While out in the wild checking out a river boardwalk that suffered from a fire, and finding some munzees in the area, I discovered a painted rock. I've heard them discussed here before, but I don't know where to log it, if at all. What do I do with with it besides put it someplace in my house to admire it?

The ones I've found had a website on the back for logging find. Or you can find a fb page of local rock painters there and just mention you have it. I always included a selfie in these cases of me holding it.

And, you treat the rock sort of how you treat a hitchhiker. Keep it there, relocate it, or keep it (please don't do this option with hitchhikers). Your choice.

I've heard those called happiness rocks. So I'm assuming the point is to spread a little joy. You could leave it where you found it or move it along to another location. The Leave No Trace community loathes finding them in the backwoods; community parks are fine.

If the rock brings you joy, and it's in your house (and not in the wilderness), I think everybody wins. (:

I have only found one, by a kiosk at a trailhead in upstate New York. It had a web site address for logging on the back. I think some people just put them out there as art and don't do the logging thing. I logged it and eventually left it on a popular trail in Connecticut.

Painted rocks cover the whole state of Rhode Island. There are several groups - RI Rocks, South County Rocks ....

I've found them while out boxing quite a bit.

There are several FaceBook pages devoted to tracking these, similar to how we track hitchhikers.

Warrior Woman
rockin' out in RI

I found one of the RI Rocks. I'll try to find the Facebook page you mentioned.

Last year, some of us painted rocks and brought them to the Homedoodle event in central Illinois, We left them in the local area for the children to find. This year, I painted some rocks and wrote: Go Letterboxing! www.atlasquest.com on them. Advertising!!!

I have only found one, by a kiosk at a trailhead in upstate New York. It had a web site address for logging on the back.

This one has two hash-tags. I guess that I'm supposed to tweet that I have found it.

As I understand it, there is not a overall organization but rather local groups. At least that’s the way it works in my area.

Coincidentally the WD and I saw one, our first, while out hiking last weekend. She thought it was a bright orange fungus. No website or hashtags that I noticed, though. It was cute. I guess it's off to the Google for me.

It seems possible, in theory, to paint a white base coat on a smooth rock, stamp an image on it, and then apply some sort of clear, protective top coat. Might make an interesting FFP or event tchotchke. Not that I am implying that someone should test it out and post the results at AQ.

It seems possible, in theory, to paint a white base coat on a smooth rock, stamp an image on it, and then apply some sort of clear, protective top coat.

Would that then be an LTS (letterbox trading stone)?

Not that I am implying that someone should test it out and post the results at AQ.

The kinks will need to be worked out. I bought a bag of river rocks at the dollar store. They must come with some kind of coating on them - the paint (enamel spray paint) didn't stick well at all.

It also requires a bit of finesse to stamp a curved surface.

First attempt.

Nicely done! I think on a curved surface, it might work to roll the stamp over the rock or the rock over the stamp.. rather than just trying to press down equally like you would on paper.

As far as rocks, I got a whole bunch from a local landscape business that sells topsoil, mulch, landscape rocks in bulk. One of the local rock painters in my area asked him about buying some. He didn't really have a price for it, but let her buy a bag full for a very small amount of money. I went in and asked, and he let me do the same thing. I think I got about 50 for $2 or less.

Nice work!