The Lost Cabin Mine legend centers on seven Swedish prospectors who allegedly discovered rich gold deposits in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains during the 1860s before Native American attacks killed five miners, leaving two survivors with approximately $7,000 in gold dust. You’ll find the search area concentrated near 43.286° N, -107.632° W in Fremont County, though geological surveys reveal unfavorable rock formations for substantial gold deposits. Over 160 years of expeditions—from Colonel Bullock’s 1860s attempt to modern prospecting efforts—have yielded no verified commercial-grade discoveries despite 8,200+ documented mining claims. The following sections examine documented expeditions, geological evidence, and why this mystery persists.
Key Takeaways
- The Lost Cabin Mine legend involves Swedish miners discovering gold in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains during the 1860s before Native American attacks.
- The alleged mine location is in Fremont County, Wyoming, near coordinates 43° 17′ 11” N, 107° 37′ 55” W.
- Geological surveys show unfavorable rock types for significant gold deposits, contradicting claims of substantial mineral wealth in the area.
- Over 160 years of searches and 8,200 mining claims have produced no verified commercial-grade gold discoveries as of 2024.
- The legend influenced local geography, including the naming of Lost Cabin, Wyoming, and sparked the 1902 Otter Creek gold rush.
The Legend of the Seven Swedish Miners
The Lost Cabin Mine legend centers on seven Swedish miners who allegedly discovered a rich gold deposit in Wyoming’s Bighorn Mountains during the 1860s. You’ll find these prospectors employed rudimentary mining technology to extract gold from their claim before constructing a cabin at the site.
Historical records document a Native American attack that killed five miners, leaving two survivors to escape with approximately $7,000 in gold dust. The escapees reached Fort Reno or Fort Laramie but couldn’t retrace their route back to the strike. The sole survivor who made it to Fort Reno traveled by night to ensure his safe passage through dangerous territory.
Legend storytelling evolved through subsequent decades, with dates ranging from 1835 to 1883 and party sizes varying from three to twelve men. Return expeditions consistently failed due to hostile encounters or navigation difficulties, cementing this treasure’s elusive status in Western mining lore. The story persists despite no documented records supporting the Native American skirmishes central to most versions of the tale.
Where the Lost Cabin Mine Might Be Hidden
According to geographic documentation, Lost Cabin’s placement within Fremont County, Wyoming establishes the primary search parameters at coordinates 43° 17′ 11” N, 107° 37′ 55” W, where elevation measures 1,649 meters above sea level.
You’ll find the search zone defined by:
- Latitude 43.286, Longitude -107.632 marking the documented settlement location.
- Geological formations characteristic of Wyoming’s mineral-bearing strata at 5,410.1 feet elevation.
- Historical mining techniques employed during the region’s active claim period.
- Fremont County’s recorded mining claims providing archival evidence of extraction activities.
Don’t confuse this site with California’s Woods Lake Mine (38° 40′ 55” N, 120° 0′ 50” W), which represents a separate Black Hills operation.
The Wyoming coordinates anchor your independent investigation within documented territorial boundaries where prospectors once exercised their freedom to stake claims. Historical exploration in Wyoming’s mineral zones extended beyond Lost Cabin, with uranium mines showing blasting work visible in rocks throughout the region’s mountainous terrain. The surrounding area includes 8,243 nearby mines that appear on interactive mapping resources documenting the region’s extensive mining activity.
Famous Expeditions and Rediscovery Attempts
Following the original discovery’s tragic loss, Colonel Bullock assembled the first major organized search effort in the late 1860s, though his commanding officer prohibited the expedition from proceeding due to legitimate concerns about extensive Indian warfare in the territory.
Colonel Bullock’s late 1860s expedition was ultimately blocked by his commanding officer amid fears of widespread Indian warfare in the region.
You’ll find Thomas Paige Comto’s 1870 mining-backed expedition represents the documented systematic attempt to relocate the site. Fort Reno served as the organizational nexus for multiple recovery parties throughout this period.
John Jones successfully located cabin remains following C. B. Osborne’s directions, triggering fifty claim stakes by 1885. Searchers discovered partially collapsed tunnels near the cabin structure, though verification efforts ultimately proved unsuccessful.
