Hiking for Treasure with your family!

Ready to bring out your inner kid? Try turning your next hike into a treasure hunt adventure! You can find all sorts of exciting and valuable treasures right beneath your feet. Jewelry, old coins, relics, you never know what you will find.

About Me

I was in 6th grade, going to school in the north end of Boise. It was then that I had my first real “find”. While out at recess I caught a glimmer of something shiny out of the corner of my eye. I went to investigate and picked up a diamond wedding ring! I remember it well, traditional engagement ring; gold with a princess cut diamond. I was so excited thinking about how popular I was going to be with whoever had lost it!

I proudly walked into the principal’s office to turn it in. The principal informed me that if no one claimed it, I would be able to have it at the end of the year. I stopped by the office often to check on the status of the ring. Sure enough, I completed 6th grade with a pretty sweet graduation present! It felt great giving my mom more than a card for her birthday that year!

My First Metal Detector

At eleven years old it wasn’t easy coming up with money to buy things, especially something as expensive as a diamond ring. I remember spending a good part of that summer with my eyes on the ground, hoping to get lucky again. One can only assume it was my elaborate gift that prompted my mother to get me my very own metal detector.

Perhaps she was tired of watching me walk into stuff because my eyes were glued to the ground.  I searched for valuables everywhere I went. Either way, I was ready to start hunting for treasure! I loved detecting at my local parks and the schoolyard. Metal detecting taught me a lot about history, through the research of prospective sites that could prove promising. I also learned a lot about old coins and antiques that I would find.

Our Family Pastime

With a family of my own, I’ve enjoyed sharing in the excitement of treasure hunting with my kids. One of our favorite things to do is go for a hike and hunt for treasure. It gets us outdoors as a family and makes every hike an adventure. We take turns swinging the metal detector in front of us as we search for treasure. You’ll be amazed at the treasures you’ll unearth!

We’ve found tons of old coins, antiques, jewelry, military relics, you just never know. I’ve been able to teach my kids a lot about history and numismatics. We’ve built a pretty decent coin collection over the years that will help pay for their college education.

Treasure Hunting How Too

Things to bring: If you’re looking for something different to do outside, incorporate treasure hunting into your outdoor activities. It has proven to be a lot of fun for us and turns our hike into an exciting adventure! I wanted to include a list of items that I’ve found useful in our outings. Keep in mind that I’m hiking with a five and six-year-old and our outings are usually under four hours.

Lately, we’ve been hitting the trails around the Military Reserve in Boise. It’s close to our house and we always find something interesting. Just make sure you don’t dig on private property.

• Used to fill with the items listed below.
• Food and drinks. You’ll find that a break (or five) is necessary. I like to plan for a mid-hike lunch. Sandwiches and bananas are my go-to, snacks if it’s an evening hike.
• Metal Detector. Metal detectors are not that heavy and we are carting it around the entire time. If you are worried about the weight purchase a lightweight detector.
• Small Shovel. To unearth your treasure!
• This is a great time to make memories. My five and six-year-old love to take pictures along the way.
• Sun Block. I didn’t think about this the first time I went, lesson learned.
• Comfortable shoes and clothing. Dress them appropriately. Warm clothing is a must-have on your metal detecting trips.
• My backpack fills up quickly and fitting a blanket in there just isn’t going to happen. When it is time to eat we throw the towel in.