Utah Treasure Hunt Kicks Off

The annual Utah Treasure Hunt has begun. People across Utah and beyond are searching for a hidden treasure of $25,000.

Every year since 2020, Utah residents John Maxim and David Cline have hidden a treasure chest somewhere in Utah.

"It got people out and going and stuff like that. We got all these messages from people how it like changed their lives and we just thought it was a fun thing to do," Maxim said.

The treasure hunt is kicked off every year by the release of a cryptic poem, with clues to where the treasure is hidden throughout.

Hunt organizers say that creating the perfect poem is crucial to the hunt's success.

"It's tricky you know, we're fighting against A.I. and google and we have people who's family members are cryptologists in the C.I.A. who are helping them out," Maxim said.

With lots of trial and error, John and David have perfected their clue-giving skills.

"A couple of years ago we thought we were just geniuses and it was found in seventy two hours or something it was like the first week," Cline said

In online communities like Reddit and Facebook, people work together to solve clues.

"You see a lot of people sharing ideas, asking questions, getting rules clarifications and the two people that run the treasure hunt are also pretty involved," Josh Robinson, a treasure hunter, said.

Despite there being so much money on the line, hunters say that the community aspect is one of the best parts of looking for the treasure.

"I sense that a lot of people like the adventure of it, that it's just a fun thing to be part of," McKenzie Robinson, a treasure hunter, said.

Many treasure hunters find that it's a great way to get their family outdoors and spending quality time together.

"I never feel really disappointed cause I'm like- I just got my kids out hiking for two hours. That's the best thing that I could've done with them," Josh Robinson said.

Hunt organizers say they had no idea it would go viral when they created it.

"John and I kinda joked when we were going up to the mountains to hide it that we'd come back in two months and dig it up ourselves cause no one would care," Cline said.

Clues will continue to be released on John and David's Instagram pages until the treasure is found.