Texas is filled with stories of lost and hidden treasures, buried fortunes, and long-lost mines. From outlaw gold to pirate loot, these legends have fascinated treasure hunters for generations.
Some of these treasures were stolen and hidden away, while others were abandoned by those who never got the chance to return. Over time, their locations became lost to history, leaving only clues and rumors behind.
Many have searched for these lost riches, hoping to uncover gold, silver, or jewels that have been hidden for centuries. Whether buried in caves, sunk beneath lakes, or lost in the rugged hills, these treasures remain one of Texas’s greatest mysteries.
The Lost San Saba Mine – $50,000,000+
In the 1750s, Spanish explorers heard stories about a rich silver mine hidden in the Texas Hill Country. They sent an expedition to find it, but conflicts with local tribes forced them to leave before they could confirm its location.
Over the years, many treasure hunters, including Stephen F. Austin and Jim Bowie, tried to locate the mine.
Some believe it was destroyed or covered up to keep others from finding it. Others think the mine never existed and was just a legend. Maps and old documents mention its possible location near the San Saba River.
How much the treasure would be worth
Depending on the amount of silver inside, the mine’s value could be well over $50 million.
Sam Bass’s Hidden Treasure – $2,000,000+
Sam Bass was a well-known outlaw who made his fortune robbing stagecoaches and trains. In 1878, he and his gang reportedly stole $60,000 in gold coins during a train robbery in Nebraska.
After making their way to Texas, Bass was badly wounded in a shootout with the Texas Rangers. He died in Round Rock, but many believe he hid some of his stolen gold near Castell before his death. Some say he marked the location with a rock in the fork of a tree.
Treasure hunters have searched for it for years, hoping to uncover a piece of outlaw history. Over time, rumors of its exact location have become less clear.
How much the treasure would be worth
The gold and silver coins could be worth around $2 million.
Jean Lafitte’s Pirate Treasure – $60,000,000+
Jean Lafitte was a French pirate who operated along the Gulf of Mexico in the early 1800s. He was known for raiding Spanish ships and smuggling stolen goods into the United States.
His treasure is said to include silver bars, coins, and other valuable items taken from captured ships. Some stories claim he buried part of his fortune along the Sabine River before leaving Texas.
Over the years, many treasure hunters have searched the area with metal detectors and digging equipment. Some claim to have found clues, but nothing has been confirmed.
Old maps and pirate legends fuel the idea that something valuable is still hidden there. If the treasure exists, it could be one of the largest pirate hoards ever found.
How much the treasure would be worth
With silver prices rising, the fortune could be worth over $60 million.
Hendricks Lake Silver – $40,000,000+
Hendricks Lake in East Texas is linked to another Jean Lafitte treasure legend. According to the story, Lafitte’s crew stole six wagonloads of silver from a Spanish ship.
When authorities got too close, the pirates needed to hide the stolen treasure fast. They supposedly pushed the wagons into Hendricks Lake, sinking them under the water.
Over the years, people have searched the lake with boats, divers, and even sonar equipment. There are claims that some old wagon wheels have been found, but no silver has ever been recovered.
How much the treasure would be worth
Six wagonloads of silver could be valued at over $40 million.
The Lost Kelly Gold Mine – $100,000,000+
In 1887, a Seminole man named William Kelly discovered a rich gold mine somewhere in West Texas. He showed gold samples to local ranchers, proving that he had found something valuable.
He planned to go back and extract more gold, but he disappeared under strange circumstances.
Some believe he was killed to keep the location a secret. Others think he lost track of the mine and couldn’t find it again.
How much the treasure would be worth
The gold could be worth more than $100 million.
Don Francisco’s Buried Treasure – $50,000,000+
Don Francisco was a wealthy landowner who wanted to protect his fortune from enemy forces. He gathered his gold and silver and hid it inside a cave near San Pedro Springs.
Stories say that he created a system of tunnels to keep outsiders from finding the exact spot. Over time, those who knew the location either died or disappeared.
