Great falls Montana area

welcome from Indy. I can't answer your question, but I was out there 2 years ago going to Glacier and it's a beautiful area.
 

erinleigh said:
Hey there I'm Erin and I live in great falls and was wondering if anyone knew where some good places to go metal detecting around the area or in great falls are I have a bounty hunter quick silver and I love it a lot! Thanks again :)

Erin Leigh
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Great Falls here. Welcome :hello:

There is quite a bit of history in Cascade County and the Great Falls area. I would recommend to hit the library for some of the older city documents and pictures for some ideas.
 

Another MD'er here from Great Falls. I hope everyone else is as excited about our warmer weather, but not the wind, as I am.

Looking forward to getting outside again soon,

- Alan
 

Hi erinleigh. Im from over the hill in Bigfork, but currently working in the oilfields in NW North Dakota. I lived in Great Falls while in the Air Force in the 1980s. I remember there being an overlook up by the airport where you could view the city at night. Might be a good spot to check. Also, what about the park down by the river on the East side, closest to the interstate? Good luck!
 

I live in Great Falls and have found some coins from the early 1900's. But I'll admit that I have been to a couple other places which are within an hours drive. One place has panned out pretty nice with some 1860's military relics. The other area has not been as productive yet but I've only been there once so I'm not ready to give up just yet.

Half the battle is research!
 

Where online do you go to start it I am a newbie when it comes to research and that sort of stuff on metal detecting! Any help would be wonderful thanks!

Erin
 

It all depends on what you're looking for. If you are wanting to just get out and find coins and possible jewelry, the local parks will work just fine. Your coin finds will probably be of the modern type though, but you never know. This is where most of the "trash" will be though. Or in detecting terms, anything made of metal which you usually don't want such as pull tabs, foil, bottle caps, etc. Also, if you want to detect the local parks you must get a license from the parks & recreation office. It's not much, only $5 for a year. But one thing they do not tell you is that you are only able to dig with a probe. A shovel or spade of any sort is not allowed! I'm not a big fan of that rule!
Now if you are looking for older coins and relics, then start researching old homesites, battle sites, ghost towns, old roads which no longer exist, old footpaths, etc. You can start at the Great Falls library which has old documents & newspapers on their third floor if I remember right. Plus there is the History Museum which is several blocks South of the library. They have some good reading there too. But the number one place you should start is right in your own backyard! You never know what you'll find by just searching your own yard.
If you're still stumped or getting frustrated, I would be willing to help. Right now I'm working on new places to detect since the weather is so cold and the ground is frozen solid. Let me know. Good luck!
 

Looking forward to put my new Etrac to use here in the Butte area. Ground is still a little frozen. Nothing a torch can't fix lol
 

There was a lot of mining southeast of you in the Monarch area, and also southwest of you in the Helena direction. There is also the Fort Benton area where the steam boats that came up the Missiouri river and let off trade and passengers. A few to hopefully get you started. Also it wouldn't hurt to ask around and get permission to detect some of those older houses there in Great Falls.
 

Sup Erin I live in Helena and have looked around GF and it looks like down by the river is a good place to look, there are mines right in both of our cities(Macy's in Helena is right on one).I hard rock mine and have found black diamonds and sapphires garnets gold silver etc and we have property all over Jefferson County with mines galore.Have you had any luck?
 

Erin, I see this is an old post. But my daughters and I have had some fun and success in collecting what amounts to metallic garbage in the Hughesville area. If you're not familiar I can send some GPS cords. Lots of national forest land, but also some private, and mining claims. We have found lots of old beer cans and railroad spikes. Lol but we're in it for the thrill of the hunt.
 

Camperhouser, The thrill of the hunt........that's all it takes. During the summer, I'm out 4 to 5 nights (cooler then) a week. Many times in 1-1/2 to 2 hrs I find a penny, or a few clad coins. Last night I was out for 2 hrs and only found 1 coin, a 1942-D Merc dime.....and it was silver so that 2 hrs wasn't wasted. Tonight I was out only 1-1/2 hrs and just found 1 Wheatie.....a 1937-D cent. To me, it's the opportunity to detect, to get out, to wish for something nice.
 

Hi Erin, I travel from Connecticut to Great Falls usually twice a year to visit my brother and his family. Have detected the parks a couple times with little luck other than modern. I'm heading out this fall and will be hitting up a very old abandoned building out by Big Sandy and a couple other abandoned places. Always looking for a swinging partner in GF.

Daryn Calsetta
 

Reading the early history of any region will provide ideas on where to go. The first business district, most times the old part of town is where the older coins can be found. This is very true when construction projects take place.
 

Well for those who are interested in the Great Falls region, in a few weeks check with Big Bear Sports, they well be carrying some books that might be of interest to you.
 

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