J. C. Carter’s 1893 expedition, funded by Casper businessmen, reached the cabin but found previous disturbance had eliminated recovery prospects.
Mining myths surrounding Jim Bridger and Father DeSmet persist despite chronological impossibilities and absent documentation. These Native legends demonstrate how unverified claims consistently obscured verifiable historical records. The mysterious Boot Map carved on a granite boulder in the Bighorn Mountains continued to guide treasure hunters with its arrow markings, serving as a key artifact for those attempting to locate the mine’s position.
Why Geology Makes This Mystery Even Stranger
While treasure hunters spent decades scouring the Bighorn Mountains for the Lost Cabin’s gold, geological surveys revealed a fundamental problem: the region’s rock formations couldn’t support the deposits described in the legend.
The geological complexity contradicts every treasure hunter’s dream:
- Unfavorable Rock Types: Bighorn Mountains composition lacks gold-associated formations, with only trace amounts found near Bald Mountain City’s abandoned strikes.
- Shallow Vein Structures: Cooper Hill’s Proterozoic veins sit atop Cretaceous sedimentary layers through thrust faulting, preventing vertical depth extension necessary for commercial mining.
- Mineral Distribution Mismatch: Regional surveys emphasized iron and uranium deposits rather than gold concentrations, with McGraw mine samples showing 33.7% Fe but no precious metals.
- Basin Stratigraphy Barriers: Wind River Formation’s structural asymmetry and unmineralized Cretaceous overlay blocked economically viable extraction throughout documented prospecting periods.
The Town That Took Its Name From a Legend
Despite geological evidence suggesting the Lost Cabin Mine never contained commercial gold deposits, the legend proved valuable enough to name an entire Wyoming settlement. You’ll find that Okie, a prominent sheep rancher, established his “Lost Cabin” ranch after the 1860s mining legend, transforming local folklore into a permanent geographic marker.
The town emerged as a ranching center rather than a mining hub, yet retained the mythical name. Historical artifacts from this period document the settlement’s agricultural focus, contradicting its mining-inspired identity. The original prospectors reportedly built a cabin and sluice before their massacre by Sioux or Cheyenne warriors, leaving behind only fragmentary survivor accounts. Kit Carson himself was among the notable frontiersmen who claimed to have seen the mine.
In 1893, J.C. Carter claimed he’d found the original cabin, triggering renewed interest. The 1902 Otter Creek gold rush attracted 2,000 prospectors seeking the legendary strike. However, only trace amounts materialized, confirming that Lost Cabin’s true legacy remained symbolic rather than geological.
The Enduring Search for Wyoming’s Golden Secret
You’ll find the Lost Cabin Mine‘s documented search history spans from 1865 to 2024, encompassing systematic expeditions, individual prospector claims, and persistent geographic reanalysis.
The chronological record establishes three analytical frameworks: origin narratives requiring source verification, expeditionary accounts with varying evidentiary standards, and contemporary search methodologies employing geological surveys and historical triangulation.
This 160-year investigation pattern reveals how successive generations have interpreted fragmentary primary sources, physical artifacts like the Boot Map carving, and geological data to construct competing location hypotheses across the Bighorn Mountains range. The legend first appeared in Summer 1967 when Long John Latham’s True Treasure magazine published the account, bringing widespread public attention to the lost mine story. The mine’s namesake influenced local geography, with Lost Cabin, Wyoming serving as J. B. Okie’s base for his sheep operations in the early 1900s.
Origin Tales and Theories
The documented accounts of the Lost Cabin Mine crystallized into print during the 1860s, though the core narrative structure remained remarkably fluid across tellings. You’ll find several competing origin theories that challenge historical accuracy:
- Albert Hulburt’s 1863 Discovery – The earliest attributed find, positioning him as the primary discoverer before Indian attacks dispersed survivors.
- Seven Swedes Variant – Wyoming’s regional legend credits Scandinavian prospectors as original finders, diverging from Hulburt narratives.
- C.T. “Rattlesnake” Jones Claim – Asserted spirit-guided discovery, introducing supernatural elements into documented accounts.
- 1866 Badwater Creek Disappearance – Twelve missing miners potentially linked to the legend’s foundation.
