Community party and live concert will transition to virtual scavenger hunt for 2020

POCATELLO — The annual Riverfest event hosted by the Portneuf Greenway Foundation will not be canceled for 2020. Organizers instead plan to shift the live concert and community gathering, held at Lower Ross Park for the last several years, to a virtual scavenger hunt. The event will run Monday through Aug. 22, with a grand prize giveaway that day.

As part of the Riverfest planning for 2020, area businesses, including Barrie’s Ski and Sports, The Sand Trap and others, have provided over $400 in prizes for participants of the scavenger hunt.

Those wanting to participate can view video hints on the Portneuf Greenway Facebook page and then hit the trails to find additional clues. Six Greenway trails are featured as part of the scavenger hunt, with a small green dinosaur hidden at each location. One video hint and trail clue will be available each day during the week of the event. The person who finds the green dinosaur will also find a clue that tells them how to claim the prize for that day.

Organizers say the dinosaurs are not hidden in a way that makes them too difficult to find, and the point of the scavenger is to get out and enjoy the trails with family or friends.

“Riverfest has always been about bringing the community together,” said Taelor Jordan-Moss, Portneuf Greenway president. “With so many events being canceled and exercise and recreation activities being somewhat limited this year, the trails are the perfect resource for families, athletes and anyone wanting to get outside. Our sponsors have provided some amazing prizes for extra motivation to visit the trails.”

Greenway trails run throughout Pocatello and Chubbuck and are all paved and ADA accessible. New trailhead signs installed earlier this year indicate the length and elevation of each trail, along with information about the next closest trail.

Since 1990 the mission of the Portneuf Greenway Foundation has been to construct ADA accessible trails throughout Pocatello and Chubbuck, operating on a master plan that includes a total of 27 miles of paved trail. In the last five years, the Greenway board has secured grants and donations to complete approximately 18 miles of their master plan. The trails provide both commuter pathways and outdoor recreation opportunities for walking, running and biking.

The newest trail runs from Terry Street in Pocatello up to Portneuf Medical Center’s south parking lots and was completed in July of 2020. Funds from the Portneuf Health Trust made this portion of the trail possible, adding a convenient way for community members and those visiting the hospital an option for walking or jogging outside.

For more information about the 2020 Riverfest Virtual Scavenger Hunt, visit facebook.com/ThePGF.

For more information about Greenway trails, visit portneufgreenway.org.