Detecting the metal detectors on the Oregon coast

July 28, 2010 6:53 PM

Which Oregon coast beaches are especially popular for metal detecting?

Are there beaches in Oregon which are more often visited by folks with metal detectors? This site suggests that you wouldn't need a permit to do it on most state beaches, but I'm interested in knowing where people prefer to search for buried treasure. (It's a plot detail---actually, "near Portland" is probably a more useful qualifier than "in Oregon".)

posted by Chef Flamboyardee to sports, hobbies, & recreation (7 answers total)

Wouldn't the best beach for treasure hunting be one where fewer people went? Is it about being a good place for it, or for there being a lot of people metal detecting?
posted by cmoj at 8:00 PM on July 28, 2010

It's the second thing. Yeah, it's kind-of counterintuitive, and it may come off as a bit contrived in the work...
posted by Chef Flamboyardee at 8:13 PM on July 28, 2010

I'm curious what you're trying to accomplish. Are you just trying to find places where your detector will go off? If so, then you should go to the wreck of the "Peter Iredale", which is more metal than probably anywhere else on the coast.

But all you'll find there is rusty steel.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 8:17 PM on July 28, 2010

I think the asker is writing a book, and not actually looking to go metal detecting himself?
posted by schmod at 8:45 PM on July 28, 2010

Basically, yeah. No detecting for me.
posted by Chef Flamboyardee at 9:20 PM on July 28, 2010

I think you could probably get away with Beverly Beach. There's a really big campground there, and lots of people on the sand on warm weekends, some of whom are bound to lose stuff which detector hobbyists might in turn try to find.

I don't know whether it is actually popular with real detectors, but it should be good enough for your story.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 9:52 PM on July 28, 2010

Must it be a coastal beach? A lot of people go metal detecting along the Willamette River, including Sauvie Island. Certainly more convenient to Portland than the ocean beaches, albeit not as scenic.

Link link link

When I lived in Portland, we all pretty much only ever went to Cannon Beach. It's "the" beach on the Oregon Coast, and also the shortest drive.
posted by ErikaB at 10:22 AM on July 29, 2010