Geological factors undermine claims of Comstock-level deposits, yet newspapers including Wind River Mountaineer legitimized these accounts through publication, cementing the mystery’s cultural persistence despite evidentiary gaps.
Notable Expeditions and Claims
Following the legend’s emergence in frontier newspapers, organized expeditions commenced in 1865 when Colonel Bullock assembled a large-scale search party, though his commanding officer forbade deployment due to fears it would trigger extensive Indian warfare across the region.
By 1870, Thomas Paige Comstock—of Comstock Lode fame—led Virginia City mining investors into the Big Horns, searching for ancient artifacts and hidden passageways to the elusive strike, yet found nothing.
J.C. Carter’s 1893 Casper expedition, funded with $100 by local businessmen, traced gold particles in mortar to cabin remains after three days’ travel, discovering only disappointment.
The August 1902 Otter Creek claims generated reports of knife-extracted nuggets and carved prospector names, attracting 2,000 workers to a site yielding mere traces before fading into Wyoming’s territorial history.
Modern Legacy and Searches
Over 160 years since Allen’s alleged discovery, prospectors and treasure hunters maintain their pursuit of Wyoming’s most enduring mystery, concentrating searches along Badwater Creek’s meandering banks and within the rugged terrain of the Bighorn Mountains.
Contemporary exploration activities include:
- Documentary evidence analysis – Historian Mary H. Hendry’s “Tales of Old Lost Cabin” catalogs the Boot Map carving on granite, theorized as directional guidance to the deposit.
- Geological assessment – Swedish academics contend verifiable evidence supports the mine’s existence despite Bighorn Mountains’ unfavorable gold-bearing formations.
- Claim documentation – 8,243 mining claims and 98 documented operations surround Lost Cabin in Fremont County.
- Access restrictions – Private landowners enforce trespass prohibitions, protecting sites from unauthorized searchers.
Local folklore and treasure lore perpetuate interest, though commercial-grade strikes remain unverified through 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happened to the Gold the Surviving Miners Reportedly Carried Out?
The surviving miners’ gold became a historical mystery for treasure hunting enthusiasts. You’ll find survivors deposited nuggets at Laramie banks, displayed samples at Fort Reno, or died before documenting locations. One prospector went insane; others perished during return expeditions.
Has Modern Metal Detection Technology Been Used to Search the Area?
You’ll find countless treasure hunters have deployed cutting-edge metal detection advancements across suspected sites since the 1980s. Historical excavation documentation shows Minelab and Garrett technologies systematically sweeping Bighorn terrain, though you’re still chasing that elusive mother lode today.
Are There Any Legal Restrictions on Searching for the Mine Today?
You’ll face legal restrictions depending on land jurisdiction—federal BLM lands require claim filings and permits, while mine safety regulations govern entry into abandoned workings. Areas of Critical Environmental Concern may restrict access entirely for exploration activities.
What Native American Perspectives Exist About the Lost Cabin Mine Story?
You’ll find minimal documented Native perspectives exist. Tribal oral traditions reportedly preserved battle accounts as cultural resistance narratives against prospector intrusions, though these Native legends remain largely unrecorded in accessible archival sources from indigenous communities themselves.
How Much Would the Original $7,000 in Gold Be Worth Today?
That $7,000 strikes like lightning—you’re looking at roughly $140,000 in purchasing power today, though the gold’s metal value reaches $900,000. Historical authenticity remains debated, but economic implications drove generations of independent prospectors seeking fortune.
References
- https://collections.carli.illinois.edu/digital/api/collection/npu_sahq/id/4834/download
- https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/07/12/160-after-it-was-lost-treasure-hunters-still-search-for-lost-cabin-gold-mine/
- https://www.treasurenet.com/threads/the-lost-cabin-mine.250430/
- http://wyofile.com/the-legend-of-lost-cabin/
- https://www.wyohistory.org/tags/lost-cabin
- https://county10.com/the-gold-of-lost-cabin/
- https://k2radio.com/ixp/961/p/lost-cabin-mine-bighorn-mountains/
- https://www.wyohistory.org/encyclopedia/j-b-okie-sheep-king-central-wyoming
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS9hVHHl0zk
- https://www.awayfromthegrind.com/hiking/wyoming/treasure-hunt-at-pole-mountain/
