, however please note that entering such places without experience can VERY easily lead to death, be careful and make sure that someone knows where you are. My team and I have alot of experience in exploring old mine shafts, yet we still enter such places VERY carefully.
 

OroGrande

Jr. Member
Apr 1, 2007
85
0
New Mexico
Detector(s) used
White's MXT
Very interesting to say the least. Would love to see pics of your adventure. Keep us posted, be safe! Good luck "Oro"
 

OP
OP
R

Reaper

Tenderfoot
Dec 31, 2007
7
4
I didn't see that one either, but since it pretty much descended into skepticism I think I'll stay here for now.

After all of my research it seems having found this collapsed cave entrance is fairly significant... This surprises me since the entrance really wasn't very hard to find. I will take pictures next time I am there and keep you all updated. Also for any else interested in the information, I may be able to give you directions to the entrance when I get back. I will take detailed notes on how to get there and post them here.

Wish me luck, needless to say I am hopeful, but also quite skeptical.
 

Jeffro

Silver Member
Dec 6, 2005
4,095
143
Eugene, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ5, White's GM VSat
There are a few more threads around here regarding Kokoweef also, keep on reading down the list.

If you don't mind me asking, how have you figured out which one it is? There are three different sites this place is supposed to be at.

Also, there are parties currently working at some of these sites.

I have a gang of references to this one, if you want them.
 

OP
OP
R

Reaper

Tenderfoot
Dec 31, 2007
7
4
Well as I mentioned it is only a possibility that the collapsed cave I found is THE cave. I am hoping and choosing to believe that it is, of course it is very possible that it is also just a collapsed cave that happens to be in the area of Kokoweef that I have been researching. However it is defiantly a cave entrance (as I said before I have mineshaft/caving experience and as such usually don't mix the two up) and is located near the base of Kokoweef. Though it is important to note that Kokoweef is littered with caves and mines, so this one may not be important. However it's location and (apparent) size seem consistent with maps and descriptions that Dorr mentioned, more so than any other cave in the area that I have found.

Any references would be appreciated. Also if anyone in the area is interested in helping with my search and has relevant experience then feel free to post here and I'll get back to you. Thanks.
 

Jeffro

Silver Member
Dec 6, 2005
4,095
143
Eugene, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ5, White's GM VSat
OK, here ya go-

This cave has sometimes been placed in the Clark Mountains, near Nipton, western NV., and the Funeral Mountains, Death Valley, CA.

Barkdull, Tom "River of gold" Western Treasures, vol 3, no. 5, June 1968 pp 20-23

Black, Jack "Kokoweef Mountain" Western treasure notebook of lost mine and buried treasures. Ames publishing, 1966, pg 29

------- "Golden Cave" ibid pp42-43

Candelario, Frank "the land around us" Treasure hunter, vol 4, no.1, pp 8-10

Clark, Howard D. "The golden cavern of Kokoweef mountain" Lost Mines Of The Old West, Ghost town Press, 1946. Reprinted in True Treasure vol 2, no. 1, winter 1967

Coffman, F.L. "Gold in Kokoweef mountain" in 1001 lost, buried or sunken treasures, Thomas Nelson and sons, Camden, NJ 1957, p 91

Conrotto, Eugene L., "underground river" Lost desert bonanzas, Desert southwest publishers, Palm Desert CA, 1963 pp18-19

Derfus, Jack "Underground Water" (Letter) Desert Magazine vol. 31, no. 8, Aug. 1968 p 43

Door, Ray "River of gold in the desert" True west, vol.9, no.3 Jan-Feb 1962, Western Publications, Austin TX, pp 14-15, 66-68

Masters, Al "Mojave Desert's lost river of gold" True Treasure vol.4, no.8, July-Aug 1970

Mitchell, John D. "Cave of the golden sands" Desert magazine vol 3, no. 6 April 1940 Desert publishing El Centro CA.

------------- "Death Valley Gold" Lost Mines and Buried Treasures along the old frontier, Desert magazine press, Palm Desert, CA. 1953
These two are also reprinted in Desert magazine vol 29, no.11, Nov. 1966 pp 10-11
and vol. 30 no 12, Dec 1967 pp31-32

Patchick, Paul F. "Underground river" Desert magazine, vol 24, no 5, May 1961

Penfield, Thomas "Paiute (CV-T) and Kokoweef (CV-LM)" In "directory of buried or sunken treasures and lost mines in the United States, True treasure publications, Conroe TX, 1971 pp 26, 33

Wilson, Steve "Mojave desert's golden fleece" Golden West, vol 2, no 4, May 1966 pp 10-11, 50-53
 

mojo118

Newbie
Nov 8, 2011
1
0
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I have also looked for the lost river of gold. I have been in the cave that drops down 250 feet to its bottom. From there, I have been lowered down a 12 foot hole that we dug and found shoring from earlier times. I found a miners pick and an old button with thread on it still. I was hurt while mucking and had to be carried up out of the cave and never returned. That was 15 years ago. Never found that lost river of gold. It was quite an adventure though. So no one has ever found it? I think it really exists.
 

