Lost Adams Diggings, Gold canyon legend in Catron County, United States
Lost Adams Diggings lies between two sugar-loaf-shaped mountain peaks near Catron County in New Mexico. Narrow passageways lead into a secluded canyon where gold deposits were reportedly discovered.
In 1864, John Brewer led a group of miners with Adams and a Pima-Mexican guide to a location where gold nuggets were found in an ancient Indian grinding basin. This discovery sparked decades of efforts to relocate the exact site.
Treasure hunters and adventurers visit the area guided by Adams' written accounts of the location. This story has become woven into Western folklore and continues to draw people seeking to solve the mystery.
The approximate coordinates are 34°28'10"N and 108°17'5"W, helping visitors locate the general area. It is important to be prepared for a lengthy search since the exact canyon is difficult to locate and careful planning is required.
In the 1990s, researcher Ron Jensen discovered military records confirming Dr. Sturgeon's existence, the person who received Adams' original gold map. These archival findings provided the first documentary evidence that Adams' story was based on real events.
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