The 2025 Utah Treasure Hunt was solved after 27 days of searching, with Hunter and Corinne discovering the chest near Temple Quarry Trail at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon.
This year’s hunt blended music references, local history, literal trail markers, and physical landmarks into one layered solve. Throughout the hunt, John and Dave gradually confirmed that music was a central theme, while additional clues helped narrow down how literal certain poem lines really were.
The final solve connected The Beatles, the Quarrymen, quarry workers, wooden planks, a pharaoh-shaped rock formation, and a side trail hidden roughly 29 paces from the main route.
Lines 1/2) “Begin your search where fabled words resound / Before the standing stairs and kings were crowned”
The opening lines ended up pointing hunters toward The Beatles.
As hints progressed, John and Dave confirmed music was a central theme of the poem. Hunters eventually connected “standing stairs” to the staircase photo on The Beatles’ Please Please Me album cover.
The key breakthrough came when searchers connected The Beatles to their original band name: The Quarrymen. That connection pointed directly toward Temple Quarry Trail near Little Cottonwood Canyon.
A later clue confirmed that “before” was more important chronologically than physically, helping reinforce the connection to the band before they became The Beatles.
3/4) “Trace the steps of the lionhearted teams / Only outshone by a jewel’s unyielding gleam”
During the hunt, many people assumed “lionhearted teams” referred to sports teams like Real Salt Lake. Others explored Olympic themes, Pink Floyd imagery, and Utah landmarks.
However, John and Dave later clarified on the Cache Me Outside podcast that this was the only line involving actual history.
The solve connected “lionhearted teams” to the quarry workers who mined granite in the area surrounding Temple Quarry. Those workers helped extract stone used in Salt Lake temples, tying the poem directly to the trail’s local history.
The “jewel’s unyielding gleam” line fueled theories about mines, reflections, and geological landmarks throughout the hunt, though it appears to have mainly reinforced the quarry imagery.
7/8) “Store all these new memories inside the bank / But stay far from the edge when you walk the plank”
These lines caused major debate throughout the hunt.
Hunters explored theories involving riverbanks, Memory Grove, embankments, and trail edges. Later hints clarified that the “plank” referred to literal wooden boards or bridges crossed along the trail.
Photos shared by community members online showed sections of wooden planks and bridges near possible solve locations, helping reinforce that the poem continued becoming more literal once hunters reached the correct trail.
9/10) “Whistle with Princess Peach this simple tune / While you listen to dark side of the moon”
These lines generated some of the wildest theories of the 2025 hunt.
Many hunters connected Princess Peach to warp whistles from Super Mario Bros. 3, while others explored connections to Mario pipes, melodies, Nintendo music, and Zelda references.
Meanwhile, “Dark Side of the Moon” pushed many hunters toward Pink Floyd theories. Some focused on lyrics from the album, while others analyzed song timing, rhythm, and musical structure.
John and Dave later clarified that the “moon/tune” section became one of the most misunderstood parts of the poem.
Ultimately, these lines appear to have reinforced the broader music theme rather than acting as direct navigational instructions.
11/12) “The treasure is near now check if you’re alone / And discover the chest between two stones”
The final clues became highly physical and location-based.
John and Dave eventually confirmed:
After multiple hikes through the area, Hunter and Corinne spotted the edge of the chest hidden among stones near the side trail.
The treasure was found on August 3, 2025.
The 2025 hunt became one of the most discussion-heavy hunts yet because of how many theories seemed plausible at the same time.
Throughout the season, hunters explored:
What ultimately made the solve work was balancing layered themes with literal trail details. Once hunters reached the correct trail, many of the poem’s clues became surprisingly direct.
Want an even more in-depth walkthrough of the 2025 hunt? Follow the link below.
What is Trails Utah’s role in the treasure hunt?
Trails Utah is not affiliated with the Utah Treasure Hunt, but we love that it brings families, friends, and curious minds outside to explore trails in Utah.
We’re following along as an unofficial resource by sharing public updates and directing hunters to official sources. We also want to help people enjoy the hunt responsibly by encouraging respectful recreation and helping educate visitors on how to care for the mountains, trails, and open spaces they explore along the way.
Before you head out, review our Trail Etiquette Guide.
What does Trails Utah do?
Trails Utah works to protect, connect, and improve trail access across Utah by helping move trail projects from idea to reality.
Support the Utah Treasure Hunt
Did you know that John and Dave fund the $25,000 prize themselves each year? It’s truly their passion project.
While they’ve partnered with sponsors before, the $25,000 prize still comes straight from their pockets—putting both their passion (and wallets) to the test. Want to help them (and your business) out? Consider becoming a sponsor.
Sponsorships offer a unique way to join the fun—like the video hint reveals from Element United and First Class Fireplace, which reached 70,000+ highly engaged followers who rewatch every frame for hidden hints.
If your company wants to get involved, send John (@onthejohn) or Dave (@the.cline.fam) a direct message on Instagram.
