NEW YORK – The National Scenic Byway Association recognized the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway with a 2026 Byway Award for Outstanding Partnership, celebrating an innovative scavenger hunt that transformed 70 miles of scenic byway into a community-wide adventure for visitors and locals alike.

The Upper Delaware Scavenger Hunt challenged participants to explore the Delaware River corridor through a playful, phone-based game facilitated by the Turfhunt app. Free and open to the public from June 1 through August 31, 2025, the event featured 34 locations between Port Jervis and Hancock, New York—each with unique challenges ranging from photo ops and trivia to interactive tasks. Participants earned points for every challenge completed, with top finishers entered for a series of Grand Prizes.

What set the Scavenger Hunt apart was its commitment to partnership and economic impact. The Upper Delaware Scenic Byway collaborated with all three county tourism boards to fund shared advertising, secured a regional tourism grant, and showcased local businesses as featured challenge locations. Targeted paid advertising drew visitors from outside the region, while printed materials and social media campaigns promoted participating businesses and encouraged local residents to join in.

“This Scavenger Hunt gave people a fun, memorable reason to discover parts of the Upper Delaware corridor they might never have explored on their own,” said David Krantz of the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway. “We wanted to showcase hidden gems along the byway while supporting small businesses, and the partnerships we built made that possible.”

“This is exactly the kind of creative community engagement that makes scenic byways come alive,” said Sharon Strouse, Executive Director of the National Scenic Byway Association. “By turning the journey into a game—and building it on strong local partnerships—the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway created a lasting model for tourism promotion and economic development.”