I love the story of Fenn’s treasure!
In 2010, a dying art dealer named Forrest Fenn hid a chest of gold and jewels in the Rocky Mountains and dared the world to find it—using only a cryptic poem.
The hunt goes viral. Five people die finding it and one is missing.
A decade later, the loot is finally found — it did exist!
But the story doesn’ end there. — more treasure was hidden!
If you’re new to the Forrest Fenn saga, start with “Gold & Greed”—it’s the most complete story arc. But if you’re deep into the lore, the poetic obsession captured in “The Lure” might hit harder (if you can find a way to stream it!)
1) Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure
I think this docuseries is the best overall doc on the story of Fenn’s Treasure.
It has a great recap of the original hunt for Fenn’s treasure (in which five people died).
And then there’s a second hunt — for some of the same treasure.
You can watch it on Netflix here.
I enjoyed this docuseries so much I dedicated a page to it here: “Gold & Greed: The Hunt for Fenn’s Treasure”
2) The Search for an Eccentric Millionaire’s Hidden Treasure Chest (The New Yorker)
This 27-minute doc by The New Yorker follows a group of obsessed treasure hunters into the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, where they try to decode Fenn’s poem and clues in real time. It’s got a very “boots-on-the-ground” feel—and includes some of the most diehard searchers you’ll ever see.
It’s a great intro to the human side of the search. It is more about the obsession than the gold.
You can watch it on YouTube here.
3) The Treacherous Treasure Hunt of Forrest Fenn (BuzzFeed)
This BuzzFeed Unsolved episode is a 30-minute ride through the full scope of the Fenn treasure story—starting with the poem, the rumors, the body count, and ending with the final discovery (and the conspiracy theories that followed).
It’s got more personality and humor than most takes—especially if you’re already a fan of Ryan and Shane.
You can watch the full episode by clicking the video embed above.
4) The Lure
The Lure is directed by Tomas Leach, best known for “The Lure” (2016) and “In No Great Hurry,” his 2013 doc on color photography pioneer Saul Leiter — and it’s set to an atmospheric soundtrack by American indie band Calexico.
I don’t see anywhere to watch this full doc. I included it in this list because Leach is a proven doc filmmaker.
I’ve set up a Google Alert on “The Lure” to keep track of whether the video surfaces. I’ll update this page if and when I find it.
See, I hunt for hidden treasure too! 🙂
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly, Chief Maniac, Daily Doc