Lytle Creek CA

[treasurechest]

Does anyone know if you can metal detect there? I've been trying to research it, and I just can't find a whole lot on it.

 

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[Customx_12]

I have no clue. I'd imagine as long as it isn't private property, you can.

 

[mills84]

Realizing this is an old post, did you ever head out there? If so, which areas did you detect in? Find anything?

My family has a house up there, and I've always been curious about what people find in the area.

- Mills

 

[Tim C]

Realizing this is an old post, did you ever head out there? If so, which areas did you detect in? Find anything?

My family has a house up there, and I've always been curious about what people find in the area.

- Mills

It depends on what stories you read. Along the road, there use to be a lot of round tunnels that we called "chinese mines", there were stories about gold mining in Lytle creek and even an old tale of emeralds being found in the area. The emeralds were mentioned in passing in an article about a supposed diamond field in San Bernardino that that said something like "well, if there are emeralds in Lytle Creek, then why not diamonds in San Bernardino?"
If you were to go detecting in Lytle Creek now, it would most likely be a nightmare. All along the road about a 1/2 mile out of town and out, was a popular shooting area up until sometime in the 90's. On weekends the place sounded like a war zone and we called it "lie-low" creek. Expect to find a ton of shell casings, cans and any other assorted metal things that people brought out to shoot full of holes. Also, the hillsides will be full of lead.

 

[TheSentinel]

Good to see another March ARB guy on the forum. I went out to Middle Fork and didn't find anything interesting in my sluice box, maybe I'll try the main creek next before I write the area off.

 

[jonesy]

My brother and I must have shot 10,000 rounds up there back in the 90 s where the tunnel goes thru the mountain...

 

[mills84]

It depends on what stories you read. Along the road, there use to be a lot of round tunnels that we called "chinese mines", there were stories about gold mining in Lytle creek and even an old tale of emeralds being found in the area. The emeralds were mentioned in passing in an article about a supposed diamond field in San Bernardino that that said something like "well, if there are emeralds in Lytle Creek, then why not diamonds in San Bernardino?"
If you were to go detecting in Lytle Creek now, it would most likely be a nightmare. All along the road about a 1/2 mile out of town and out, was a popular shooting area up until sometime in the 90's. On weekends the place sounded like a war zone and we called it "lie-low" creek. Expect to find a ton of shell casings, cans and any other assorted metal things that people brought out to shoot full of holes. Also, the hillsides will be full of lead.

I've seen one of those little tunnels on the right hand side while driving up Lytle Creek Road - looks like a death trap lol.

As kids we used to go blackberry picking on the other side of Lytle Creek Road where the springs are, just past the little community of Happy Jack (off Sycamore Dr., the last left before the shooting area). It definitely sounded like a war zone, and we were always nervous since we never knew if people were aiming towards the town. You could still hear the shooting pretty well from Happy Jack, where our cabin is. They did shut down the shooting area in the 90s, but a few years back they reopened it as a private range - it's actually a decent (and much safer) place to shoot now.

I don't think you'd find much lead in the actual creek, since the springs are about 2-3 miles south/east of the range (before the range if you're driving up Lytle Creek Road), probably not any other type of metal either... but I've always wanted to know if anyone has found anything sluicing or detecting near the creek.

Thanks for the info!

- Mills

 

[MrLee]

Not sure if you ever got your answer, but you can go to the San Bernardino National Forest site to get an answer. San Bernardino National Forest - Rocks & Minerals

Was up there last year with my kids and it sounded like a warzone. Lots of dodgy looking people too. We turned around and left.

 

[treasurechest]

Lytle Creek District