County-wide scavenger hunt celebrates America 250 through local heritage

May 13, 2026

As the nation prepares to mark its 250th anniversary in 2026, Lincoln County is inviting residents and visitors to celebrate in an engaging way — by getting out and exploring it. A new countywide scavenger hunt, featuring 40 sites from Alpine to Kemmerer, is now underway, offering participants the chance to experience the region’s heritage firsthand while collecting commemorative coins from communities across the county.

RELATED: ROBERT KING AND THE AMERICA 250 SCAVENGER HUNT AND COMMEMORATIVE COINS – 

Residents and visitors have the opportunity to visit sites mapped out to earn their own challenge coin, including the Lincoln County Semiquincentennial Challenge Coin. The quality, 2 inch, high-relief coins can be earned by visiting 20 sites along the map. If you visit at least 15, you, can earn a Lincoln County coin. If you visit 20, you can receive a full set of challenge coins, including coins from each participating incorporated city or town.

According to King, each group or family participating in the scavenger hunt is eligible to receive one set of coins. Coins will be distributed at two locations. The north region will be at the Afton Civic Center and the South Region will be at Diamondville Park in Kemmerer.

Robert King with Lincoln County Economic Development  (LCED) spoke on Tuesday morning’s Weekday Wake-Up and said the county has many coins. “I’m hoping that we can give every one of them away,” said King.

The scavenger hunt isn’t only for residents of Lincoln County, but for anyone who would like to travel to participate. King shared that he already knows of people who are coming from other areas to do the scavenger hunt and travel throughout Lincoln County to participate.

Each site along the map is unique to Lincoln County. According to the details provided by LCED, “Each region includes 20 unique historical or notable sites to explore. This scavenger hunt is a fun and engaging way to explore Lincoln County’s history, communities, and landscapes as we celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.” Organizers hope that people invite neighbors, friends, and family to participate. Each site has latitude/longitude GPS coordinates to help easily navigate. Some of the sites in the Star Valley area include Bakers Cabin in Etna, Auburn Rock Church, Intermittent Springs, and many others.

Some of the locations in south Lincoln county include Fossil Butte National Park, the home of the J.C. Penney store and the Elk Creek Guard Station on Hams Fork. 

With a June 20 deadline in place, participants have several weeks to complete the challenge before coins are distributed on Independence Day. Organizers say the goal is simple — get people out across the county, visiting communities, learning local history and seeing places they may not have experienced before. Ready… set… go!