It’s believed that the cave may have collapsed, sealing the fortune inside. Others think the entrance is hidden somewhere among the rocks and trees.
How much the treasure would be worth
The gold and silver could be worth more than $50 million.
The Treasure of Packsaddle Mountain – $5,000,000+
Packsaddle Mountain is known for stories about hidden gold. Sam Bass, a famous outlaw, is said to have stashed stolen gold inside a cave on the mountain.
A Mexican laborer once claimed he discovered canvas sacks full of gold there but was unable to take them with him. When he returned later, he could not find the cave again.
The entrance could now be covered by dirt or rockslides. It’s also possible that Bass hid the gold so well that no one has been able to locate it so far.
How much the treasure would be worth
The hidden gold could be valued at more than $5 million.
The Buried Treasure of Round Rock – $2,000,000+
Sam Bass was known for robbing stagecoaches and trains, taking thousands of dollars in gold and silver.
One story says he hid part of his loot in a hollow tree near Round Rock. The location was marked on a secret map, but the map’s meaning has been lost over time.
It’s possible that the treasure is still hidden in the area. Many have searched the land west of Round Rock, hoping to find clues to where the money was buried.
How much the treasure would be worth
The stolen gold and silver could be worth around $2 million.
The Silver of Enchanted Rock – $100,000,000+
Enchanted Rock has long been surrounded by mystery. Early explorers and Native American tribes believed the mountain contained rich silver deposits.
Spanish prospectors searched the area, hoping to find veins of silver hidden beneath the surface. Some stories say they found a mine but abandoned it due to attacks from local tribes.
Later, prospectors returned to search for silver, but they were never able to locate the mine. Some believe the entrance was hidden or destroyed. Others, however, think the silver was never really there.
How much the treasure would be worth
A rich silver mine in this area could be worth over $100 million.
Castle Gap Treasure – $80,000,000+
In the 1860s, a group of guards was transporting treasure belonging to Mexican Emperor Maximilian. The riches included gold coins, silver bars, and valuable jewels.
Bandits ambushed the convoy before it reached Galveston, forcing the guards to flee with the treasure. They made their way toward Castle Gap, a narrow pass near Castle Mountain, hoping to escape pursuit.
The bandits allegedly buried the treasure to lighten their load, intending to hide it and return for it later.
Over time, the story spread, drawing the interest of fortune seekers. Some have searched for old landmarks or signs left behind by the guards.
How much the treasure would be worth
The gold, silver, and jewels could be valued at more than $80 million.
Shoal Creek Treasure – $10,000,000+
During the Texas Revolution in 1836, a large sum of money was being transported as part of the Mexican payroll. Somewhere near Shoal Creek in Austin, a group of thieves intercepted it and stole the entire sum.
They couldn’t agree on how to divide the treasure, and arguments quickly turned into violence. Some of them were killed, and the survivors either fled or met similar fates later.
Their hiding place was never revealed, leaving behind only rumors of gold buried in the area.
Over time, pieces of the story have been passed down, making it difficult to separate fact from legend. The money could still be there along Shoal Creek, buried beneath years of dirt and debris.
How much the treasure would be worth
The stolen gold and silver could be worth over $10 million.
The Rock Pens Treasure – $50,000,000+
A group of outlaws stole silver bullion from a mine and raided a church in Mexico, gathering as much wealth as they could. To keep it hidden, they loaded 31 mules with silver bars and other valuables before heading north into Texas.
They reached a remote area south of the Nueces River, where they constructed low-walled rock pens, usually used for holding livestock. Instead of cattle, they used the pens to bury the stolen treasure.
Afterward, they scattered in different directions, leaving no clear record of where the silver had been buried. The story has led many treasure hunters to explore the region, searching for the rock structures or anything unusual in the landscape..
How much the treasure would be worth
The silver bullion and valuables could be valued at over $50 million.
