Activities
Treasure on the Trails
The Eben Horton Glass Float Project with MV Glassworks
In June 2023, Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation launched an island-wide treasure hunt to find beautiful, hand-crafted glass floats tucked away amongst its conservation properties that are open to the public. “Treasure on the Trails” offers everyone the opportunity to explore these protected lands and hunt for a special Martha’s Vineyard treasure along the way!
The final wave of 2024 begins Saturday, December 21st – just in time for winter break and the winter solstice! As the days start to grow longer, bundle up and hit the trails in search of treasure, celebrating the shift in seasons and the closing of another incredible year! We’ve hidden 65 colorful floats across 18 of our conservation properties, all open to the public.
Good luck on your hunt – may the treasures be waiting for you!
Don’t forget to use our free TrailsMV mobile app to navigate our trails. It is available at:
Tips for Exploring:
- Be sure to have the latest version of the app installed and ready to go to help you navigate the SMF trails! Some properties may not have the best cell service, so we encourage explorers to check out the maps and accessibility ahead of time just in case!
- At this time, floats are available to find at all SMF properties listed on the app except the following: Roth Woodlands, Phillips Preserve, Ox Pond Meadow, and Little Beach.
- Treasure will never be hidden in dunes, wetlands, residential properties, or off established SMF paths.
- Please be mindful of the conservation lands. Respect the flora and fauna of the area, carry in and carry out any items/trash you or your pets may have, and remain on the marked paths.
- While treasure is not hidden in any dangerous areas, please be very aware of poison ivy, thorny bushes or vines, ticks/tick nests, and animal habitats while you search!
- Don’t forget to use #treasureonthetrailsmv and tag @sheriffsmeadow, @trailsmv, and @mvglassworks in your social media posts! This helps us keep track of how many floats have been found—and, of course, we love seeing your adventures out on the trails!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
65 colorful, unique, hand-blown glass floats stamped with the SMF logo crafted by MV Glassworks of West Tisbury. Beginning Saturday, December 21st, these floats will be hidden at 19 of SMF’s conservation properties open to the public.
This wave does not have any clues associated with their hidden locations. Explorers are encouraged to download the free TrailsMV app to help them navigate each property in the hopes of stumbling across a hidden treasure! Be sure to look up, down, under, and behind!
Nope! Treasure on the Trails is a free event open to the public. Please note that some properties may have external fees associated with them that are not related to SMF, like the Chappy Ferry to access Chappaquiddick Island properties.
To keep the hunt fair and engage with as many explorers as we can, we ask that individual seekers and families only take one glass float per household.
Not all of them! While some may be immediately visible, most of the treasures will be slightly tucked away within reach of the trail beneath leaves and sticks, inside tree hollows and fallen logs, behind benches, nestled in vegetation etc with a small portion visible.
Congratulations! The treasure is yours to keep!
Please click on the orange “Register Your Find” link to register your find. Just select the property and enter your contact information, and you’re all set!
We also encourage you to share a photo of you and your find on social media using #treasureonthetrailsmv while tagging @sheriffsmeadow, @trailsmv, and @mvglassworks