The Letterboxing North America Website FAQ

by the LbNA Webmasters, updated June 13, 2006

Where can I get general information and the history of letterboxing?
How do I search for letterboxes on the website?
How do I join Letterboxing North America?
I’ve lost my password. How do I get a new one?
Do I need to create an account?
How do I add clues to a new letterbox that I’ve placed?
Can I add clues for a letterbox that is not in the United States?
How do I edit my box?
I had to remove my box. Can I delete my clues?
I have a lot of boxes that I want to add. Is there some automated process so I don’t have to type in each one?
Do I post my hitchhikers here?
How do I keep track of letterboxes I have found?
How do I adopt a letterbox that I think is abandoned?
Do I need permission to plant my letterbox?

Where can I get general information and the history of letterboxing?
This FAQ page discusses actually using the features of the letterboxing.org website. For a great page of info about the pastime of letterboxing, try here. 

How do I search for letterbox clues on the website? 
There are two main ways to search for letterbox clues, and each has its devotees.

The first method is to use the map-based listings. Go to the letterboxing.org home page and click on the book in the lower left corner marked "Clues." Following this link will bring you through a series of maps that will help you focus on the areas that interest you. 

The second way to search for box clues is to click on the Search For Boxes link found on most pages at LbNA. This method allows you to type in multiple key words to find letterboxes. You may search by various geographic locations or words in the clues, as well as by individual planters on this page. 

How do I join Letterboxing North America?
LbNA is free from fees and commercial advertising. You do not have to join LbNA to find letterbox clues, but you will have to become a member to list letterbox clues that you have planted. From the home page, click Sign Up, or from most other pages click Member Services. Register with your email address, password, and trail name. You’ll need to choose a unique trail name.

I’ve lost my password. How do I get a new one?
The Resend Password via e-mail link in Member Login will to have your password resent to your login e-mail. If you no longer have access to that e-mail, contact the webmasters.  

Do I have to create an account?
Not necessarily. You don’t need an LbNA account to view boxes, but if you’re going to add boxes, then you need an account.

How do I add clues to a new letterbox that I’ve placed? 
It’s easy! First, make sure that you are logged in to LbNA by clicking on Login from most pages. Then click Member Services and go to Add a Letterbox. Enter your info there and then click "Add Letterbox." Poof! The whole world can go searching for your creation. One further suggestion: it can save a lot of time if you type up your clues ahead of time at home and save them on your computer. Then you can just cut and paste them into LbNA and you’ll always have a back up.

Can I add clues for a letterbox that is not in the United States?
Yes, you can. LbNA supports box clues internationally. The important thing to know is that the "State" list on the Add a Letterbox page includes many destinations outside the US, including US territories, such as Guam and Virgin Islands, the provinces of Canada, countries of Central America and the Caribbean as well as "Other International." If you still need help, please contact the webmasters.

How do I edit my box?
When you’re logged in, you can use the Your Letterboxes link in Member Services to view your letterboxes. Each of your boxes will have a link to edit that box. These links will also show up when you view the box from any of the search pages, but don’t worry about seeing that option there: you are the only one that can edit or delete your own boxes. 

I had to remove my actual letterbox. Can I delete my clues? 
You have the option of archiving your letterbox or deleting it completely. Archiving it removes it from the standard letterbox lists, but you can still see it in grey in your list of letterboxes in Member Services and in the LbNA Basement. You can activate one of your archived letterboxes from the same list later. To delete the letterbox, click archive then click the link to delete the box.

I have a lot of boxes that I want to add. Is there some automated process so I don’t have to type in each one?
Sure! The easiest way is if they’re in Excel format, with each row representing a box. Make sure to include all of the information that’s on the Add a Letterbox page. Once you’ve got the info together, contact the webmasters and they’ll arrange a way to get your boxes put in all at once. 

Do I post my hitchhikers on LbNA?
Yes! Hitchhikers, Personal Travelers and Postal Letterboxes can now be added to the LbNA database. Click on Add a Traveler on the home page or in Member Services.  Use the Travelers link on the home page to Search Travelers.

How do I keep track of which letterboxes or travelers that I’ve found?
Why, in your logbook, silly! But you can also electronically track the letterboxes and travelers that you’ve found on LbNA as long as they are listed there. You will notice some new graphic symbols on the listings of letterboxes on various search result pages. The arrow indicates a letterbox that you have planted and the checkmark one that you have marked "found." A blue star indicates one that you’ve marked to "remember" to find sometime soon.

Click on the green flag icon to mark a status on a letterbox. Green flags appear on the far right of letterbox search pages.

Clicking the green flag will help you change your status on the box, which you can mark as "found," "attempted," "ignore," or "none." You can’t mark another person’s box as "missing," but you can mark it as attempted or ignore. Clicking ignore will remove it from the main search pages so you don’t have to keep seeing it listed. The list of boxes that you’ve marked as found shows up under the Letterboxes I’ve Found link in Member Services. 

If you do not want to allow tracking on the letterboxes you have placed, simply go to Member Services and click Letterbox Status (Yours). You can enable or disable the function that permits other people to mark your boxes. 

You can also disable the function if you don’t like seeing status markings on boxes that you are researching by clicking Letterbox Status (Others) in Member Services.

You’ll see there that you can also Hide Found and Hide Own, which remove boxes from the long lists on search pages (useful if your region has a lot of boxes and you don’t want to sift through boxes you’ve already found every time you go there). You may also elect whether or not to receive confirmation emails when other people “find” your own boxes.

The placer is the only one that can see the complete status history that all finders have marked on a letterbox. 

How do I adopt a letterbox that I think is abandoned?
Usually, you should have planted a least one letterbox of your own before adopting. You should attempt to Contact the Placer of the letterbox if you haven’t already discussed adopting the letterbox with them. Next, contact the webmasters with your trail name, the trail name of the current owner, as well as the name and number of the letterbox (or a copy of the link to the box) with your request.

Do I need permission to plant my letterbox?
Absolutely. Our terms of use require that you have permission before planting your box. However, in many cases when planting on conservation land or local parks, they will have a open policy that does not require specific permission for each letterbox. It is your responsibility to check the requirements for the area before planting a letterbox.

National parks (National Park Service) and some state parks require permits before letterboxes can be planted. Un-permitted letterboxes will be removed and may be destroyed. State parks regulations vary widely. As we find links to policy statements on the web for public lands, they are added to our Links page.

Before you set out, please read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer