What’s it like metal detecting in British Columbia? In my experience, it’s been an adventure. I spent my time in the southern parts of British Columbia, finding Canadian and British coins from the 90s. What was the icing on the cake? The beautiful views that I came across every single day.
You can also enjoy a similar experience. British Columbia is a beautiful province with a lot of history to boot. I’ve curated some incredible locations you can go prospecting on and hopefully find treasure to remember. Ultimately, you can enjoy metal detecting and go on a bit of holiday. You won’t regret it, so let me help you with that.
1. Trafalgar Park – An Undeveloped Provincial Park (Trafalgar Park, Victoria, British Columbia, Located at The British Columbia Capital City)
Trafalgar Park sits in Victoria along the gorgeous coastline. The park is completely undeveloped with excellent waterfront access, great for metal detecting. The park provides numerous amenities to the public, including a scenic trail.
Where To Metal Detect in Trafalgar Park?
I would recommend going metal detecting along the beach. You’ll have more success in finding old coins or any other treasure along the beach. The waterfront access is another reason why I heavily recommend this park. Your success and that of every other detectorist depend on what the tides will bring.
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2. Saxe Point Park – An Off the Coast Provincial Park (Saxe Point Park, Victoria, British Columbia)
Saxe Point Park is another park that holds historical relevance. If you go metal detecting along with its waterfront access, you’re sure to find a coin or two. Not only is the park itself a great place to prospect, but so is the neighborhood around it.
According to the Fleming Beach walk tour, several locations hold historical relevance right next to the park. I’m not sure whether you can prospect in this neighborhood. So be sure to ask your tour guide.
Where To Metal Detect in Saxe Point Park
Again, I recommend the beach. Beaches have the highest rate of successfully finding treasure. Not only that, but beaches in parks are great because you have other park amenities at your disposal. Lastly, Saxe Point Park offers an incredible forest trail for your leisure.
3. Centennial Beach – Park/Sports Field (Centennial Beach, Vancouver, British Columbia, Located At Boundary Bay Regional Park)
Next on the list is Centennial Beach. It is Tsawwassen’s most famous beach. The park offers a restaurant, cafe, a 30 km trail, and epic views of Mount Baker. Centennial Beach is also pretty sunny compared to the rest of Vancouver, so take note of that.
Where To Metal Detect in Centennial Beach
Again, I recommend utilizing the beach for your prospecting. Beach hunting can seem like a world of its own, but once you master it, you might become a master of the tides. I’m not joking. But again, you have Boundary Bay Park at your disposal if you don’t want to prospect along the beach.
4. Mundy Park – Largest Park in Coquitlam City (Mundy Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Indigenous people, and colonialists occupied Coquitlam)
I highly recommend Mundy Park if you’re in the area; not only is it the largest park in Coquitlam City, it falls in the area where the indigenous people and colonialists settled. Furthermore, the park has two lakes:
- Mundy Lake
- Lost Lake
Where To Metal Detect in Mundy Park
You have the entire park at your disposal, but I’d recommend prospecting along the lakes. Before becoming a park, the indigenous people may have used the lakes as a water source. The same applies to the new settlers that occupied the area. Of course, this is before it turned into a park.
I’d also recommend prospecting along the main trails and the interior trails that head to the lakes.
5. Scenic Canyon Regional Park – A Hiking Area (Scenic Canyon Regional Park, Kelowna, British Columbia, Numerous Hiking Trails)
The Scenic Canyon Regional Park sits on the outskirts of Kelowna. It has incredible rock formations. According to the locals, some structures in the park resulted from Chinese laborers in the mid-20th century. Kelowna was one of the cities that the Chinese immigrants occupied during that time.
The park has numerous hiking trails for detectorists, and there are cultural sites that you can explore.
6. Peterson’s Beach Recreation Site – Great for Camping And R.V.s (Peterson’s Beach, Fraser Lake, British Columbia, An 800M long beach)
Peterson’s Beach Recreation Site is next to Fraser Lake and west of Fort Fraser. Fort Fraser is one of the oldest British settlements in British Columbia. Peterson’s Beach sits a couple of miles away from the fort. Not only that, but you have the shores of Fraser Lake. Did I mention that Ormond Creek, a historic landmark, is also a couple of miles from the site?
Peterson’s Beach holds a lot of promise for detectorists. It’s close to numerous historic landmarks, and you’re not breaking any laws by prospecting in the area. You might find more than you bargained for with this location.
