There’s a new scavenger hunt game being played all over Merced. Find out how to join

A new type of scavenger hunt has many adults and youngsters running around Merced — and neighboring communities — hunting down, hiding and painting rocks. It all started a couple months ago in Merced with a Facebook group, Merced Rocks.

All it takes to join the is a rock, some crafts supplies and a Facebook account.

People in the Facebook Group, which had more than 2,000 members as of Thursday, post pictures of their rocks and give clues to where they hid them around the city. Clues can be anything from a riddle, hint or a photo of the surrounding area.

People can either keep the rock, leave it for somebody else to find or find another hiding spot for it.

“It’s a cross between an Easter egg hunt and Pokemon Go,” said DJ Jones, the founder of Merced Rocks Facebook page. “Merced needs something like this. I just love the family involvement.”

“It gets people off the couch, off the games and interacting,” he added.

People have decorated rocks with anything from unique designs to famous cartoon characters while using everything from beads, yarn, paint, markers and nail polish.

Jones, owner of Aloha Floral & Gifts on G Street, brought this group to Merced after his friend, Juanita Houston, told him about a group in Oakhurst who started hiding and hunting rocks.

The game has expanded to different parts of the Valley.

People can now join the Facebook groups Atwater Rocks, Livingston Rocks, Winton Rocks, Turlock Rocks and Modesto Rocks.

“It just blew up here in Merced,” said Mallory Ortega, founder of Turlock Rocks. “It’s going all the way through the Valley. I guess it's because of all the artwork. We're spreading love everywhere pretty much. It gets people happy.”

Until Sunday, Jones will be hiding 15 to 20 rocks a day around Merced and whoever finds it has a chance to win a prize. All they have to do is bring the rock by Aloha Floral, at 2832 G St., to claim a prize.

On July 15, Jones will have a Rock Exhibit at Aloha Floral where people can enter their rocks to win prizes. It’s $2 to enter a rock and there will be contests for adults and children. All the proceeds will go toward a Merced Rocks fund, that Jones said will supply people with decorating and painting tools who can’t afford it.

On June 24 at Osborn Park in Atwater, the founder of Atwater Rocks, Melissa Cottle, will be having a Painting and Hunting Bonanza, where people can come paint rocks, hunt rocks for prizes and meet all the Atwater Rocks members. The event goes from 9 a.m. to noon and there will be rock hunts for adults and children.

“Everyone is coming together as a community to show there is positivity out there and good things to do to spend our time,” Cottle said. “If it wasn’t for Atwater rocks wouldn’t of met so many wonderful people.”

This story was originally published June 7, 2017 at 6:50 PM with the headline "There’s a new scavenger hunt game being played all over Merced. Find out how to join."