Celebrate National Trails Day and kick off this year’s letterboxing season with the City of Mercer Island Parks & Recreation Department on Saturday, June 1st, from 10am to 12 pm!

The event will start in the Northwest Quadrant of Pioneer Park (across from Starbucks). Please join staff for a work party as they trim back shrubs and vegetation to keep trail access open. Please wear closed toed shoes; gloves and tools will be provided.

This is also a good opportunity for kids to start their letterboxing adventure! Like a scavenger hunt, letterboxing is an activity where you and your kids can search for clues to find hidden letterboxes throughout the three quadrants of Pioneer Park.

Begin by picking up your letterbox clue book at one of three locations on Mercer Island – the Community & Event Center, the Luther Burbank Administrative Building, or the south end Starbucks. Next, create a letterboxing kit. It’s simple! You just need your Clue Book, a favorite stamp and walking shoes. Then start hunting! For each letterbox you find, put a stamp in your Clue Book and stamp the letterbox notepad with your own stamp.

The letterboxing season on Mercer Island takes place from June 1st through October 31st.  Additionally, letterboxing provides a great excuse to get out and explore Pioneer Park’s 113 acres, which includes 6.6 miles of trails.

Families and kids can turn in their clue books by October 31st to the Community & Event Center or Luther Burbank Administrative Building to be recognized for their accomplishment by the Open Space Trust Board in November. Have fun and see how many letterboxes you can find this summer!

Pioneer Park is located at SE 68th and Island Crest Way. Learn more about letterboxing on the City of Mercer Island’s website >>