The Short Version
Letterboxing is a real-world treasure hunt played with clues instead of coordinates: you follow a riddle or set of directions to a small hidden container — a “letterbox” — in a park, street, or trail, stamp your own logbook with the box’s rubber stamp, and leave your personal stamp impression in its logbook. The hobby began at Cranmere Pool on Dartmoor, England, in 1854, and it still runs on paper, clues, and rubber stamps.
A beginner’s first session is a short walk to a nearby letterbox with an easy clue and a careful search of a few square metres. The appeal is purposeful walking, wordplay, and the small ritual of exchanging stamp impressions between logbooks. The constraints are real: you need a clue (from a registry or a friend), the first finds take patience, and the community’s etiquette — discreet searching, no moving boxes, and leaving everything as you found it — matters as much as the finding.
Who It Suits
Letterboxing suits people who enjoy walking with a purpose, riddles and wordplay, careful observation, and a light collecting habit. It works well for curious beginners because many boxes sit in ordinary parks, streets, and trails, and the first outing costs nothing beyond a pen and a small notebook. It is less suited to people who want instant results: clues are deliberately tricky, the first finds take a careful search, and the satisfaction comes from learning to read a clue, narrow a search area, and notice what others miss. If you like the puzzle side of geocaching but prefer paper and riddles to a phone screen, this is the older, quieter cousin.
Quick Jump
Key Terms
A handful of words do most of the work in clue cards, registry pages, and community conversation:
- Letterbox — the hidden container, from a small plastic box to a tin, holding a logbook and a rubber stamp.
- Letterbox stamp — the rubber stamp that stays with the box; finders use it to mark their own logbooks.
- Logbook — the paper book inside the box in which finders leave their personal stamp impression, trail name, and date.
- Letterbox log — your own small notebook, collected with stamp impressions from every box you find.
- Clue — the riddle, poem, or set of directions that leads to the box; the heart of the game.
- Signature stamp — a finder’s personal stamp, used to mark the logbook inside each box.
- Trail name — the name a letterboxer uses when signing a box’s logbook or recording a find online.
- Registry — an online catalogue of letterboxes and their clues, such as Atlas Quest or Letterboxing North America.
- Letterbox hybrid — a geocache that uses a letterbox-style stamp instead of a logbook signature only.
- Multi-stage letterbox — a letterbox whose clue leads through several stages before the final box.
- Mystery letterbox — a letterbox whose location must be worked out from a puzzle rather than a description.
Getting Started
Letterboxing traces its origin to 1854, when James Perrott placed a bottle at Cranmere Pool on Dartmoor so visitors could leave their cards. A visitors’ book later replaced the bottle, and rubber stamps became part of the tradition during the twentieth century. The hobby now extends well beyond Dartmoor, with clues and finds shared through registries such as Atlas Quest and Letterboxing North America.
- Find a letterbox near you. Search a registry such as Atlas Quest or Letterboxing North America, or ask a local group for a beginner-friendly clue.
- Read the clue carefully. Clues range from a plain description (“behind the third bench on the north side of the pond”) to a riddle or poem. Work it out on paper before you go.
- Go, find, sign, stamp. Your first find is the whole point of the first outing.
- Keep the ritual. Sign the box’s logbook, stamp your own log with the box’s stamp, leave your own stamp impression in the box’s logbook, and put everything back exactly as you found it.
Letterbox Types
| Type | What it involves | Beginner fit |
|---|---|---|
| Traditional | A box at a location described by a clue, from a plain hint to a riddle. | The best first type. |
| Mystery | Solve a puzzle to work out where the box is hidden. | A fun second step; easy mysteries are clearly marked. |
| Multi-stage | The clue leads through several stages, each pointing to the next, ending in the final box. | Good once you are comfortable with traditional boxes. |
| Letterbox hybrid | A geocache that uses a letterbox-style stamp; findable through geocaching apps. | An easy bridge if you also try geocaching. |
| Event | Gatherings of local letterboxers, often with stamp swaps and new boxes. | A low-pressure way to meet the local community. |
Basic Gear
| Essential | Why |
|---|---|
| A pen | Signing the logbook is the core of the game. |
| A small notebook (your letterbox log) | Collecting stamp impressions is the hobby’s keepsake. |
| A rubber stamp (yours) | You leave your own impression in each box’s logbook. |
| Comfortable shoes and weather-appropriate clothing | Letterboxes are outdoors, in all weather. |
Optional, and worth adding only as you use them: a small pouch for your stamp and log and a notebook of clues you want to retry. A rubber stamp can be bought for a few dollars or carved from an eraser with a craft knife; a simple design associated with your trail name is plenty.
First Session
A concrete first outing:
- Pick a traditional letterbox with an easy clue within about 1–2 km of home, in a familiar public park or street, with recent finds logged.
- Read the clue twice and work it out on paper: what place is it describing, and from which direction?
- Walk to the described area. When you are close, slow down and search the immediate surroundings: ground level, low walls, benches, signposts, tree bases, and drainage features. Boxes are hidden to be overlooked, not to be seen.
- When you find it: stamp your own log with the box’s stamp, leave your signature-stamp impression and trail name in the box’s logbook, close the container properly, and return it exactly where it was hidden.
- Record the box’s name in your log so you can look it up later.
