ROBBER’S ROOST NEAR GREEN RIVER

Samanthy

Full Member
Apr 22, 2018
219
251
Phoenix, Arizona
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White‘s Sierra Madre
White‘s TM–600
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Cache Hunting
I recently picked up a copy of George Thompson’s SOME DREAMS DIE. The book was originally published in 1982. It talks about the “ new found “ Robber’s Roost northwest of Green River that was used by the Wild Bunch. Are any TN members familiar with the site ? Has it been picked clean ? Seems to have created quite a stir at the time - relics and coins.
 

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TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
7,732
10,991
Yarnell, AZ
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Metal Detecting
Robbers Roost Canyon is at least 6 or 7 miles long. It would help to know where Butch built his cabin(s) in the canyon. I'm game but the topography is pretty ROUGH​! I will soon have a Rokon cycle and can explore the canyon. I'll have to find out the Utah regs on motorized vehicles in the canyon. ╦╦C
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
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Yarnell, AZ
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Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
WOAH! Just looked it up. You have South, Middle, and North forks Robbers Roost Canyon. Now IMPERATIVE that the cabin be found! All three forks constitute a LOT of real estate! But I'm still game. ╦╦C
 

nuggetdog

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2014
255
321
Utah
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Equinox 800
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All Treasure Hunting
I recently picked up a copy of George Thompson’s SOME DREAMS DIE. The book was originally published in 1982. It talks about the “ new found “ Robber’s Roost northwest of Green River that was used by the Wild Bunch. Are any TN members familiar with the site ? Has it been picked clean ? Seems to have created quite a stir at the time - relics and coins.

Read your post and decided to find my copy of that book my dad bought back in the early 80’s. Tons of stories in there, one of my favorite books ever.
The cabins and it sounds like some of the loot was found, picked clean, I doubt it. I’m retired now and have plenty of time on my hands and would love to pursue some of stories in this book.
 

nuggetdog

Sr. Member
Jan 29, 2014
255
321
Utah
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WOAH! Just looked it up. You have South, Middle, and North forks Robbers Roost Canyon. Now IMPERATIVE that the cabin be found! All three forks constitute a LOT of real estate! But I'm still game. ╦╦C

Hey Terry, Semper Fi from one marine to another. I’m pretty sure the robbers roost he’s referring to is located above the San Rafael river near Buck Wash, not robbers roost canyon south of Hanksville.
 

TerryC

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Jun 26, 2008
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Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Hey Terry, Semper Fi from one marine to another. I’m pretty sure the robbers roost he’s referring to is located above the San Rafael river near Buck Wash, not robbers roost canyon south of Hanksville.
I have found more than one, two, Robbers Roosts on the map. Wikipedia subscribes to the one at the end of the South fork of the Robbers Roost canyon. There is a cabin there. I get around and would certainly dig (pun intended) into this story further with you and Samanthy. ╦╦C


OORAH!
 

Hammer

Newbie
May 23, 2003
3
6
Utah
Sorry to pop in late on this months-old discussion, but I wanted to share a few things based on my own knowledge as a resident of the area.
Samanthy mentioned "northwest of Green River", so the better-known Robbers Roost Canyon, closer to Hanksville, doesn't fit the description. It's located 45 miles south of Green River. I think Nugget Dog is hitting a little closer with his description near Buckhorn Wash. I'll hit on this southern location in a bit.
Page 111 of Some Dreams Die mentions Desert Lake. This area is certainly NW of Green River. I've never heard of it called the new-found Robbers Roost, but nonetheless, was apparently frequented by Butch and the gang during their time. Very little remains of Desert Lake. There isn't much more than a cemetery. However, very near there on Cedar Mountain, just a few miles east, is a hideout said to have been used by Butch. It can be difficult to get to, but I can tell you, it is a perfect place for a hideout. Getting there is like walking through a maze with 30 ft high walls. The easiest way down the cliff is by climbing down a dead Ponderosa tree leaning against it. The only remains of the hideout are some very old lumber scattered around a deep crack in the rock. The old timers tell the story of Butch using this crack as his fireplace. The smoke would rise through the crack and come out far from where he was located.
Also near this area, is Buckhorn Wash (Buckhorn Draw on the maps). Matt Warner, an outlaw who ran with Butch, etched his name on the sandstone there. It's still there and easily visible from the road. I've found other evidence of Butch in the area as well. The name "Butch Casady" is inscribed with what appears to be fire coals in sandstone under a rock overhang. Completely untouched by most of the elements, this inscription is still visible. The charcoal has protected the underlying sandstone from erosion leaving the inscription raised by about a quarter inch, possibly lending authenticity to the amount time it has been there. Also, since Butch's name was actually Robert Parker, it makes sense he might misspell it.
Now, back to Robbers Roost Canyon - It's been well documented that Butch and many others spent time there. Most notably in Pearl Baker's books. There is a chimney still standing from an old cabin built in the 1890's or so. As far as I've been able to discern, Butch may have never stayed in the cabin. It's said to have belonged to Jack Cottrell, a cattle rancher.
I can't imagine any of the outlaws would hide their loot in the canyon since there seemed to be fair amount of traffic through there in those days. Highly improbable of finding the hidden cache of bank robbery loot. However, there are many stories of shootouts there, so I think it's highly probable to find some shell casings, lead bullets or other relics.
We're planning a trip back in spring of 2021. We'll be taking metal detectors. Hopefully, I find more than nails.
Happy hunting.
Hammer
 

