Few People Know About Butch Cassidy's Stolen Treasure Hiding Somewhere In Utah
By Courtnie Erickson|Published March 28, 2023
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Courtnie Erickson
Author
From Southern Utah to the Panhandle in Idaho, Courtnie Erickson has lived in what she believes are the best (and the most beautiful!) areas in the country. She graduated with a journalism degree from Utah State University and has more than 15 years of professional writing experience. You’ll likely see her with a Dr. Pepper in her hand and a pair of running shoes on her feet. Courtnie is a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState.
Butch Cassidy is one of the most famous outlaws in the entire country. His stories fascinate individuals and with his ties to Utah, residents of the Beehive State are particularly interested in his past. While he stole thousands of dollars in riches throughout his time, there is one sum of stolen goods that has never been recovered, many believing it was buried and hidden by in Utah by Cassidy and his gang. What do you think?
Robert LeRoy Parker was born in the 1860s in Beaver, Utah. He spent most of his childhood in southern Utah in small towns like Circleville, and he worked on various ranches. He met and admired a local rancher, Mike Cassidy (a shady man), and eventually took on the name Butch Cassidy.
Butch Cassidy became known as the “Robin Hood of the West.” He believed that large cattle companies were putting smaller ranchers out of business. So, he began to rob banks, giving some of the money to ranchers and the poor.
While Cassidy and his gang robbed banks from all over, not all of the goods he stole were recovered. In fact, some are believed to still be right here in Utah.
In 1897, Cassidy and cowboy Elza Lay stole approximately $8,000 from a train in Castle Gate, a present-day ghost town in Carbon County. The two took off toward Robber’s Roost and cut telegraph lines as they rode to prevent news of the robbery from spreading.
Robbers Roost is one of the hideouts Cassidy used in eastern Utah. It was the ideal place to hide due to its rough terrain and remote location. It was located along the Outlaw Trail, which is a number of trails and safe houses for outlaws that ran from Texas to Montana.
The $8,000 stolen from the train has never been recovered and is believed to be buried somewhere near Robbers Roost and along the Outlaw Trail. But, nobody knows for sure — it's like a real-life treasure hunt!
However, if you do find the treasure, due to the Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979, the items belong to the government. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t get out there and experience a true adventure!
Did you know there is a Utah hiking trail that will take you to the same spots where Butch Cassidy once roamed? It’s located in Capitol Reef National Park and it’s one trail that you’ll definitely want to add to your bucket list.
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