How to start letterboxing with a short clue hunt

What you need to know

Bring a small stamp kit

Pack a small notebook or index cards, your own rubber stamp, an ink pad, and a pen. A stamp you already own is fine; protect the paper from rain.

Save the full clue and a route map

Read every clue before leaving. Choose a short familiar walk without compass bearings or puzzles you cannot yet follow, and save a map for the way back.

Check access and walking conditions

Confirm opening hours and path restrictions; a posted clue does not permit entry to closed or private land. Wear shoes for the route, check the forecast, carry water, and tell someone your plan.

Letterboxing suits anyone who likes a walk with a puzzle to solve. Follow written clues to a hidden box. Its stamp goes in your notebook; your personal stamp goes in its logbook.

Choose one manageable clue

Search by location on Atlas Quest or Letterboxing North America. A free Atlas Quest account is now required to read clues. Choose a short route with clear access notes and recent success, if available. Skip unavailable boxes. Open the full clue and check the return route before travelling.

Follow the clues and stamp

Follow landmarks along the permitted path. If one does not fit, return to the last certain point. Do not dig, pull plants, dismantle walls, or reach blindly into holes. Stop at closures or unsafe footing. Atlas Quest’s site-care guide explains how to avoid damage while searching.

If you find the box, note its position and covering. Move to a dry spot nearby without showing the hiding place. Press the box’s inked stamp into your notebook. Stamp your own mark in an unused part of the box logbook, adding your name or trail name and the date. Follow any stamp or ink instructions inside. The LbNA finding guide shows this exchange.

Replace the box or report the attempt

Return the stamp and logbook, close any inner bags and the container, and replace the box exactly as found. Do not take its stamp, add trinkets, or move it. Contact the owner about damage instead of taking it home.

If you find nothing, record the attempt and ask the owner for help. A failed search does not prove the box is missing; Atlas Quest’s finding help explains why. Keep hiding details and other people’s stamp images out of public posts. Next time, try another short clue or go with an experienced letterboxer.