7. Wilkins Regional Park – (Wilkins Regional Park, Prince George, British Columbia, next to the Nechako River)
Last and not least is Wilkins Regional Park, located in Prince George City. The park offers walking trails, skiing, and a picnic shelter popular for events. As a detectorist, you have 57 ha of land for prospecting, and the trail is 3.5 km long. Furthermore, you have access to the Nechako River, and you can prospect along its banks.
What do I think about prospecting in British Columbia? I’d say British Columbia is a visually stunning location. The views are amazing, and the history draws detectorists to the province.
Metal Detecting Tip: Be respectful and follow the law. Ensure that you leave as little trace of your metal detecting as possible. It means that you have to fill up the holes and leave the habitat as you found it in the first place. Read about more tips in this article. https://metaldetectingtips.com/metal-detecting-tips/
There’s a lot of untouched public land that detectorists worldwide would enjoy prospecting. Some of this land is close to historical landmarks, while others held historical importance in the past. It would be in your best interest to grab your metal detector and get hunting.
Metal detecting Laws for British Columbia
Metal detecting laws in Canada are the same in every province. For example, some provinces like New Brunswick have a specific law prohibiting detectorists from accessing the Fundy National Park of Canada. So, what about British Columbia?
Metal Detecting Tip: If your up to it you can read the actual metal detecting laws with this -> LINK
Here are the laws every detectorist needs to consider when prospecting in British Columbia.
- Section 10 of the National Parks General Regulations prohibits people from removing, defacing, damaging, or destroying any flora or natural objects in a Park except under a permit issued under subsection 11(1) or 12(1).
- Section 12 (1) and 12 (2) of the National Parks General Regulations prohibit people from digging holes in a national park.
- Section 14 (1) of the National Parks General Regulations states that removing or compromising prehistoric or historical artifacts or structures in a national park is illegal.
Metal Detecting Clubs in British Columbia
You might not be a fan of clubs but joining one is in your best interest as a detectorist. Networking is one of the best ways to meet new people, learn new things, and try new techniques. You can say the same for the metal detecting scene.
British Columbia has various clubs and organizations that you can use to meet other like-minded individuals, find new locations for prospecting, and find fantastic treasure.
Here are some of these clubs you can check out:
- West Coast Treasure Hunting Club B.C.: They are an active club in British Columbia with membership subscriptions and multiple social media channels. Check them out here.
- r/metaldetecting – a subreddit dedicated to connecting metal detectors around the world. You can find other detectorists from British Columbia here.
- Fraser Valley Treasure Hunters B.C. – The folks here specialize in metal detecting, gold panning, and magnet fishing. You can check them out here.
- Victoria Metal Detecting Club – A small group in British Columbia dedicated to metal detecting and a little bit of secrecy. You can check them out here.
Metal Detecting Treasures Found in British Columbia
There haven’t been any significant metal detecting finds in British Columbia. The most you can get is Canadian, British, or even rarely, gold coins. Unfortunately, many detectorists choose to keep their finds a secret.
In 2019, metal detectorist Tim Barkasy found two Canadian coins from the 1800s. Not only that, but he was able to find a gold coin from the 1900s. He found other treasures from the same area on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Metal Detecting Resources in British Columbia
Sometimes you need more resources to increase your chances of getting treasure. I know that metal detecting several parks sometimes doesn’t cut it, and at that point, you need some new ways to find treasure. Here are some resources you can utilize to find treasure:
- Public libraries- The Canadian government has connected public libraries across provinces, and you can start researching from there. You can check the British Columbia public library here. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/sports-culture/arts-culture/public-libraries
- West Coast Treasure Hunting Club B.C. – They are an active club in British Columbia with numerous resources for their members. They also have group activities for their members. Check them out here. You can also find them on Facebook here.
- r/coin – A subreddit dedicated to coins around the world. You can use their Wiki link to find out more about coins. You can check them out here.
Metal Detector Stores in British Columbia for Expert Advice
Here are some stores in British Columbia that you should probably check out:
- West Coast Metal Detectors – http://westcoastmetaldetectors.com/
- Gold N Treasures – https://store.goldntreasures.ca/
- North Coast Metal Detectors – https://northcoastmetaldetectors.com/
- Canadian Tire – https://www.canadiantire.ca/en.html
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Metal Detecting Tip: You don’t have to go far to start metal detecting. One of the best places to start is your yard. Learning to “listen” to the tones is the key to success. Read about more tips in this article. https://metaldetectingtips.com/metal-detecting-tips/
David Humphries, Writer and Creator of METAL DETECTING TIPS. After borrowing my son’s detector and finding $.25. I felt like a treasure hunter. FREE MONEY! I was seriously bitten by the metal detecting bug.