Douglas County launches iSpy scavenger hunt in Agents of Discovery app

Douglas County has added a new digital scavenger hunt to its summer lineup, giving families and solo explorers a phone-based way to search county parks, open spaces and public places while solving clues at their own pace.

The iSpy Agent Douglas hunt runs through the Agents of Discovery app and is designed to blend outdoor exploration, learning and a little gamified tourism. County officials have framed it as an activity for families of all ages, but the format also gives adults without children a reason to get outside and spend time in local open spaces rather than staying on screens at home.

The new hunt fits squarely within Douglas County’s larger push to make public programming more interactive and easier to use. In January 2025, county officials said the open-space system covered 65,000 acres of pristine open spaces and trails, and described the Agents of Discovery app as a way to encourage learning and discovery while people explored native wildlife and habitats. The county has also said its open-space education work includes environmental interpretation, guided hikes and other programming that helps people understand why those lands matter.

This is not Douglas County’s first attempt to turn the outdoors into a family game. The county previously promoted Decode Douglas County Outdoors, a free scavenger-hunt style program that sent players to eight Douglas County open spaces or parks with a booklet, stamp rubbings and a prize or grand-prize drawing for those who completed the route. The move from a paper booklet to an app signals a shift toward a more flexible format that can reach more people without requiring a fixed event or a set schedule.

The county’s broader open-space planning language makes clear why these programs keep returning. Its vision calls for protecting wildlife habitat, hydrologic resources, scenic values, natural and cultural resources and rural character, while also supporting outdoor recreation, education and healthy communities. Douglas County has used other visitor-facing tools as well, including trail ratings at properties such as Sandstone Ranch, Dawson Butte, Spruce Mountain and Glendale to help people choose routes that match their ability.

For Douglas County, iSpy Agent Douglas is more than a summer diversion. It is another attempt to connect residents with the county’s land, history and public spaces in a way that feels accessible, low-barrier and useful for families looking for something to do together outdoors.