Looking for a fun (and free!) family activity that even the youngest members of your household can enjoy? You’ve heard about geocaching, a treasure hunting game where you use a GPS to hide and find small treasure boxes stashed throughout the world. But there’s another type of treasure hunt that’s also a lot of fun — and doesn’t require a Global Positioning System or handheld electronic device with a GPS receiver. It’s called letterboxing, and it’s a family-friendly activity that’s all about following a set of clues to find small treasure boxes.
There are 20,000 ‘letterboxes’ hidden throughout the United States. In Utah, you’ll find hundreds of boxes in parks and recreation areas, such as Draper’s Mountain Flight Park and on hiking trails such as the one leading to Donut Falls in Big Cottonwood Canyon. You’ll find them tucked away near state parks and national parks such as Arches. You can search for boxes in Utah here. Some letterboxes are designed for the youngest of treasure hunters, with only a few clues, while others have more a more difficult series of clues better suited for older children, teenagers or adults.
Thinking about trying to find a box or two? Print out the clues to a letterbox near you and give it a try! If you find a box, remember to make sure to be discreet and thoroughly hide it again so it’s not easily discovered by someone just passing by. Once you’ve found a few boxes, try finding your own secret hiding place, creating a box of your own and creating a fun set of clues for other people to follow! For more information about letterboxing, check out this informative Q&A. Enjoy!