There are a number of ingredients that make this story a memorable one. The Apache Indians, a lost canyon, a waterfall and an unkept promise. According to legend, it is said to have been discovered around 1864 by a man named James Adams. It was blocked by a huge bolder blocking the canyons entrance. It all began with 21men heading down the path of that mountain top into the canyon under the indian guide named Godshear. They were unaware of what lies ahead of them. Godshear led them to the entrance of the canyon that had for years been guarded by a huge bolder. He guides them around this bolder to the valley below where they camped by a waterfall on the canyon floor. Seeing that the canyon was an apparent source of riches, Adams paid off Godshear and the indian guide left for his next venture in Mexico. Each man put all the nuggets they found in a glazed pottery bowl and covered it with a flat stone. Typical of the gold that was found and later put in the pottery bowl.
They had been told by the Apache Chief named Nana that they were never to venture above the canyon waterfall, for if they did, they would be in violation of their treaty and they would suffer certain punishment. But the miners felt that there was better & more gold up there and they became greedy. So one day, Adams curiosity got the best of him and he hiked above the waterfall only to return that evening where he found his cabin and campsite was in flames. The other miners were either dead or dying while the terrible war-cry's of the Apache filled the air. Of the 21 miners, only Adams and 2 others managed to escape to see another day. To save their lives, they decided to leave the camp traveling only at night under the cover of darkness, trying to remember the landmarks surrounding the canyon so that they could return to find their gold on a safer day. He came across a group of soldiers on his way back to town who helped him make a safe return to civilization.
Information gathered from this point on are taken from the Arizona State Pioneers' Historical Society in Tuscon Arizona. According the newspapers on file dated from 1864, it has been confirmed that this mine and the adventures supported by the legend are in fact true. From Tucson you travel up to Phoenix past the Salt River Canyon. History shows that James Adams stopped by Fort Apache and if this is true, then he must have passed by the Kanishpa indian Ruins. After passing the Kanishpa ruins, within a few miles you come of Fort Apache. It is now said that the only or best way to get into the area and make an overall search of the land is by air. One canyon you may here reported is named Oak Creek Canyon. When searching by air, it was reported that almost every canyon looks the same. Apparently when the cabin burned down, the only structure remaining was the chimney made of rock. Remember too that the cabin was big enough to house 22+ men all for sleeping and eating, so apparently the cabin was no small structure. To date, all the searches for this unfound canyon and treasure have centered around Four Corners Arizona at the N.E. corner of the state. And the rumors have it that the treasure area has been spotted North of Phoenix which would put the canyon & site in the Oak Creek Canyon area. This report was taken from "Treasures" by Bill Burrud https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2v9Dm2Pg-k&t=167s 27:44min.
Another group of gold hunters has been depicted in the movie, The Lost Treasures of Mackenna's Gold. See ExpeditionHistory.org Also in an upcoming book entitled "Commander's Expedition - Lost Adam's Diggins" The search for and discovery of America's most famous treasure legend.
