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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's state parks are trying to draw in more young people and families this summer with a unique contest involving Facebook and a scavenger hunt.
Park officials across the country are worried they aren't getting enough young visitors enjoying the national parks. Baby boomers have been the primary demographic that visits the country's national parks, and the National Park Service is trying to find a way to draw in younger crowds.
"The millennial generation behind them was the first group to grow up in the digital world and they didn't do the proverbial trip to the national parks when they were kids," Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Parks Foundation, told NBC News. "Those are missed opportunities."
Utah's 43 state parks are in the same boat, and they have taken to Facebook to recruit visitors.
The millennial generation was the first group to grow up in the digital world. They didn't do the proverbial trip to the national parks when they were kids.
–Neil Mulholland
Holly Brown, the Utah State Parks digital media coordinator, said she hopes to get people out through the social media scavenger hunt called "State of Adventure."
"I don't think people realize how many great state parks we have," she said. "We thought this would be a great way to get people out and exploring their own state."
The Facebook contest began June 1 and runs through August 31. Participants can tour the 43 state parks and upload pictures of themselves in front of landmarks.
The more pictures a person posts, the more points they get. At the end of the summer, the participants with the most points will be eligible for prizes.
"So far we've had a lot of people sign up and people are getting really excited to get out," Brown said.
