Resource List to Help Find Locations to Metal Detect

ByMetal Detectorist, Joanna Jana Laznicka October 21, 2022December 15, 2022

See a list of useful sites and apps for researching locations to metal detect.

Metal Detecting Code of Ethics
Always makes sure you have permission before metal detecting any location.
Check local laws or ask landowners for permission.

Worldwide

Maprika – Free & Paid. Android & iPhone app, useful for making any map historical or modern, GPS enabled and tracking where you have metal detecting, ensuring the location is accurately getting detected.
OziExplorer – Free. GPS Mapping Software
David Rumsey Map Collection, Cartography Association – Free & Paid. Search Historic Maps
Historic Map Works – Free & Paid. Search Maps
ESA, opernicus, Cope, Copernicus Open Access Hub – Free. Lidar Maps
Google Earth – Free
NASA EarthData Search – Free
3D Lidar Viewer – Free
NASA WorldView – Free. Search ground movement due to weather, such as hurricanes and storms.
Tect O Trak – Paid. Android app & iPhone app designed to track and record the detectorists movements within the boundaries of a user-defined search area.
GAIA GPS – Free & Paid. Android & iPhone apps.
onXmaps, onX back country – Paid. GPS navigation app.
AllTrails – Free & Paid. iPhone and Android app.
Artifact Tracker – Free. iPhone app to track finds and locations and view other users finds.
Google Maps – Free
Bing Maps – Free

United States Specific

TopoView – Free. See current and historical maps the government has on file for a specific location.
Historic Aerials – Free & Paid. Historical photos by location with easy map overlay.
U.S. Department of the Interior – Free. Bureau of Land Management – Search Property Records
Library of Congress – Free. Search Maps (Civil War battlefield maps, historical mining camp maps, fire insurance maps, and more)
Library of Congress – Free. Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps
USGS U.S. Department of the Interior – Free. EarthExplore Lidar Maps
ArcGIS Web Application – Free. Map viewer to see lidar maps, aerial photos, community parks, and more.
AcreValue – Free & Paid – See aerials and land owners names.
Regrid – Paid. Search land parcels
Parceled – Free. iPhone app, explore tax assessor data, mortgage history, owner information, and parcel boundaries.
Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture – Legals of Metal Detecting of Public Government Land
US Library of Congress – Free The West Point Atlas of the Civil War

California Specific

Stanford University Library – Free. Historical Mining Maps and Images
Mindat.org – Free. Mineral Maps

Connecticut Specific

UCONN, University of Connecticut, CTECO, Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online – Free. Connecticut Lidar Data Information (maps).

Virginia Specific

Library of Virginia – Free

Updated 10.21.2022

Do you know of a metal detecting resource we should add to view maps, aerials, and historical data?
Or does the list need to be updated?

Tell Focus Speed Staff of Other Useful Resources or Updates

Metal Detectorist, Joanna Jana Laznicka

Joanna Jana Laznicka, a Czech-Canadian residing in Southern California, is passionate about all things associated with metal detecting. She mainly detects on the West Coast, from Southern California to Northern British Columbia. As the founder of Focus Speed, her goal is to bring quality content to metal detectorists.

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7 Comments

Chuck Schwab says:

October 23, 2022 at 11:35 am

Oh my goodness, what a great job you’ve done on this Joanna, I can’t wait to use some of these resources, my hats off to you.

Reply
1. Detectorist and Focus Speed's Founder, Joanna Jana Laznicka says:
  
  October 25, 2022 at 11:21 pm
  
  Thank you, Chuck. I am trying to make the site as informative as I can for new and seasoned metal detectorists.
  
  Reply
Mark Branton says:

October 24, 2022 at 10:37 am

Joanna you nailed it. I tried to think of other resources and kept drawing a blank!

Reply
1. Detectorist and Focus Speed's Founder, Joanna Jana Laznicka says:
  
  October 25, 2022 at 11:22 pm
  
  Mark, that says a lot coming from you. Working as had as I can making the site as informative as I can for new and advanced detectorists.
  
  Reply
David Frazier says:

October 30, 2022 at 10:44 am

Hi, This is the most professional metal detecting sites I have found. Thanks for your hard work.
David Frazier, Wilmington N.C.

Reply
1. Detectorist and Focus Speed's Founder, Joanna Jana Laznicka says:
  
  October 30, 2022 at 3:55 pm
  
  Thank you, David. It takes a lot of effort to make the content. From thinking of the topics to making a finished article that is informative. Messages like yours make my day and all the effort is worth it.
  
  Reply
Corinne says:

November 19, 2022 at 8:44 pm

Thanks Joanna! As a newbie this is really helpful and I feel that by just this one article you saved me years of research and probably some things I would never learn since I don’t have any like minded acquaintances or friends! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the general public!

Reply