Revealing Oklahoma’s Best Places To Go Metal Detecting & Treasure Hunting

There's a lot of history in these red dirt roots in Oklahoma. Ever wonder what you could find just by digging a little deeper? Even cool, some say that if you look hard enough, you could find some really interesting (and valuable) things buried in the dirt.

Know Before You Go

The good news about Oklahoma: our state is rich with history. The bad news about Oklahoma: our state has a lot of federal land protected because of history. When you're out searching, make sure you know who's land you're on. In Oklahoma, you can detect on private property with permission.

@conkdetects We went to Tulsa and found some cool treasures! We’ll definitely go back!#tulsa #tulsaoklahoma #metaldetecting #treasurehunting #tiktoklike #xpdeus2 #relic #relics @xpmetaldetectors @Vans @Garrett Metal Detectors ♬ original sound - ConkDetects

If you're going to hit up any historical sites, government property, or state parks, you'll need to get a permit before you do so. It's easier to get the permit from the area's Park and Recreation office for much less than the fines you'll receive if caught metal detecting without one.

Best Places To Go Metal Detecting in Oklahoma

According to bizarrehobby.org, here are the best places to go metal detecting in Oklahoma.

1. Glover River in McCurtain County

2. Blue River in Bryan, Johnston, and Pontotoc Counties

3. Garnettville, Oklahoma in Oklahoma County (Ghost town)

4. Blackburn, Oklahoma in Pawnee County (Ghost town)

5. Skullyville, Oklahoma in LeFlore County (Ghost town)

If you want to stay close to home, try looking for things like:

• abandoned buildings
• historical sites
• Old trails taken by settlers and Native Americans
• Civil war cites

If you need a few more ideas of where to look close to home, check out these suggestions.

Buried Treasure in Oklahoma?

There are a few legends of buried or hidden treasure throughout Oklahoma. According to the Alva Review Courier, here are a few that have yet to be found:

• Jesse James' gold bullion, worth about $1 million, hidden somewhere near Geronimo, either in the Wichita Mountains or along Cache Creek.
• "During the Civil War, four barrels of gold coins were captured from two Federal wagons by Confederates during a battle in Kansas. The rebels were attacked by outlaws in Oklahoma and the gold coins were hidden in a cave close to the Blue River (about 5 miles northeast of Brown)."
• "In the early 1900s, three outlaws made off with $40,000 in gold coins during a Wichita bank robbery and headed off for the Wichita Mountains."

Just make sure no matter where you decide to search, you ask permission first from the landowner or make sure it isn't government property. Maybe this year, you could be a real treasure hunter.

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