CVB Partners with Starworks to Create and Hide 100 Glass Pinecones on Trails Countywide

The popular Pinecone Pathways program is returning to Moore County and will run from March 19-April 22, 2024. The program was created last year by the Pinehurst, Southern Pines, Aberdeen Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) to celebrate the Year of the Trail in North Carolina. Due to the overwhelming popularity of the program, the CVB decided to make the scavenger hunt an annual event. Once again, the CVB has partnered with glassmakers at Starworks, located in Star, to produce 100 colorful glass pinecones which will be hidden along trails throughout Moore County for a five-week period starting on the first day of spring and ending on Earth Day (April 22).

“Last year, we had no idea that the Pinecone Pathways program would take off and become as viral as it did,” said CVB President and CEO Phil Werz. “The fact that word spread quickly and we saw people visiting from several states to try and find a rare glass pinecone made us realize we were onto something here. The thrill of the hunt coupled with knowing you cannot just go out and buy one made it a ‘must have’ for everyone taking the time to be part of the search.”

Glass pinecones will be hidden in weekly increments of 20 for five weeks along selected trail systems throughout Moore County. Each week, a new series of trails will be announced via social media alerting pinecone hunters as to what trails they should explore to find a pinecone. The pinecones are actual size and will be tagged with a special number and QR code, so those finding them can register them and be eligible to win a prize including two ground passes for one day to attend the 2024 U.S. Open, admission for two to the World Golf Hall of Fame, round of golf for two at the Wee Pines miniature golf facility in Taylortown, pass for four for one hour at Double Eagle Indoor Golf, and a $100 gift card to 195 American Fusion restaurant. The pinecone image must be registered online to be eligible for the grand prize drawing. Finders can be any age, but the person claiming the grand prize winner must be 21 years of age or older.

Because there will only be a limited number of pinecones to be found in the program, the CVB asks that finders only keep one and any additional ones found remain hidden on the trail. Only one contest registration per household will be permitted.

The CVB has enlisted the help of special “pinecone hiders” who will know the exact location of every pinecone. The pinecones will never be more than three to four feet off the ground and no more than three feet off any marked trail, but they may not be easy to find.

For more information about the Pinecone Pathways Program, go to: https://www.homeofgolf.com/pinecone-pathways-2024/

The Pinehurst Southern Pines Aberdeen Convention & Visitors Bureau

The Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the economic development agency responsible for travel and tourism promotion, product development, and visitor services for Moore County, NC. The CVB devises strategies to enhance the County’s tourism brand value and product to accommodate the next generation of visitors, thereby stimulating the local economy and enhancing the quality of life for residents and visitors alike. In 2022, Moore County ranked as the tenth largest tourism economy in North Carolina, generating $750 million annually in visitor spending, which supports the second largest employment sector in the county and saves county residents approximately $516 a year in state and local taxes.