Newton High Schoolers Set Up Outdoor Scavenger Hunt To Get Out

NEWTON, MA —What started as a group of high school friends just wanting to get away from the computer and spend some time outside with each other safely, has turned into something they hope will help others do the same.

Newton South freshmen Zoe Hong, Ellie Gish, Naomi Weitzman, Elliot Heywood, Edward Macklin, Sylvia Jacobs, Seth Korn, Josh Wolf just put together an out-of-the-box, away from the computer photo scavenger hunt in Cold Spring Park to help get Newton off the couch.

"Initially, we just wanted to hang out and go on a hike," said Elliot.

She and her friends are part of a study group bubble to help them stay social during the pandemic. Going for a hike seemed like a safe way to interact and one of her friends' parents remembered that another Newton resident, Jerry Reilly, had set up a photo scavenger hunt in the spring at Hemlock Gorge.

It had been taken down because of the weather, but she proposed the group make one for Cold Spring Park.

The group of friends was all in.

"It’s been nice to just hang out with friends outdoors," said Elliot. "So if we were able to help others do that too, we were super on board."

Reilly helped them get set up using the same format he used in the spring and the group walked the trails and decided on clues and set up in mid November.

"It was just really fun," Elliot said, they learned the trails in the process. "I don’t think I would have found it had it not been for quarantine. I just didn’t really need an activity like this before, because my days were filled."

Elliot said the group set up about 30 clues, with plenty of pictures and posted them about every 10 yards, she said. The hunt should take people about an hour.

Elliot said he usually gets up and goes for a long walk in the morning before he logs online to get some outside time. She's participated in scavenger hunts at summer camp and set up a few for her younger sister, but nothing like this before.

"I hope that lots of families — and everybody from 4 to 90 can do it — can get out there and have some fun and be outdoors," said Elliot.

The hunt should be there at least through the winter. The group planned it so that even if there’s snow you should be able to find everything.

"Go and try it out it’s super fun, go outside and have fun," she said.

Reilly and the Newton Nomadic Theater created three photo scavenger hunts in the spring around Newton's parks. Read more: Newton Nomadic Theater Offers Photo Scavenger Hunt

Interested in the scavenger hunt? Bring up this document on your cell phone and follow the photo clues. They will lead you in the roughly one-hour trip around Cold Spring Park with surprises along the way.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.