filemaker01

Full Member
Jun 2, 2010
116
5
This one is next on my list. I went hiking once with some friends down to and south of the Pentacles near Fresno a few times, we found some rocks with very similar glyphs to the ones shown on the Internet carved into the rocks of what looks like an underground pyramid. The journey was very treturous and took two of us from morning until late at night to get back out, however we covered the petroglyphs so they are preserved and I'm planning another excursion once I'm able to start hiking again soon. I have photos I'm planning to possibly share of the glyphs soon. This is one of the best legends out there in my opinion because it was also documented by a actual Hollywood producer who filmed the underground steps. The entrence we found was much further west than the one blown up by the brother of the other person killed at the opening some years ago that also killed the Hollywood producer. We found very wet black sand in a cavern about fifteen to twenty feet high that branched up to where we made it to the pyramid shaped huge steps and back out again. The water did rise to the tides but the sand was thick and had little gold we could find seemed to be only much wetter during what seemed to be high tide or maybe just effects from the water levels coming down out of the mountains maybe. We didn't explore heading west because we just didn't have time, but the cavern did go much further as we could tell but again very treturous and thin at times.
 

filemaker01

Full Member
Jun 2, 2010
116
5
I should mention that according to some sources or rumors you can buy black sand online or through magazines that are from mines out of underground riverbeds loaded with black sand in Arizona, New Mexico, there are some great legends of underground taverns like this one but none with the pyramid steps I believe are actually like storage areas built into the rock from an ancient mining that went on in the underground river tunnel in question on this thread. I found many other taverns and underground mines throughout northern California for over thirty years while also working for the California Dept. of Forestry and CCC up around Paradise, Chico and all the way down to the Yuba River where we fought many forest fires so on our days off we explored most of the rivers and creeks where some aren't even on maps. There are also tunnels that are ancient rivers up around Redding we checked out while exploring where we met a gentleman that had an a small trailer loaded with one gallon mayonayse jars full of gold they retrieve every year on their claim we explored with his permission into the taverns, lots of black sand and gold.
 

Jeffro

Silver Member
Dec 6, 2005
4,095
143
Eugene, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ5, White's GM VSat
Very strange.... It's funny that this post should come back right now, as I'm sitting here watching the Gold Fever episode from 1-23 titled "Eye in the Sky" about this very treasure. Tom and his daughters did a bit of legwork on this one, exploring several shafts they came across. Interesting episode! :)
 

Treasure finder

Sr. Member
Apr 4, 2006
464
60
Los Angeles
Detector(s) used
Garrett Infinium, Compass Gold Scanner, Maxi Pulse, Gardner with a 3 foot loop, PDF1000, & Dowsing rods,
I tried dowsing the river and was able to find it and follow it south through
Interstate 10 and farther on South. I wasn't dowsing for gold, just the river.
I am not experienced enough to make claims for my dowsing, but I did take
an experienced water dowser with me later and he confirmed 3 underground
rivers along the 10. He also told me that 2 of them were carrying gold.
I am not tooting my horn, just adding my two cents. Incidentally at that
point the dowser told me one of the rivers was approx 1200 feet down.
I have actually seen this dowser work for pay and be right on every time.
For what it is worth, try all your options.
Rich
 

Vyperhate

Newbie
May 29, 2012
1
0
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Wow, I think I actually met this guy a couple years ago in San Diego... I was there visiting family when a friend suggested I go check out a Treasure Hunters of San Diego meet and this guy was there I think. Not positive it was the same guy of course but he was pretty obsessed with the Kokoweef legend and what he told me about it is in line with what this guy posted here. He was rather... Eccentric lol

Even so he had some fairly convincing arguments, now I wish I'd pressed him for more info. In any case I live in Washington state so it's not easy for me to investigate this legend. I'm transferring to California for college after I get my transfer degree though so I'd like to do some investigation before I move to Japan after graduation.

I guess you could try a Treasure Hunters of San Diego meeting and see if you can find this guy if you want to know more of what he claims to know, who knows he might be there.
 

maipenrai

Bronze Member
Nov 11, 2010
1,151
242
Thailand/Europe/California
Detector(s) used
Excalibur 2 1000
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Were the one gallon jars filled with gold or black sand, can anyone even lift that much gold, and to have a whole trailer full of jars is quite a bit
 

GambitBandit

Tenderfoot
May 28, 2014
5
1
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
For those interested, there is a share holders meeting scheduled for June 12014 at the mine site, additional information is available...you may contact me at [email protected]

Those interested may contact Larry Hahn at Hahn's Military Surplus in Las Vegas.
 

Last edited:

Dr. Meh

Jr. Member
Oct 15, 2013
78
17
For those interested, there is a share holders meeting scheduled for June 12014 at the mine site, additional information is available...you may contact me at [email protected]

Those interested may contact Larry Hahn at Hahn's Military Surplus in Las Vegas.

To discuss....what exactly? Treasure hunting involves enough cryptic messages. Why do you feel the need to spam this meeting with cryptic posts?
 

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