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Here’s the First Clue to Find a Buried Canadian Treasure Worth Nearly $1 Million

Five years after Forrest Fenn’s bronze chest was found, a Canadian treasure hunt is reigniting the wild search for riches

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A traveler with a stirrup explores under the stars in Datong, Shanxi Province, China (Photo: Wang Yukun/Getty Images)

North American treasure hunters have cause to celebrate, as the first clue for the Great Canadian Treasure Hunt is posted online, offering a hint to find a chest of gold worth just under $1 million (approximately $1.3 million CAD).

According to the mining trade publication The Northern Miner, a mining group hid the trove somewhere in the country’s vast wilderness, and the fortune is waiting for the first scrappy hunter to solve the clues and find it.

Just like art dealer Forrest Fenn’s legendary hidden treasure, which had hunters scouring the American West for a decade, clues for the Canadian hunt are so far provided through cryptic poetry.

The “” is a 13-stanza poem that mentions everything from phoenixes and chalco fever to salt air bearing copper songs, sunken whispers, gilded desks, and singing iron.

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Mining publication The Northern Miner and a collective of organizations are sponsoring the to promote Canada’s mining industry. In addition to the grand prize, which consists of 217 one-ounce coins, the group will hide a dozen smaller treasures around Canada over the next year, each worth $20,100 ($27,000 CAD).

“Taking inspiration from Canada’s long-standing mining legacy and the pioneering spirit that drives mineral exploration, the adventure is designed to spur discovery while highlighting the role that mining and critical minerals play in the country’s future,” wrote .

“These metals and minerals are the foundation of modern life, powering everything from electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy technologies to smartphones and life-saving medical devices.”

Although The Northern Miner says all the clues to find the treasure are hidden inside the master poem, the hunt’s was released on September 3. It read:

Though crystal clear and calm it seems,
This mirror hides more than it gleams.
A single step may seal your fate,
Best not disturb the water’s state.

The Northern Miner will publish future hints monthly, as well as on its sister publications,  and .

“The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt is more than a contest, it’s an invitation to explore Canada’s legendary mining roots while flexing your brainpower,” Anthony Vaccaro, president of The Northern Miner, told the publication. “We want to inspire a new kind of exploration, grounded in curiosity, logic and appreciation for Canada’s rich natural history in a way that’s never been done before.”

Sound like your cup of tea? Well, there are a few catches.

First, the contest is open to Canadian residents. Secondly, the chest doesn’t contain real gold. Instead, it includes an “alphanumeric code,” like a lottery ticket, that will allow the winner to phone in and claim their gold coins.

Although participating in the treasure hunt is open to all Canadian residents aged 18 and older, paying subscribers to The Northern Miner have an advantage. They get access to new clues ahead of time, using the site’s Treasure Hunt portal. Unlike Fenn’s treasure hunt, which was indefinite, the Canadian hunt runs for a limited time, ending on December 31, 2026. If the treasure isn’t found by then, the prize is forfeited.

Luckily, similar to Fenn’s treasure—which was allegedly found near his favorite fishing hole in Yellowstone National Park—The Northern Miner seems to have hidden its treasure in an easily accessible location, one reachable on foot without any special equipment.

The group provided a few stipulations for the hunt, noting that the treasure will not be found on private property, underwater, or anywhere underground. (Participants won’t actually need to mine for it!) It is also not hidden in any man-made structure, near graves, cemeteries, or memorials, active construction sites, or inside industrial or hazardous waste areas.

The Northern Miner notes that no ropes, ladders, climbing gear, diving equipment, or off-road vehicles are required to locate it. Just a head for puzzles and a keen eye.

The Great Canadian Treasure Hunt isn’t the only ongoing search in the world, either. Part of Fenn’s treasure has already been rehidden, and the clues to find it are offered in this Netflix documentary.