200 Christmas ornaments will be hidden along select trails in Oregon forests. If you find one, you get to keep it and register for the grand prize!
Who's up for an Oregon treasure hunt? Oregonians are familiar with all sorts of treasure hunt stories, from the fictional tale of One-Eyed Willy's pirate ship full of golden booty, to the Native American legend of gold buried somewhere near Cascade Head and camp Westwind, and even miners searching for gold in Oregon's creek beds and mountains. This year you can join in on a treasure hunt of your own! While there's no gold to be found, and no buried pirate booty, it's still a worthwhile adventure that can lead you to a little treasure of your very own: keepsake ornaments for your Christmas tree.
Find An Ornament On Select Oregon's Trails From November 15th - December 25th, 2024
Each year in November, the Willamette Valley Ornament Hunt begins by hiding hundreds of locally crafted ornaments along gorgeous hiking trails. This year, the treasure is cute little wooden ornaments, and a chance to win a two night getaway in the Willamette Valley.
The ornaments will be hidden along 24 different trails across the Willamette Valley. The list of the trails you'll want to search will be posted on November 15th, 2024. Treasure hunters can expect to hike trails in the Cottage Grove area, McKenzie River region, Sweet Home area, Cascade Range, and Detroit Ranger district.
If you find an ornament on one of these trails, you get to take it home and keep it. Once you've found one of the 200 ornaments, you can register to win the grand prize: a two night getaway.
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Tips For Finding Hidden Ornaments
- All of the hidden ornaments will be at eye level or below. They will never be in a place that requires you to go off trail. Ornaments will only be hidden along select trails.
- You should dress appropriately for the weather. Look up the weather for where you plan to hike and be sure to wear layers and bring a warm, waterproof coat. Hats and gloves are a good idea as well, and so are good sturdy shoes for hiking (hiking boots or sneakers).
- If you're a veteran hiker, you're asked to leave the ornaments you see near the start of trails, and hike further in to look for ornaments. This allows less experienced hikers to snag some ornaments too.
If I find multiple ornaments, can I keep them all? Hikers and treasure seekers are asked to take only one ornament per household so others have a chance to experience the joy of finding an ornament as well.
Tip For Parents: This is a great activity to do with your kids. Obviously all of those that head out on the trail on this treasure hunt hope to find a wooden ornament of their very own. Just in case you don't find one, parents may want to carry a small ornament with them in their pocket to set out for their kids to find.
You can get more information about the Willamette Valley Ornament Hunt on their official website, as well as the list of trails where ornaments are hidden on November 15th, 2024.
Will you be heading out on an ornament hunt this year? Even if you don't find an ornament, you'll still have memories of your adventure and winter hike through Oregon's gorgeous forests, which can be a treasure all of it's own.
