Updated May 8, 2021
Getting outdoors is good for your mental, physical, and spiritual health especially during this time of added stress due to COVID-19. We are closely following our state government recommendations in Vermont and New Hampshire regarding outdoor activities. The good news is that you can go outside and very likely, there is a Valley Quest near you that can take you on a fun learning adventure!
While you are Questing, make sure you keep appropriate physical distance from others while following the clues and wearing a mask when within 6 feet of others on the trails. There are year-round Quests, but most of our Quest boxes come in for the winter after Nov. 1 and go back out May 1. You can search for Quests by season, location, difficulty, and terrain in the Find a Quest tab.
If you go on a Quest and don’t find the box, we recommend you take a photo of yourselves on your Quest in lieu of getting a stamp. And if you’d like, you can post a photo on social media – we would love to see them! And add these tags: @vitalcommunities, #valleyquest, #uppervalley.
Another idea is to make a Quest with your family or neighbors. Pick sites around your property or neighborhood and write clues that lead from one to the other. Perhaps a neighbor knows some interesting history about your neighborhood that you can incorporate into the clues. Instead of a treasure box, you could suggest folks take photos or make drawings along the way to share that they have completed the Quest. Here is a link to tips for making a Quest.
So get creative, go exploring, and keep safe while observing all the health and safety precautions our states are advising. For more resources on how to safely recreate outside during this time visit Upper Valley Trail Alliance and the National Recreation & Park Association.