The Lost Gold of the Guadalupes – $200,000,000+
Ben Sublett was a prospector who arrived in the Guadalupe Mountains in the mid-1800s. He told people that he had found a rich gold deposit, returning to town with gold nuggets whenever he needed money.
No one knew exactly where he went to retrieve the gold, and he refused to share his secret. Some followed him into the mountains, hoping to find clues, but Sublett always managed to lose them along the way.
When he grew older, he tried to pass the information to his son, but the directions were unclear. Later searches never led to anything, and some believe the mine was covered over time by natural changes in the land.
How much the treasure would be worth
The gold mine could contain deposits worth over $200 million.
Steinheimer’s Millions – $100,000,000+
Karl Steinheimer was a German-born adventurer who traveled across North America in the 1800s. He worked as a privateer, smuggler, and miner, making and losing fortunes along the way.
At some point, he is believed to have hidden large amounts of gold, silver, and other riches in secret locations across Texas. Stories say he buried his wealth near rivers, using natural landmarks as markers.
Others suggest he spread it out in different locations, keeping track of them with a system that only he understood. He died without revealing any details, leaving treasure hunters with only fragments of his story.
How much the treasure would be worth
The hidden gold and silver could be valued at more than $100 million.
The Hidden Shoal Creek Loot – $5,000,000+
Another story linked to Shoal Creek involves a different stash of stolen goods hidden by a group of thieves.
After robbing travelers or businesses, they needed a place to store their loot until it was safe to retrieve it. They buried it somewhere along the creek, choosing a spot they thought no one would suspect.
Before they could return, they met violent ends, leaving no one alive who knew where the treasure was hidden. Over time, erosion and natural changes to the land may have buried it even deeper.
Old stories suggest that people digging in the area have occasionally found coins or other valuables. The exact details of what was hidden remain unclear, but the idea of treasure along Shoal Creek has persisted for generations.
How much the treasure would be worth
Depending on what was stolen, the total value could be over $5 million.
The Lost Gold of the Llano Region – $300,000,000+
The Llano region has long been rumored to contain rich deposits of gold. Early prospectors found traces of it in streams and rocky hillsides, sparking excitement that large veins could be nearby.
Some claimed to have located deposits but failed to extract much before their claims went cold. Others vanished or left town before sharing details of their discoveries.
The rough terrain made it difficult to follow clues, and later searchers struggled to pinpoint exactly where gold had been found. Some believe the richest sources were never fully tapped, buried beneath layers of rock and soil.
How much the treasure would be worth
A large gold deposit in the region could be worth more than $300 million.
Pirate’s Gold on Galveston Island – $100,000,000+
Jean Lafitte was a pirate who operated along the Gulf Coast in the early 1800s. He built a settlement on Galveston Island, using it as a base for smuggling, raiding ships, and dealing in stolen goods.
His ships plundered gold, silver, and valuable cargo from Spanish vessels, bringing the loot back to the island. To protect his wealth from rival pirates and authorities, he is believed to have buried some of it in secret locations.
When he was forced to leave Galveston, he had little time to gather everything, leaving behind treasure that he never returned to collect. Over the years, reports of gold coins washing up on the shore have fueled speculation that his fortune is still hidden beneath the sand.
How much the treasure would be worth
The gold and silver could have a combined value of over $100 million.
The Lost Mine Near Sabinal – $250,000,000+
Spanish explorers searching for precious metals in Texas came across a rich mine near Sabinal. Early accounts suggest they found veins of gold or silver, leading them to extract as much as possible.
Attacks from local tribes or the difficulty of mining in the area may have caused them to abandon the site before taking full advantage of what they found. Later expeditions attempted to relocate the mine but were never able to confirm its location.
Some old maps hint at a hidden source of wealth in the region, but they have been difficult to decipher. If the Spanish were correct about the richness of the deposit, it could still contain a fortune in gold or silver.
How much the treasure would be worth
A rediscovered mine in this area could hold over $250 million in gold and silver.
