The Willamette Valley Visitors Association launched its fourth annual ornament hunt Friday, Nov. 12, on the Willamette National Forest’s non-wilderness trails and a handful of Umpqua National Forest trails.
The hunt encourages locals and travelers to connect with public lands and increase outdoor recreation activities.
Some 200 wooden ornaments highlighting the Willamette Valley will be hidden along non-wilderness trails that have not been affected by wildfires in the Willam-ette National Forest and Umpqua National Forest. Each ornament includes a Willamette Valley leather patch and instructions on how to register to win a prize.
Finders who register their ornaments will be eligible to win an adventure and overnight stay in the Willamette Valley.
In 2018, the Willamette National Forest provided the Capitol Christmas Tree in Washington D.C., and ornaments were hidden on forest trails to encourage people to connect with public lands.
With this tradition, we hope to inspire people to continue to explore and support our public lands, especially this year when so many trails were affected by wildfires.
The Willamette National Forest provides recreational opportunities, fishing, hunting, foraging, firewood, minerals, wood products and, of course, Christmas trees. Christmas tree permits are available online at https://www.recreation.gov/tree-permits.
The Willamette Valley Visitors Association website, https://willamettevalley.org/ornament, will serve as the hub for contest winners to claim their prizes throughout the contest, which will run through Jan. 1, 2022.
Find trail information and hints throughout December on this page or on the following social channels: @gowillamettevalley, @cascadevolunteers and @willametteNF.
Adventures are encouraged online using the hashtags: #FindYourOrnament, #FindYourTrail, #IwonderWV, #pnwonderland, #willamettenationalforest. The Willamette Valley Visitors Association abides by Leave No Trace Principles. Once the contest closes, all remaining ornaments will be picked up by U.S. Forest Service professionals.