Did you ever dream of searching for buried treasure in Florida as a kid? Well, it turns out that the state is full of legends of pirates and hidden loot, and you don’t have to be a kid to check them out. We dug up some local legends with the help of Lost Treasure USA, to help you start your search.

1. Search St. George Island for this jackpot rumored to be worth $6 million.
Flickr/Arthur T. LaBar
According to legend, the large stash of Spanish gold bars hidden in clay crocks should be buried eight feet deep on the eastern tip of this island located near Apalachicola.
2. A chest of jewels hidden by the legendary Gasparilla could be hidden near here...
Flickr/Don Johnson 395
...but you'll have to swim into a muddy pond full of water moccasins to reach it. To reach the supposed location of this treasure, begin at the southern tip of Placida Island, then travel north through Cape Haze. Make a right turn, and you should see the lake after going one mile east. We don't really recommend attempting this one, though, for obvious reasons.
3. Follow the secret tunnels beneath Fort San Carlos de Barrancas in Pensacola to a hidden chamber filled with hidden treasure.
Flickr/Gary Cooper
If you can find the right tunnel, it should lead to a $3 million treasure secured there by Pirate Billy Bowlegs Rogers.
4. Search for this "Money Pit" somewhere slightly northeast of where SR 2 crosses the Chattahoochee River in Northwest Florida.
www.wikipedia.org
In this tale, the Seminole Indians were forced to dump about $100,000 worth of gold coins (now worth much more). It had been given to them by the British for their help fighting the American colonies, but it slowed them down too much when they were being pursued by Andrew Jackson. I have not been able to locate the area on a modern map, but it was supposedly called Old Yarbor Pond. Maybe someone reading this has heard of it and can help us get a more exact location.

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5. Try to find the spot where pirates supposedly buried not only their treasure, but their entire ship, too.
Flickr/Matt Deavenport
Legend says that an old pirate ship was seen fleeing from a Spanish patrol in Pensacola Bay. They escaped by heading up the Escambia River near what is now Century. They decided to beach their ship and conceal it with a mound of sand and rocks about half a mile west of the river. It is rumored that by following a dry channel in this area, one can find a giant mound, more than 100 feet long. Once this is found, travel half a mile north to find the mound with the buried treasure.
6. Rumor has it that several famous pirates all buried treasure on these islands.
www.wikipedia.org
Gasparilla, Bowlegs, and Jean Lafitte may have fled to the islands of the Choctawhatchee Bay after raids in the Caribbean and Gulf regions they had been pillaging.
7. Try your luck on St. Vincent Island in Apalachicola Bay.
Flickr/Jon K.
Pirates in the 1700s supposedly used the island as a campsite, so some have speculated that there would be buried treasure here.
8. Visit Florida's largest island to try your luck on a giant treasure hunt.
Flickr/Frank
There are numerous legends about treasure hidden on Pine Island. Some of the legends involve chests of gold and tales of pirate markings on trees, as well as a treasure buried by the pirate Joseph Baker.
9. Head to Bald Point in Escambia County, the site of many rumors.
Flickr/Wilson Bilkovich
One of these rumors states that Pirate Billy Bowlegs Rogers hid three chests somewhere on in the area under an old palm tree.

Good luck, treasure hunters! Let us know if you find anything! Meanwhile, we will be looking for some buried treasure in Florida.

Do you know any other spots rumored to be good for seeking treasure? Please leave your comments below.

If you love treasure hunting then you should check out this story of a shipwreck that happened back in 1715 supposedly with 3 million silver coins on board near the Treasure Coast of the state.

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More to Explore

Hidden Treasures In Florida

Chris Dodge | December 15, 2022

What other buried treasure and pirate fun can you have in Florida?

With such a massive history of buried treasure and pirate shenanigans all playing a role in Florida’s history, there are lots of pirate-themed things to do, here are a few of our favorites:

 

Has there ever been pirate treasure found in Florida?

Yes, there have been authentic pirate treasures found in Florida. Several chests have been found filled with Spanish gold in Pinellas Point in St.Petersburg with many others still suspected to be lost. Also, millions of dollars have been uncovered in artifacts and gold coins from the 1715 Spanish ships lost in a hurricane.   

 

What is the history of Florida like?

History in Florida dates way back and has fascinating stories. Here are a few suggestions for a deeper dive into the history of Florida:

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