Follow the clues and find $15,000 in East Idaho’s biggest treasure hunt yet
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IDAHO FALLS – Anderson Hicks Group is back with its annual treasure hunt and this year’s prize is bigger than ever.
The Idaho Falls real estate company partnered with Visionary Homes, Synergy Electric, Expert Floors and many other local businesses to provide $15,000. The voucher and other smaller prizes are hidden somewhere in eastern Idaho and whoever finds it gets to keep it.
The treasure hunt got underway Friday morning. The first clue below was posted on Anderson Hicks Group’s website and Instagram page. A clue will be released every Friday at 10 a.m. until someone finds it.
It’s open to everyone and those who want to participate need to sign up here.
Company spokeswoman Anike Wilder tells EastIdahoNews.com people look forward to the treasure hunt every year.
“East Idahoans look forward to this every single year. It gets them out of the house and off their screen,” Wilder says.
Even people from out of state fly in to be part of it. So far, only locals have found the prize.
The real estate agency hosted its first treasure hunt in 2022. That led to another treasure hunt during the holidays to help raise funds for the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission.
The idea was to give people an escape from financial concerns related to rising gas and home prices. The response to that initial hunt prompted the company to make it an annual event. The 2026 treasure hunt is the eighth one since its inception.
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The prize in the 2022 hunt was $2,000. The prize amount has increased every year, thanks to the company’s partners.
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Derek Whipple and his family from Idaho Falls were the winners of the 2025 treasure hunt. They found the box with the cash voucher hidden at Kelly Canyon.
The treasure chest typically contains a voucher for the cash prize, along with a variety of other gift cards and smaller prizes. The picture below this article shows what’s hidden in the chest this time around. A map of the treasure hunt boundary is also included.
To whomever finds it, there are instructions on the cash voucher explaining how to claim your prize.
Wilder says she appreciates those who helped sponsor the 2026 treasure hunt, which are listed in a graphic below. She’s excited that the hunt is underway and looks forward to seeing who finds it and how they use the money.
“Stories pile in about how meaningful this hunt has become for people, as they band together as family and friends, discussing the riddle, clues, and what they could mean. Thousands across East Idaho make countless memories every year — and thousands more from surrounding states tune in and follow along too,” says Wilder.
