Lost Treasure Stories | Superstition Mountains | Arizona | Spiral Staircase | Gold

Legends of lost treasure around the Superstition Mountains in Arizona have brought up more history than just the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. The Peralta Stone maps illuminated the historical mining district but an old man wandering the desert told of a deeper story. Was he a descendent of the Peralta’s? The man’s story focused on an ancient or primitive spiral staircase cut straight down into the desert floor. Was it the Spanish conquistadore’s who cut this tunnel down into the ground?

It is obvious why someone would take the time to cut a primitive shaft with steps leading down into the desert floor. In primitive times before drilling equipment was available, desert people needing water had to hand dig their water wells. Cutting steps enabled them to climb in and out efficiently and was simple. After the work was done, they could simply lower a bucket on a rope to get water for people and animals. Selecting the location in the desert floor before the mountainous area would have simplified the work since it placed the miners closer to the underground water table. This convenient location could provide a rest area or campsite to The Peralta’s carrying heavy loads of gold out of the superstition mountains. Legend has it, at the bottom of the well awaited The Surprise of a Lifetime for those who accidentally found it.

Lost Treasure of Gold in the Superstition mountain legends of Arizona.

Now that we have an idea of who would dig such a hidden treasure tunnel in the Arizona desert floor en route to the Peralta Gold Mines Hidden in the Superstition mountains, and why they might have hand dug such a treasure cave, Let’s get on to the story of the lost treasure.

The story of lost treasure in the Superstition mountains continues that whomever hand dug the tunnel leading down the spiral staircase found something unexpected at the bottom, perhaps one hundred feet down or more. Legend implies there was an underground stream, with a waterfall that was part of a vast system of underground caverns in the Arizona desert and superstition mountain area. These caverns were said to have been inhabited by a cannibalistic race of red haired giants who were not friendly to their surprise guests who may have dropped in on them unexpectedly.

At the bottom of the spiral staircase, The lost treasure tunnel filled with gold was said to branch off in two directions, upstream and downstream following the water. The pathway littered with ancient relics of primitive tools used to dig the shaft along with old Spanish armor and swords were allegedly strewn about as if a great fight had occurred unexpectedly quite some time ago. Perhaps hundreds of years have passed since this treasure was supposedly hidden in the Arizona desert. Was it the Peralta family? The Peralta Stone Maps and history of the Superstition mountains enlighten the possibility.

The mystery of the lost treasure in the Superstition mountains of the Arizona Desert continues that past the underground waterfall the system of caverns led to the lair of a red haired giant complete with primitive wooden furniture such as a table and chairs. The treasure hoard said to be left hidden here described very old Spanish gold and silver coins, containers of vast exquisite gemstones, Gold Bars, and a collection of clothing reported as monks robes, Spanish armor and weapons, all very old. One possible explanation of this legend if true, could be the original spiral staircase tunnel was dug for water, accidentally unsealing a new entrance to the giants den. It could be the cannibalistic red haired giant ate his surprise guests, and kept their things as gifts, marveling at the sheer beauty of gemstones and gold sparkling in the light. Imagine how pretty would be giant emeralds and rubies encased in gold crosses and other lost treasure objects of antiquity? The fully dressed skeleton of the giant was said to still be in the cavern, adorned with priceless jewelry, along with a very old Spanish parchment treasure map of the Superstition mountains. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0kCi-BO-9IgM9amWh4WMYA

Lost Spanish Gold Santa Rita Mountains

Lost Spanish Gold of Santa Rita Mountains:

In the year 1781 a group of 7-10 miners were working a gold mine recently discovered a year earlier by a rancher who was also retired presidial soldier of the Elias family name. Being the land owner he wrote to a couple of family members in Arispe (the capital of Sonora) to come work the deposits.

It didn’t take long for a mining party (being made up of only 3 full relatives and the rest were native workers) to be assembled and on its way north to Pimeria Alta and the Santa Rita mountains.

Upon arrival to the site of the Placer deposit, they began work immediately building a corral, cabin, and sampling the deposits. The gold wasn’t as rich as some other discoveries in the area but they were picking up small nuggets and it also soon showed signs of silver which made the party even more passionate. The miners were producing 3 pack fulls of gold and silver a week and storing the ore inside of an alcove next to the mine and walling it up with stacked rocks after each day.

Three months into the workings of the deposits proved to be easy going as well as very lucrative. Every two or three weeks, a small party would travel to the local ranches, San Xavier mission or Tubac Presidio for supplies and then return to the mine.

On one of these supply runs, two of the 3 family members left the mine to go get more supplies. All who was left at the mine was one Spaniard and the native laborers. When the small supply train went beyond the hills nearby, screaming was heard and dust was seen rising into view. The Apache’s fell upon the Supply party and those at the mine almost at the same time. The native workers scattered and abandoned the only Spaniard left to fend for himself.

The laborers went to the families ranch hacienda to deliver the news of the Apache attack. The Indians were all killed on the spot for leaving his relatives to die and when the rancher and his vaqueros arrived on the site they found all the livestock, provisions, and clothes of his murdered family members were gone and the bodies mutilated. The mine was said to be sealed by the rancher and his vaqueros and never re opened.

