Inaugural Heber Valley Pumpkin Hunt offers $1,500 prize this fall

Heber Valley Harvest launches new fall treasure hunt where participants can follow a series of clues to find a hidden golden pumpkin and claim a prize worth about $1,500

HEBER, Utah — Heber Valley Harvest is launching a new fall treasure hunt, offering participants the chance to find a hidden golden pumpkin and claim a prize worth about $1,500.

The Great Golden Pumpkin Hunt will begin Thursday, Oct. 1 at 8 a.m. when the first clue is released, challenging participants to solve the riddle and search the Heber Valley for the coveted golden pumpkin.

Trenton Mason, owner of Heber Valley Harvest, said the idea for the hunt was inspired in part by the Utah Treasure Hunt—an annual summer treasure hunt where participants decode clues to find a cash prize hidden in the Wasatch Mountains. 

“I wanted to do something for the fall that’s kind of got that treasure hunt vibe,” Mason said. “I just love what those guys do, and so I wanted to bring that feel to an event here in Heber just for the Heber Valley.”

As the hunt progresses, additional clues will be posted every few days until the lucky winner finds the pumpkin.

“I definitely think it’ll be tough for people to find,” Mason said. “I don’t think it’s going to be found in the first few days. I think it’ll go for at least two to three weeks, but I can guarantee it’ll be found before Halloween.”

The prize pool is currently estimated at about $1,500 and includes cash, gift cards, and products from local businesses and sponsors representing the Heber Valley. 

Once the pumpkin is found, the winner will find instructions attached to its stem, including a phone number to call to redeem the prize.

The hunt is open to participants from throughout the region, including Heber Valley, Park City, Utah County, and Salt Lake, as well as anyone else who wants to participate.

Mason is encouraging people to form teams and make the hunt a group activity.

“Go with groups, go find it as a family, go find it as a couple. It’s definitely a team event,” he said. 

Participants should search only in publicly accessible areas. The pumpkin will be hidden in a location that is safely accessible and will not require participants to take unnecessary risks.

“It’s going to be hidden in a spot that anybody can access,” Mason said. “You’re not needing to rock climb up a 15-foot cliff to find it. It’s going to be something that people will be able to find. It’s easily accessible.”

Clues and updates will be posted on Heber Valley Harvest’s Facebook and Instagram. 

 

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Mason isn’t new to the world of pumpkins. In 2025, his family grew a 711-pound pumpkin that was hoisted out of their backyard by crane and hauled to Logan for Utah’s third annual Giant Pumpkin Festival.

The hunt comes as pumpkin-growers across Utah have faced challenges from this summer’s heat and dry conditions, with some pumpkin patches reporting significant crop losses and shortages.

But in the Heber Valley, higher elevation may have helped avoid the worst of the summer heat.

Mason, who also grows pumpkins at Heber Valley Harvest, said the valley’s cooler temperatures provided some advantages compared with lower-elevation areas.

“One thing that is interesting about growing pumpkins is in the Heber Valley, we’re a little higher elevation, and so our temperatures aren’t as crazy as down in the lower valleys,” Mason said. “We did get heat, but it wasn’t as intense as other growers are dealing with.”

The higher elevation comes with its own challenges, including a shorter growing season. But with temperatures dropping and fall settling into the valley, Mason hopes the event will offer a chance for the community to come together, theorize about the clues, and search for the Great Golden Pumpkin.