cyzak

Bronze Member
Jul 14, 2018
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Mountains of Western Colorado
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Beyond Oak Island, they had a show on about it last week ole Gary the metal detecting king went out there so it is already picked over as we type.
 

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Hammer

Newbie
May 23, 2003
3
6
Utah
Beyond Oak Island, they had a show on about it last week ole Gary the metal detecting king went out there so it is already picked over as we type.
I watched the episode you mentioned. It appears as if they only scanned around the chimney in about a 50 ft radius. Considering that part of the canyon is 1/2 mile long, I doubt it's all been picked over. I guess I'll find out.
Hammer
 

cyzak

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Jul 14, 2018
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Mountains of Western Colorado
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I watched the episode you mentioned. It appears as if they only scanned around the chimney in about a 50 ft radius. Considering that part of the canyon is 1/2 mile long, I doubt it's all been picked over. I guess I'll find out.
Hammer

Definitely worth taking a look at lot of country out there to cover be safe.
 

TerryC

Gold Member
Jun 26, 2008
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Yarnell, AZ
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Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Beyond Oak Island, they had a show on about it last week ole Gary the metal detecting king went out there so it is already picked over as we type.
A place is NEVER completely picked over (hunted out). I walked in the footprints of a detectorist on a Florida beach and found a gold ring he missed. I hunted a tot lot right after a detectorist told me "nothing". I found a silver ring and a child's toy ring. It takes time and effort, and sometimes local knowledge, to find things others miss. NEVER hunted out. ╦╦C

(I saw that episode, BTW)
 

Flyfisher

Newbie
Jan 19, 2022
1
2
I believe you are correct that Butch had a hideout NW of the town of Green River, but he also most definitely had one in the true "Robber's Roost" area east of Hanksville as well. As a local and a relative to Butch, I can tell you a few things. First, this stone fireplace at the head of Robber's Roost Canyon did not belong to Butch. It was indeed a cabin built and used by Jack Cottrell and other families after his. Most that know the true location of the actual Roost will steer you here, it's become a mock site to keep people from finding the actual roost. Robber's Roost canyon (all of it's forks) were also generally named for the area. These do not denote the actual location of the Roost.

I've never met anyone that knows the true location to part with that info. Those circles that know are tight knit, local families that don't want to see the true location become a tourist attraction. Those circles also doubt that Butch left any treasure behind there (and why would he?). Several of these families take annual horseback trips into the roost, and the ones that still run cattle in the area visit it often. Like I said, good luck getting them to talk.
 

cvdetect

Tenderfoot
May 24, 2022
6
4
I have been to the Roost area quite a bit and it is a beautiful and interesting place. There are several places where the outlaws camped in the area and a few regular camping places on the "trail" from Wyoming to New Mexico that I have Identified and poked around with a detector. The area with the cabin was a good place for cattle because of the springs. The spring to the west of the cabin flows through some gypsum or some such and is a bit "tangy" but drinkable. the one to the east that comes out of a small cave is much better water. There have been a few stories of caches found in the general area but I have not heard of anything being found near the cabin.
 

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