Coming to Arizona, looking to get out in the desert

[Hbot37]

Me and a few friends are renting an RV and we are going to be exploring the desert for about a week. Its been a while since I've been to Arizona, but I will be bringing my detector. I was hoping some people here could give me any good tips of places where my friends and I could explore "off the beaten path" so to speak. I am not necessarily looking for detecting spots, just any interesting areas out in the desert where my friends and I could poke around for a few hours, maybe explore an old mine or cave or something. We will be all over the state so any location is viable. Thanks for looking and any input you may have!

 

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[Hbot37]

Also if anyone happens to be kind enough to let me onto a claim to try my hand at detecting for gold nuggets it would be greatly appreciated, its always something that I have wanted to try.

 

[metrotec]

The area around Chloride would be a place to look

 

[oldkoot]

Also if anyone happens to be kind enough to let me onto a claim to try my hand at detecting for gold nuggets it would be greatly appreciated, its always something that I have wanted to try.

good luck with that one
I ended up joining a club that has claims in the area I currently reside just recently, which is in the South Eastern part of AZ, getting access to peoples claims with out being in a club is like pulling teeth from a live mountain lion

 

[boogeyman]

good luck with that one
I ended up joining a club that has claims in the area I currently reside just recently, which is in the South Eastern part of AZ, getting access to peoples claims with out being in a club is like pulling teeth from a live mountain lion

If you're ok with touristy stuff, look up Goldfield Ghost town out next to the Superstitions. Can't recall the name but there's an interesting visitors center on the way in with a (almost) working stamp mill & some good displays. Stop by the prospecting store (I think it'd violate Rules if I said it was the first two letters of the alphabet)
in Apache Junction, they might get you to some places to nugget shoot .

 

[oldkoot]

If you're ok with touristy stuff, look up Goldfield Ghost town out next to the Superstitions. Can't recall the name but there's an interesting visitors center on the way in with a (almost) working stamp mill & some good displays. Stop by the prospecting store (I think it'd violate Rules if I said it was the first two letters of the alphabet)
in Apache Junction, they might get you to some places to nugget shoot .

Why are you quoting my reply I am not the one that asked about places to detect in Arizona I live in AZ and I know where to detect for gold LOL, I gold detect all the time

 

[boogeyman]

Why are you quoting my reply I am not the one that asked about places to detect in Arizona I live in AZ and I know where to detect for gold LOL, I gold detect all the time

Don know fat fingers on a teeny keyboard? Felt like it? Dang! Sound like those ole farts out in Snotsdale..... Here's a pat on the back & a hearty handshake for being an Arizonian!👍😁

 

[oldkoot]

Don know fat fingers on a teeny keyboard? Felt like it? Dang! Sound like those ole farts out in Snotsdale..... Here's a pat on the back & a hearty handshake for being an Arizonian!👍😁

yeah no way I would live in Snottsdale AZ, take that is where you live, there is some abandoned mine/mines out around cave creek, but I never detected out there, I am in the Oracle area there is several abandoned mines out where I am and lots of areas to ride out on the side x side to get up into some washes

 

[metrotec]

I think there are memberships to be had on gold claims near Wickenburg,AZ

 

[oldkoot]

I think there are memberships to be had on gold claims near Wickenburg,AZ

There are memberships in the Oracle area
Desert Gold Diggers is based in the Tucson area and have claims out there in different areas

 

[Hbot37]

Thanks for the replies. Most of our time will likely be centered around the Tucson area, but we will also be in the superstitions, as well as Tombstone and other areas. Really looking for less touristy stuff, mostly just looking to get out into less popular parts of the desert and explore. Not necessarily detecting.

 

[Mackaydon]

Rather than asking if a claim owner will let you poke around on their claim for a few hours--and pay nothing--may be met with a "Are you kidding me?". Perhaps offering $20 or some other figure for the privilege might get you better results.
Don.......

 

[Hbot37]

Rather than asking if a claim owner will let you poke around on their claim for a few hours--and pay nothing--may be met with a "Are you kidding me?". Perhaps offering $20 or some other figure for the privilege might get you better results.

My intent of this post isn't to horn in on someone's claim or detecting permissions. This is mostly unrelated to detecting, I'm just looking for cool desert areas to explore(not detect) that aren't going to be crowded with people. I asked the question about getting on someone's claim just as a shot in the dark. I didn't realize people were so possessive of them.

 

[Mackaydon]

They can be; and that includes a response greater than "Are you kidding me?"
Don.......

 

[boogeyman]

They can be; and that includes a response greater than "Are you kidding me?"
Don.......

If you go to Tucson and are a dowser make sure to stop at Boot Hill. A lot of those graves are empty down the hill past the chain link fence are a bunch of unmarked graves. When you ask about that in the gift shop they literally tell you "things were moved around to make it more accessible to the tourists." Couldn't find anyone that knew enough history to know the folks that could afford it moved their relatives to the cemetery in town. But it was interesting though.

Had the best laugh on one visit. A couple from Oregon were in the gift shop. The man walks up to the counter with a small handful of do dads. The cashier rang him up $270 something!?!? I thought the guys wife was going to have to carry him to the RV.

 

[boogeyman]

If you go to Tucson and are a dowser make sure to stop at Boot Hill. A lot of those graves are empty down the hill past the chain link fence are a bunch of unmarked graves. When you ask about that in the gift shop they literally tell you "things were moved around to make it more accessible to the tourists." Couldn't find anyone that knew enough history to know the folks that could afford it moved their relatives to the cemetery in town. But it was interesting though.

Had the best laugh on one visit. A couple from Oregon were in the gift shop. The man walks up to the counter with a small handful of do dads. The cashier rang him up $270 something!?!? I thought the guys wife was going to have to carry him to the RV.

Almost forgot!!! DO NOT miss the Titan Missile Museum! Very interesting tour well worth the stop. As you go out the building for the silo part look to the left if you see the rattler, he's a friend of mine, we had a conversation (joke between the tour guide & myself)

 

[Hbot37]

If you go to Tucson and are a dowser make sure to stop at Boot Hill. A lot of those graves are empty down the hill past the chain link fence are a bunch of unmarked graves. When you ask about that in the gift shop they literally tell you "things were moved around to make it more accessible to the tourists." Couldn't find anyone that knew enough history to know the folks that could afford it moved their relatives to the cemetery in town. But it was interesting though.

Had the best laugh on one visit. A couple from Oregon were in the gift shop. The man walks up to the counter with a small handful of do dads. The cashier rang him up $270 something!?!? I thought the guys wife was going to have to carry him to the RV.

Almost forgot!!! DO NOT miss the Titan Missile Museum! Very interesting tour well worth the stop. As you go out the building for the silo part look to the left if you see the rattler, he's a friend of mine, we had a conversation (joke between the tour guide & myself)

I have actually been to both of those places and they are both very cool! I really enjoyed the missile museum. Will likely be visiting both again this time as well. Last time we camped near Cochise stronghold and it was great. Any other hidden gems in the area you know of?