Letterboxing
Geocaching's artsy, analog cousin who doesn't need batteries.
Letterboxing is a treasure-hunting hobby where people hide weatherproof boxes containing a rubber stamp and a logbook in public places, then post cryptic clues online. You follow the clues, find the box, stamp your personal journal with their stamp, stamp their logbook with yours. It has been going on since 1854 and there are thousands of active boxes worldwide.
How to start
- 1Visit atlasquest.com and search for letterboxes near your location.
- 2Carve or buy a small rubber stamp — this becomes your personal mark.
- 3Get a small notebook and an ink pad to carry as your journal.
- 4Follow the clues to your first box, stamp and be stamped, re-hide it carefully.
What you'll need
- Personal rubber stampEssential~$5
- Ink padEssential~$4
- Small notebookEssential~$3
- PenEssentialFree
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Carve your own stamps from erasers — it is surprisingly easy
- Plant your own letterbox with hand-drawn clue maps
- Do a letterbox marathon — find 10 in one day
- Combine with hiking and only hunt remote trail boxes
It is a treasure hunt with a tangible reward at the end. The clue-solving and physical searching are novelty-rich and keep your brain occupied.
Letterboxing originated on Dartmoor, England in 1854 — over 170 years before geocaching existed. The first clue was left in a bottle by a Victorian gentleman.
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