Boulder #2 & #3
41.32 Acre Gold Claim, Idaho
Behind the Boulder Lies the Gold!
Just an hour-and-a-half drive from the center of Boise, Idaho, the beautiful Boulder #2 & #3 claims are situated straight on the Elk Creek! Staked as two 20.66 acre lode claims leading into the mountain to the Creek's East, the claims have the unique potential to be used as both as a dredgeable placer and as a hard-rock mining operation!
The Boulder claims find their historical roots right next to the old Boulder Mine itself, which went searching for source the County's illusive placer gold deep within the Northern Rocky Mountains. While the entire Idaho City Mining District has profited from the easy capture of placer gold from its rivers and streams since the 1870s, a dedicated effort to find the source of all this easy gold in the mountains themselves led to an abundance of lode mining. In a report from 1947, mines like the Elkhorn, just 2.1 miles to the Northeast and claimed on the same ridge as the Boulder, took in $800,000 in its time (a whopping $12.5 million in today's money)!
On the same mountain as the Boulder and Elkhorn but on the other side of the ridge sits the Subrosa and its nearby sister mines, the Forest King and the Washington, and a little farther out sit the Texida, Cloverleaf and Gambrinus Mine! All clearly harvesting from the same, gold-rich vein that seems to stretch all the way back up to Pilot Peak, the Boulder finds its own quiet place away from the heavy traffic on the other side while still profiting from all the golden ore.
What's more, the claim sits on the Elk Creek. The river is perfect and large enough for a 5" dredge, with plenty of waterflow and a plenty of ground to bedrock. Upstream, mines like the Elkhorn have taken large amounts of gold and silver. Further upstream to Pilot and Freeman Peaks, the Red Lodge Mine, the Golden Dividend, and the Mademoiselle sit counting their gold collected from underground. But little do they know, five-and-a-half miles as the crow flies to Freeman Peak and all the mountain's gold in-between gets captured by the Elk Creek every rain through natural erosion. As heavy rains push heavy gold further downstream, the Boulder sits at the beginning of a naturally riffled S-curve, ready to capture it all (check out Jeff William's video on how gold flows with a realistic model and how it'll behave here)!
The claims are easy to access, with the N. Elk Creek Road leading right to them. This well-maintained dirt follows the Elk Creek all the way back up to its origin at the top of the mountain. It also plunks you down right next to your gold claims without having to hike or off-road anywhere!
With plenty of trails, hiking, and history to be found in the mountains surrounding the claim, the area is ripe for a future campsite. While finding some prepared ground near the claims might be difficult, Idaho City proper and up the Ponderosa Pines Scenic Route Road lie a half a dozen campsites to plant a tent or a trailer to pop back to when it gets dark. Just a few miles away from Idaho City and the campgrounds, you could spend all day panning and dredging for gold!
Here are the features of the "Boulder #2 & #3" claims at a glance:
- Placer and Lode in One - Due to the local terrain and positioning of the Boulder claims, they make not only excellent placer ground for dredges and pans but are also well-placed for hard rock mining on the local hillside, where other historical mines have been chasing the veins of gold that have produced millions of dollars!
- Powerful Placer - Historically, the Idaho City Mining District was known for its easy access to chunky placer gold in the late 1800s. Nearly a hundred and fifty years have passed since the Idaho City bonanza, and the time is now to search for new placer gold that has fallen into the river! The Boulders are positioned perfectly to capture five miles of upstream gold from well-producing mines and the rich mountains they harvest from!
- Historical Gold Territory - Dozens of mines and prospects dot the hills around the Boulder claims. The history is written in the adits and shafts! While the old timers have had their time searching for gold and found plenty, there's still gold in those mountains to be found!
- Perfect for Outdoorsmen - In the heart of the Rocky Mountains, the area around Pilot Peak is teeming not only with gold-bearing rivers, historical relics and monuments to the mining history of the area, but is also a wonderful place to camp and connect with nature. With numerous campsites to choose from within a few minutes drive of the claims, the choice is yours!
- Next Door to Idaho City & Boise - An hour and a half's drive from the center of Boise, Idaho, the claims are close enough to be a daytrip for locals! Never far from provisions, warm showers and baths, or even a helping hand, the claims are well within reach of developed campgrounds and broader civilization.
- High Accessibility, Low Traffic - Using the Ponderosa Pines Scenic Highway to get to Idaho City, and later the N. Elk Creek Road to reach the claim site itself, one never needs to hike or off-road to get to the Boulder claims! Yet, because most folks would carry on down the Scenic Highway, you'll find your claims to be whisper quiet! A great get-away for young and old.
If you're interested in purchasing these unpatented lode gold claims in Idaho,
please email me here.
Boulder #2 & #3 Main Features
| Type of Claim | Unpatented Lodes; ID106695682, ID106695683 |
|---|---|
| Size of Claim | 41.32 ACRES |
| Mining Commodities | Gold, Silver |
| Accessibility | Well-Maintained Dirt Roads |
| Closest City | Idaho City, Idaho |
| Camping | Yes. Up to 14 days at a time |
| Prior Workings | Yes |
| Cell Phone Reception | Some Bars on All Networks but Verizon |
| Type of Deposit | Lode |
Claim Boundaries, Location Map and GPS Coordinates
The Four Corners: |
Boulder #2 & #3 Bounds
|
Link to Map |
|---|
Download the Google Earth KMZ of "Boulder #2 & #3" Boundaries
Boulder #2 & #3 Photographs
Economic information about the deposit and operations
| Operation type | Lode |
|---|---|
| Development status | Prospect |
| Commodity type | Gold, Silver |
| Deposit size | Unknown |
Mining District
| District Name | Idaho City Mining District, Boise County |
|---|---|
| Deposit MAS/MILS ID | Boulder Mine - MRDS #10119795 Elkhorn Mine - MRDS #10168422 Texida Mine - MRDS #10120025 |
Geologic Structures
| Type of Structure | Granodiorite and Two-Mica Granite | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Structure Description |
|
Boulder #2 & #3
Mineral Rights Transfer Process
A mining claim gives the holder the right to mine on mineral-rich land that belongs to the federal government. Mining claims are a tangible asset and show proof of all interests in minerals in the area. They can be bought, sold or used as collateral, just like any other piece of real estate.
A mining claim can be sold, traded, leased, gifted, willed, used as collateral or transferred in part or in its entirety just like any other real property using a quitclaim deed which is a recordable conveyance. Questions about the transfer process can be answered by contacting us anytime. All fees and paperwork current and assessment fees are paid through Sept. 1st 2026.
Purchasing
"Boulder #2 & Boulder #3"
Cash Price
Full mineral rights transfer for "Boulder #2 & #3" 41.32 Acre Lode Mining Claims
Official certificates of location, claim locations and digital maps
Email based support for claim maintenance and questions
- After your purchase is complete you will be requested to fill out our new claim owner form with your name/address or add any additional claimants you want on the claim.
- You'll get digital copies of your COL and Map of Location in to your claim(s) will be delivered via email via PDF format as well as Google Earth™ KMZ map file with your claims discovery, corners and points of interest.
- We handle all the filing and transfer services on your behalf. Expect to get official stamped/recorded copies of your paperwork mailed to you from the Boise County Recorder's Office and the Idaho Bureau of Land Management officiating you as the new claimant within 45 days of purchase. Then officially enjoy mining gold on your own land!
Sign Up To Be 1st To Know When
New Gold Mines Go on Sale!
New Gold Mines Go on Sale!