Detecing Arizona for relics

[rcb187]

Hello, I have recently moved 20 miles south of Sedona, Arizona. I am starting to search for possible relic hunting locations. Someone told me about a spot called Jerome and that it is an old mining town, will need to further research the area. I will be looking to speak with locals that know the area, as well as searching for old text and old maps. Just figured I would reach out on here to see if anyone is from this area or can give hints about places or ways to find spots. I also looking for metal detecting partners, as well as fellow rock hounds, I enjoy searching for agates, geodes, jasper, and indian artifacts as well.

Anyways thanks for reading... Cheers!

 

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[CoinHunterAZ]

Hello rcb187,

I'm in Flagstaff, maybe an hour away. Jerome is pretty much off limits for relic hunting, unless you can obtain some private property permissions. It's a "former" ghost town that has "sprung" back to life. Now it's a tourist Mecca (to say the least), with all kinds of curio and jewelry shops, bars and restaurants. It's a neat place though, and if you decide to go there check out the mining museum. The public libraries are good sources for research. Flagstaff was a logging town. There are remnants of logging steam engine rail spurs all around the surrounding area. I have found a few of the old logging camps, and have found lots of 1800's era relics and coins. As far as Indian artifacts go, just about all of Northern Arizona has ruins and relics all over the place. I do advise you to study up on the laws regarding the collecting of Indian artifacts on public lands here, as you don't wanna wind up in the pokey. I'ts a rock-hounding paradise! The Bradshaw Mountains near you are loaded with all manner of minerals and gemstones. Hope this helps.

 

[rcb187]

hello CoinHunterAZ!,

This is great news and help! Thanks for the response. very exciting to hear about old coins/relics in the flagstaff area. This confirms my next couple days off. headed to find some old logging camps!! awesome. Ah to hear this about Jerome I am not totally surprised. I mindat.org the town a couple of hours ago and I see its mainly a tourist attraction. (will def check it out it looks like a really cool town on the side of a mountain.) Someone today warned me today about taking Indian artifacts, Thank you for the warning I will read up on the rules. I am going to look up Bradshaw mountains as soon as I'm done typing this! I am working at an RV park on the oak creek near Cornville. I have spent the past two days metal detecting the oak creek, only 50 holes or so, all trash iron/pulltabs hehe. the usual. looking for anything from relics to some jewelry dropped by swimmers. Anyways, thanks again big time for the response and I very much appreciate the help!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... Now it's a tourist Mecca (to say the least), with all kinds of curio and jewelry shops, bars and restaurants. ....

Yup. And any of those coffee-table Sunset Home & Garden tourist-trap ghost-towns are the LAST place you'd want to detect. In fact, most all of the *obvious* colorful storied ghost towns, are either tourist-trapped-out, or .... hunted to death by yesteryear hunters.

It's gotten to the point where we purposefully avoid such places. And opt instead for the obscure spots. Eg.: stage stops that have little written about them. Or obscure and contradictory location accounts, yet we sleuth out the right spot. Thus sometimes the LESS you see written about a spot, the better ... ironically.

Some of my best old-coin spots have been little stop spots that were nothing but half-way spots between 2 larger ("colorful") destinations/towns. Where someone threw out their shingle for an over-night stop-spot, or had a store or saloon rest-stop spot. Contrast to the mining towns themselves, which were prone to massive amounts of industrial junk. Or prone to be modern tourist-traps, etc....

 

[rcb187]

Hey Tom in CA,

i get excited just reading this. makes me want to go get the detector for a couple of holes before dark. thanks for the hints. I saw someone posted a link for historic map works . com. I searched on it for this area but it seems to only have from 1966 on. I need to double check to make sure I didn't accidentally missed one or two.

cheers.

 

[bc5391]

Arizona antiquity law states if it is over 50 years old, leave it be, in other words leave it where you found it of face huge fines.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Arizona antiquity law states if it is over 50 years old, leave it be, in other words leave it where you found it of face huge fines.

You are confusing federal law with other types-of-land. What you are stating does not apply to state, county, city, or private lands.

And .... quite frankly .... have you ever had anyone come out to you, armed with a calculator, doing the math on the ages of coins you find ? Of course: Don't be snooping around obvious historic sensitive federal monuments. Fine.

 

[Rick K]

The applicable regulations are Federal law for Federal land and AZ statutes for State Trust land, The latter are pretty strict, so might be best to stay off them. Otherwise - pretty much as Tom said.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

.... Federal land and AZ statutes for State Trust land,...

I was going to mention that ...... it's not only federal (ARPA), but often-times also incorporated into state park rules as well. Known as "cultural heritage" verbiage. But even then, would only apply to state PARKS. And not other forms of state land (not all state land is state "park" lands).

And as said before, Let's be serious: The only time such things are invoked, is if someone were snooping around obvious off-limits sensitive historic monuments. If you are out in the middle-of-nowhere, I doubt anyone is hiding behind trees, waiting to jump out, armed with a calculator. Just avoid obvious historic monuments, and you'll be in compliance with any such "50 yr." bolgona.

 

[Tom Slick]

Arizona "State Trust" Land is a BIG no-no for metal detecting. Rangers regularly patrol the State Trust lands. You can get permits for hunting and fishing on State Trust land but don't even think about detecting.

 

[A2coins]

Great place to hunt many ghost towns and lots of history though the ground is hard as cement