Reynolds gang treasure Colorado

huntinlady · Apr 24, 2008

Does any one have any hard evidence that the Reynolds gang treasure here in Colorado has NOT been found

if so would you share it??
Rebecca
8)

cavers5 · Apr 24, 2008

Hey, I've been wondering about that treasure, too.

Good question. Hope somebody knows more about it!

Cavers5

BILL96 · Apr 25, 2008

I have almost come to believe that this is just another treasure story without any substance. I have spent alot of time resarching this and it seems that real facks are few and far between. Go back and retrace their supposed route on a map, it doesnt make any sence.
If I am wrong please help me out.
Thanks, Bill

djr1100 · Dec 8, 2008

I know if I found a treasure like this one, I would leave a marker indicating I found it. And some of the artifacts probably wouldn't be worth much outside of the context, so, at some point I would donate them to a museum.

I too have done research on this, and did a recent hike - during our indian summer days.

I would be happy to share information I have with any/all of you. Regarding this tale I think the facts are so confused and blurry I don't think sharing would do anyone harm or good.

Perhaps we should meet over coffee and compare notes?

chrisb5401 · Jan 12, 2012

For starters you can't prove something hasn't been found until you find it and know that it actually is it, as opposed to something else that was where it was supposed to be by pure coincidence. I have put a lot of research into this and this is one I am most fairly confident did actually exist. That being said there are conflicted accounts, the first official account in a book was General David J Cook's biography (fist editions, later editions seem to not include this chapter for some reason.) He includes a map of the ambush site and were that is in relation to the Platte River, Hand Cart Creek etc. This conflicts with Vernon Crow's account who lived in a cabin off Handcart Creek and claims to have found the ambush site, the tree with the dagger in it, and the horse skeleton where it got mired down in a bog and had to be shot. At least one large cache was recovered from this area from an abandoned mine shaft, which may or may not be from the Reynolds Gang. Anyways for anyone who is interested I have a digital copy of General Cook's book with the map etc for anyone interested. But I would also read Vernon Crow's story from Rocky Mountain Empire, which I also have digitally if you can't find it online. if anyone else has found anything I would love to share notes.

Attached is the map from General Cook's Book. Note it places the ambush site off Geneva Creek and not Handcart Creek.

Mammothman · Jun 7, 2012

I don't know if it has ever been found, but I did a lot of research on this a while back and I think I found the area where it was supposed to have taken place. It is a popular area for people who like to take out their 4x4s and drive rough roads. Using Google earth to look at the site, once you get past the rock slide it rolls out into a long somewhat shallow meadow/valley without any trees. I'm pretty sure this is the area (granted the story teller was telling the true, or even knew the truth). But who can say if it was found. I still haven't made it out to the area, but would love to go just to see it. The Mystery of Handcart Creek is a great read for the treasure story and what I based my search on. If it is all true then there area where the treasure was hid can be reached and I'm sure someone would have found it by now... but you never know. ROCKY MOUNTAIN EMPIRE

40coupe · May 3, 2015

RE: Reynolds Treasure...

Actually, the 'x' on the map between Deer and Elk Creeks is just about where Royal Mountain is located, somewhat E of the Pike NF Tanglewood Trail #636. According to legend, the Reynolds gang, minus Owen Singletarry, had proceeded E to the then-Bradford Junction vicinity now known as the Hwy 285/CO 74 intersection, when they were forced to turn back to the west by the actions of one of their earlier victims interested in alerting the authorities.

Then there's this account of one possible discovery of some of the Reynolds gang's gold from 'The Upper Side of the Pie Crust' by Margaret V. Bentley (ISBN 0-89146-005-5), according to local Dwight Nuckolls...
"...At that time, (they) were getting their mail at the Field's Trading Post. If Dwight didn't have gas for his old car, he'd ride a horse up for the mail. One day while making this trip, he saw a lot of cars around Al Bobbitt's house. Most unusual, for in those years you didn't see many cars around. So Dwight went up and knocked on the door, and said "Is somebody sick, Al?" Bobbitt answered "Go on home. I'll talk to you about it later."
When Al moved back by Dwight, he told him all of the cars had been there because the government had found out about his digging up treasure, and the agents took 65% of it.
Dwight said Bobbitt used to belong to a gang of outlaws known as the 'Reynolds Gang', who holed-up in Hall Valley. Supposedly, Al was so mean they kicked him out of the gang. However, not only did he know where the loot was buried, he watched his chance and then dug it up. This treasure he uncovered also brought on the interest of the government."

"A couple of years later, Al Bobbitt gave Dwight two dollars to drive him and his gear to the head of Geneva Creek in Dwight's '27 Chevrolet, and
come back in two week's time to pick him up. Al told Dwight he wanted to do some prospecting.
When Dwight came back to pick him up, he started loading Al's stuff in the back of the car. There was a gunny sack too heavy to lift, so he said to Al "I need a lift here." They swung the sack into the car. Then Al reached inside and gave him either an octagon or a hexagon shaped gold piece. Al told him to make a watch fob out of it. Dwight said "No, you've already paid me."
About a year later he asked Bobbitt if he still had one of those gold pieces. Al told him he had melted them down to get rid of them.
Dwight believes the old Reynolds gang treasure was reclaimed by Al Bobbitt, and that there's no point in anyone else digging for the buried loot. He says "They'll never find it.' "