FOUND - 2009

Chacuaco Canyon Treasure - In 1858, a wagon train traveling through the southeast part of Colorado, in what is now Las Animas County, was carrying 1,500 pounds of gold Ingots. The wagon train was attacked by a group of outlaws. At first, the wagon train fended off thieves and, in an effort to escape, rerouted through Chacuaco Canyon.

However, the outlaw gang caught up with the wagon train. 3 members of the wagon train quickly loaded the gold ingots onto 6 mules and led them to a rock formation along a nearby creek. While they were stashing the gold, the outlaws caught up with the wagon train and massacred everyone else in the group.

The 3 men fled to a neighboring village. However, when they attempted to return and recover the gold, they were killed by natives, never making it back.

In June 2009 it was reported that a local treasure hunter who had spent years researching this story uncovered the truth and located the “vast majority” of the treasure, which included small gold bars with Spanish insignias.