The mine alone and even hidden gold and silver barring ore would be a great discovery if you can find the walled up alcove.

If while on your adventures this weekend, and you find your self near the Santa Rita Mountains south of Tucson, Keep your eyes open, you never know what you might find!

(Please follow and respect state, government and private property)

Stay Safe, Stay Alive, Keep Treasure Hunting!

where is the lost Dutchman goldmine?

where is the lost Dutchman goldmine? Trail maps

Clues to the lost Dutchman goldmine

The story goes that in the fifteen hundreds professional gold miners (Peralta family) came to America from Spain. The Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) were documented throughout history as being experts in locating, mining and smelting gold and silver deposits which indicates that they were probably well educated in geology as well as metallurgy since various treasure legends often speak of lost or hidden mines wherein the Spanish prospected during the fifteen to seventeen hundreds and processed the ore smelting it into coins as well as bars usually made of either gold or silver. So during those times native American Indians such as the Apache and other tribes inhabited the land. When the Spaniards came upon the Arizona desert they recognized the volcano as being a mineral deposit and headed straight for those rock peaks which they later named the superstition mountains.  Old Snowbeard’s Gold

They began to create maps as well as landmarks on the local terrain which could be recorded in the land surveys. These symbols were said to be such things as arrows, triangles, hearts and a particular peak called weavers needle. These conquistadores of course would have had military or combat training and reportedly created under ground strong holds along their trails in the superstition mountain range which were believed to be stocked with racks of weapons as well as supplies. They were said to have located an enormous gold vein on the north side of the mountain at a height of approximately 1500 to 2000 feet. The purpose of their underground bunkers was that it gave them strongholds to quickly duck into in case of Indian attack while they were travelling to and from the mine. These underground houses were easily hidden and well defensible with primitive firearms since they had narrow concealable openings which served as the entrances. Some people believe that the mine was so rich that the Peralta’s had more gold than they could actually pack out even at their peak with 150 miners so they smelted gold bars and supposedly buried as many as 15000 of the gold bullion bars somewhere near weaver’s needle which was recorded as a landmark on their lost Dutchman gold mine treasure maps. Another interesting rumor is that at times miners would disguise the entrance of the mine when not in use (perhaps for the frozen winter seasons) with such things as rocks, wooden logs, or even brush. The story continues that the directions to the lost Dutchman gold mine by carving hearts into rocks and cactuses as well as leaving small hand carved rock hearts on the ground which most people walk over without ever even noticing. In this way the were able to mark the location of the lost Dutchman gold mine even when the entrance was concealed. Later in the 1800’s Jacob Waltz was said to have headed towards the superstition mountains as a prospector. After being attacked and fleeing on foot from the Apache Indian warriors he ended up finding himself in an empty encampment wherein he promptly helped himself to the food and provisions before falling asleep. The miners (descendants of the Peralta family) soon returned and woke him up to ask as to why he had been eating their food. After explaining the situation they befriended him and confided the story of their lost Dutchman gold mine, their various strong holds stocked with weapons hidden along the trail to the lost Dutchman gold mine, and the story of the 15000 gold bars which the Peralta family had buried somewhere near weavers needle. Reportedly being an opportunist, high grader, thief and murder, Jacob Waltz was said to have immediately drawn his gun and shot them dead thus taking over the mine as well as the gold and weapons cache. The high grader was said to have guarded the location of the lost Dutchman gold mine by literally shooting anyone that he encountered anywhere in or near the mountains, including on the trail which led back to town. The land is said to be a sacred Apache burial ground and many people do not enter out of respect for that while others traipse across the landscape picking up trinkets as souvenirs from the Indian burial grounds. The cliffs and mountain sides are said to be dotted with ancient cave dwellings from some primitive and long forgotten people of another time. Some people believe that the gold vein runs all the way through the volcanic mountain and that Jacob Waltz had found both ends of it which he concealed. The winters in the superstition mountains are said to be very cold and below freezing at times with ice and snow while the dry heat of summer reaches soaring temperatures with minimal or nonexistent supply of drinkable water. Legend has it that many people have died in the superstition mountains while looking for lost Apache gold mines from dehydration, accidents, and even foul play. Droppings in the desert indicate the presence of wild animals which may be predators. Rattle snakes are said to inhabit the area as well so caution and a good pair of boots might be wise. excavations can be frowned upon however picture taking is said to be ok. Rumor through the grape vine indicate that some who have approached to closely to the mine entrance have encountered militarized agents and even helicopters who remotely surveil the terrain. Their have been stories of old Spanish saddle bags full of gold being found laying around on the desert floor as remnants from miners who did not survive the encounters which the Apache Indians who had no use for gold and so left it where it fell after their massacres which may have been fueled by a need to survive in the rugged terrain by taking food, water, clothing, horses, mules, and weapons from those whom they had scalped. Gold is said to be formed in volcanic lava flows when sulfur and iron are present in the mineral matrix along with other elements however ancient alchemists believed that it also grows within the caverns of the earth as a metallic crystal through the action of natures rain cycle being water coupled with the four seasons.

Article written by Steven School. Author of The Philosopher’s Stone Book.