If you do not find it, that is a normal part of learning: re-read the clue, check the registry for hints or other finders’ notes, and try again on a different day or with a friend.
First Month
Keep the difficulty low and vary the ground: try boxes in different settings (park, street, trail), learn how clues phrase directions, and build up your log with a handful of stamp impressions. After a few traditional finds, add a mystery letterbox or a two-stage multi if you enjoy the problem-solving side, and consider attending a local event or association meetup. If you eventually want to hide your own letterbox, most associations encourage finding a handful of boxes first, and hiding requires permission from the landowner or land manager — ask your local association for the rules in your area.
Costs
Letterboxing is one of the cheapest outdoor hobbies to start: a clue from a free registry, a pen, a small notebook, and walking shoes.
| Cost tier | Typical spend | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Free start | $0 | A registry clue, your first finds, and a log made from any small notebook. |
| First stamp | A few dollars | A rubber stamp (bought or carved from an eraser) associated with your trail name. |
| Optional gear | A few dollars to tens | A pouch for your stamp and log, carving materials, or a clue notebook. |
| Enthusiast | Varies | Travel to distant boxes, events, and a growing collection of stamps and logs. |
Prices vary by market and change over time; the free tier is enough for a long time.
Space Needed
The hobby needs public places or trails where letterboxes are hidden and access is allowed. At home, it needs almost no storage beyond a stamp, a logbook, and walking gear — a drawer corner is plenty.
Solo or Social
Letterboxing works alone, with friends, with family, or in local groups. Solo letterboxing is flexible and quiet, while group outings help with tricky clues, navigation confidence, and learning local etiquette. Registry event listings and local groups connect letterboxers across regions. Stamp exchanges at events are a friendly way to collect impressions without travelling far.
Common Mistakes
- Starting with hard riddles before learning how clues phrase directions.
- Forgetting a pen or your own stamp.
- Moving a letterbox to a different location.
- Damaging plants, walls, fences, or property while searching.
- Ignoring access rules, opening hours, or private property.
- Searching only the literal spot in the clue instead of the surrounding area.
- Leaving a container open, wet, or in a different position after signing.
- Forgetting to put the box’s stamp back inside the box.
Safety and Accessibility
| Situation | Beginner rule |
|---|---|
| Traffic | Urban boxes are often near roads; cross safely and never search in the roadway. |
| Weather | Dress for exposure, carry water, and check the forecast; parks and trails offer little shelter. |
| Ticks and vegetation | Check yourself after searching grassy or wooded areas. |
| Suspicious or unsafe containers | Do not force anything open, do not handle items that look dangerous, and report the problem to the box owner or registry. |
| Access | Do not trespass or ignore signs. Access rules vary by place — check the clue, local rules, and landowner permission before you go. |
| Private land | Some boxes sit on private land with the owner’s permission; if you end up somewhere that feels private or restricted, back off. |
| Children | The game is family-friendly, but supervise children near roads, water, and busy areas. |
| Mobility | Clues let you choose flat, pavement-accessible, short-distance boxes; seated letterboxing is possible on flat, firm ground. |
Where It Can Go
Letterboxing can lead toward geocaching, hiking, puzzle solving, local history, poetry and riddle writing, rubber stamp carving, map reading, photography, and outdoor volunteering.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is letterboxing different from geocaching?
Geocaching uses GPS coordinates and a phone app to find a container, while letterboxing uses a written clue or riddle and rewards you with a rubber stamp impression in your own logbook. The two overlap — “letterbox hybrid” geocaches use a stamp — and many people play both.
Do I need an account to start?
No. A clue from a friend, a local group, or a free registry is enough to find your first box. A registry account with Atlas Quest or Letterboxing North America is useful for finding boxes near you, reading clues, and logging your finds.
How do I get my own letterbox stamp?
Buy a small rubber stamp for a few dollars, or carve one from an eraser with a craft knife. A simple design associated with your trail name is all you need; the impression you leave in each box’s logbook is the point.
Can I hide my own letterbox?
Yes, with permission from the landowner or land manager, and most associations encourage finding a handful of boxes first. A box needs a waterproof container, a logbook, a stamp, and a clue, and it should be registered where possible so other letterboxers can find it.
References
Last reviewed: 18 August 2026.
Editorial note: This guide is written as beginner hobby-discovery guidance, not as legal advice. Access rules vary by country, region, and land manager, and change over time — check the clue, the registry, and local requirements before you go.
Sources and registries:
- Dartmoor National Park: Letterboxing and Geocaching — the hobby’s origin at Cranmere Pool in 1854 and guidance for letterboxing on Dartmoor.
- Letterboxing on Dartmoor: Codes of Conduct — Dartmoor-specific placement and searching etiquette.
- Atlas Quest — a letterbox registry with clues, find logs, events, and community guidance.
- Letterboxing North America — a free registry of letterbox clues and finds.
Optional community resources:
- Local letterboxing groups and events for meetups, stamp exchanges, and local knowledge.
- Geocaching.com’s letterbox hybrid listings for stamp-based boxes findable through a geocaching app.
Related Hobbies
Geocaching, hiking, metal detecting, birdwatching, photography, journaling, puzzle solving, cycling, and camping all pair well with letterboxing.