Yellowstone Ghost town help?
- Thread starter scotty544
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team sidewinder
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So what are the names of these Ghost Towns ? It all depends where they are at and if we don't know the names it is pretty hard to give you any idea if they are open to the public. 
team sidewinder
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I am very doubtful that any of those places you mention are open to the public for metal detecting. I know I wouldn't do any detecting there as it also is all either Montana State Historical owned or private property with a little BLM land here and there but you better know where you are poking around unless you know for sure. Pony is all private and mining property up there and I am no famaliar with Laurin so no help there.
I have a map chip in my Garmin Montana GPS that shows all private, BLM, Forest Service and also State of Montana land so I have an idea where I can detect and where not to. I beleive those are all pretty touchy areas. Guess you can always ask permission on the private property land but would be suprised if they let you detect there. Now the Diggers from the National Geographic Channel seem to get permission for lot of places us common folks will never get to detect but I am sure there is some $$$$ exchanged there.
Hate to rain on your parade.
I have a map chip in my Garmin Montana GPS that shows all private, BLM, Forest Service and also State of Montana land so I have an idea where I can detect and where not to. I beleive those are all pretty touchy areas. Guess you can always ask permission on the private property land but would be suprised if they let you detect there. Now the Diggers from the National Geographic Channel seem to get permission for lot of places us common folks will never get to detect but I am sure there is some $$$$ exchanged there.
Hate to rain on your parade.
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Tom_in_CA
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A little word-to-the-wise on ghost-towns, to begin with: It's gotten to where .... ANY of those glitzy "text book" type ghost towns are probably the LAST place you'd want to go anyhow. Any one that's got those still-standing buildings, that's of the touristy nature, have either been hunted to death, or ... as said .... going to be sticklers for ability to access anyhow.
Years ago I gathered up various "Ghost towns" books, and went through Arizona and New Mexico, to go sight-seeing and detect at all those glamorous spots. You know, those caliber books like "Sunset Home & Garden's Ghost towns of the Southwest", and other such motorhome enthusiasts tourist guide books. Invariably any of them in the books are just gussied up tourist traps, or historic preserves (Bodie, etc...). And to the extent that a few we found that were ... in fact ... remote (where you could get away with swinging the detector), we discovered that since those books had come out in the 1960s and early 1970s, that they had since then become veritable JUNK HEAPS and nothing remained ('cept a few foundations, etc...). Those books apparently draw spectators, bottle diggers, campers etc.... for decades now. So it was plain to see that they'd been over run with partyers, hunters shooting target practice (thus modern junk and bullet shells everywhere), and bottle pits EVERYWHERE evidencing that scores of other TH'rs had already been there.
So we learned REAL fast to throw out those books, and AVOID any such place that's too easy like that to go to easy books on. Instead, we researched for places that were NOT easy knowledge. For example, stage stops that are nothing there to be seen now (cross-roads out in the desert at various mileage intervals, of which there's nothing left to be seen now, and thus not in books like those tourist-type things). Or ruins out in the mountains we had to hike to, yet with no mention in books, etc.. Only THEN did we find spots worth detecting at, which had not been over-run by partyers, campers, hunters, etc....
Years ago I gathered up various "Ghost towns" books, and went through Arizona and New Mexico, to go sight-seeing and detect at all those glamorous spots. You know, those caliber books like "Sunset Home & Garden's Ghost towns of the Southwest", and other such motorhome enthusiasts tourist guide books. Invariably any of them in the books are just gussied up tourist traps, or historic preserves (Bodie, etc...). And to the extent that a few we found that were ... in fact ... remote (where you could get away with swinging the detector), we discovered that since those books had come out in the 1960s and early 1970s, that they had since then become veritable JUNK HEAPS and nothing remained ('cept a few foundations, etc...). Those books apparently draw spectators, bottle diggers, campers etc.... for decades now. So it was plain to see that they'd been over run with partyers, hunters shooting target practice (thus modern junk and bullet shells everywhere), and bottle pits EVERYWHERE evidencing that scores of other TH'rs had already been there.
So we learned REAL fast to throw out those books, and AVOID any such place that's too easy like that to go to easy books on. Instead, we researched for places that were NOT easy knowledge. For example, stage stops that are nothing there to be seen now (cross-roads out in the desert at various mileage intervals, of which there's nothing left to be seen now, and thus not in books like those tourist-type things). Or ruins out in the mountains we had to hike to, yet with no mention in books, etc.. Only THEN did we find spots worth detecting at, which had not been over-run by partyers, campers, hunters, etc....
killian110
Jr. Member
Hey Scotty, Since you're already in the area look around for Forrest Fenn's $3 million dollar hidden treasure chest. Yellowstone seems to be a prime location for it to have been hidden. Check out the blog at captpappy | A great WordPress.com site for more details. If you haven't heard of this treasure hunt just google Forrest Fenn and read the poem then read Capt Pappy's blog. It's interesting nonetheless. Whether you check it out or not, have a great trip. I love Yellowstone!!!
Below is the latest update from Capt Pappy's blog.
[h=1]Path to Forrest Fenn’s Treasure the Easy Way[/h]Posted on May 27, 2013
Start at the northeast gate of the Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Any gate will do but from the gate get to US 212. US 212 runs a long the north part of YNP in a east west direction. From the northeast gate go past Soda Butte down the canyon to the Lamar Ranger Research Station and stop at the small turn-out on the south side of US 212 about a half mile from the station. For others coming from a different gate get the free YNP map and find the Lamar Ranger Research Station on Us 212. Park at the turn-out and being careful of the animals (read the rules about maintaining distances to the different animals) walk towards the grove of cottonwoods to the south and slightly east of the turn-out. Walking sticks come in handy as you cross water twice. I never got my shoes wet. When you arrive at the trees look west to the tree in the middle it splits into two trunks. Look at the bottom and find the hollow.
Below is the latest update from Capt Pappy's blog.
[h=1]Path to Forrest Fenn’s Treasure the Easy Way[/h]Posted on May 27, 2013
Start at the northeast gate of the Yellowstone National Park (YNP). Any gate will do but from the gate get to US 212. US 212 runs a long the north part of YNP in a east west direction. From the northeast gate go past Soda Butte down the canyon to the Lamar Ranger Research Station and stop at the small turn-out on the south side of US 212 about a half mile from the station. For others coming from a different gate get the free YNP map and find the Lamar Ranger Research Station on Us 212. Park at the turn-out and being careful of the animals (read the rules about maintaining distances to the different animals) walk towards the grove of cottonwoods to the south and slightly east of the turn-out. Walking sticks come in handy as you cross water twice. I never got my shoes wet. When you arrive at the trees look west to the tree in the middle it splits into two trunks. Look at the bottom and find the hollow.
scotty544
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Thanks Tom for the tips, I had figured as much on the ghost towns. I decided to skip the detecting. Toured the Park for four days and I am now heading south again. We got snowed on about 2 inches this morning at the big Sky condos, decided to go home.
As far as that treasure the guy hid., I think it's probably a wild goose chase Hoax. But I did see a tv show about it.
As far as that treasure the guy hid., I think it's probably a wild goose chase Hoax. But I did see a tv show about it.
team sidewinder
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Sorry about the detecting the ghost towns things. I know it would be nice but it is what it is. You probably would have made enough coin detecting around the Big Sky Lodge to pay for your room. Or maybe. I am sure the skiers lost lots of money on the ground there because if it fell in the snow it was out of sight till you detect it up.
killian110
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A bad day in Yellowstone beats a good day at work. Unless there are grizzlies involved of course. :-)
