The scavenger hunt is in the grand tradition of treasure hunting in Northern New Mexico. From the time of the Spanish conquistadors, through the Anglo gold lust of the 1800s and the oil wells and uranium mining in the 1950s, the search for treasure is part of the legacy of the Land of Enchantment.
You may have heard of Forrest Fenn, the Santa Fe art dealer who claimed in 2010 that he had hidden a carved wooden chest laden with gold, diamonds and rubies somewhere between Santa Fe and the Canadian border. No one has found it yet, or if so, they’re not telling!
A great way to explore the town, see the wildlife, mountain vistas, wildflowers and fall colors, is a new and creative approach that proves treasure hunting is always in style.
Everyone is invited to participate.
This summer the Town of Red River will introduce the “Found It in Red River” Scavenger Hunts. These treasure hunts provide families yet another fun and adventurous activity during their annual summer vacation in Red River! Anyone interested in taking on the challenging hunts is more than welcome, even if only in town for a day or two.
Scavenger hunts are broken down into four skill or difficulty levels: Easy, Moderate, Difficult, and Expert. The easier hunts incorporate fun Word Searches, Math and Crossword puzzles to reveal clues that are then used in the hunt. As you progress into the more difficult scavenger hunts, the journey to your prize becomes that much more challenging. For instance, just when you think you’ve discovered the solution, you’re redirected along one of Red River’s many hiking trails. Clues may be in plain sight or they may even be camouflaged or placed somewhere you wouldn’t think to look, like under a rock or hidden inside a tree stump! Remember, the more challenging your quest, the greater the reward.
Speaking of rewards, prizes range from fun trinkets, souvenir items, and a free pizza, to more upscale items like a Jeep rental, dinner for two, and even a free night’s stay in Red River!
By now you’re probably thinking this can’t be that difficult, but if you’ve ever tried Geocaching where clues are hidden in the woods, up a mountain, under a rock or even below the water’s surface, you’ll understand what’s involved in Red River’s new scavenger hunts!
For those who enjoy a good ghost hunt, you’ve not been forgotten. With the many haunted locations in Red River, ghost hunters will have their hands full when trying to figure out their puzzle.
Red River’s “Found It in Red River” scavenger hunts are a summer-time activity, and participants can take an hour to finish the hunt, or all summer if they need to. We leave it up to them.
For information and some encouragement, stop by the Tourism office in the Conference Center.
– Todd Michael
