Welcome to CuriousParents.com

Feature

Geocaching 101:
High Adventure & Hidden Treasure: A New Adventure Sport for All Ages
By Laura Zurita, RD, LDN

If the words “adventure” and “treasure hunting” pique your interest, geocaching may be for you and your family. This is one activity that is sure to be fun, educational, and comes with the added bonus of keeping you and your children active.

A geocache (GEE oh cash) can be defined by breaking the word down into two parts: geo meaning earth, and cache meaning place to store or hide something. Geocaching is a relatively new hobby or sport, originating in Washington state with the first cache hidden in the spring of 2000. It has grown into a multinational sport, with thousands of caches hidden in over 200 countries. A geocache is usually a small container of souvenirs or trinkets that has been hidden. Its location, in terms of latitude and longitude, is posted on the internet for treasure seekers to find. A treasure seeker uses a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, which displays latitude and longitude by decoding satellite signals, to locate the treasure. All you need is a GPS receiver, a compass, and your feet—and a sense of adventure.

Caches are commonly hidden in parks or other natural areas, but can also be in the middle of a city. Small waterproof containers are hidden in creative locations and contain treasures, mostly trinkets, with a system of take one and leave one. They also usually contain a log book where you can log your name (usually just first names) and where you are from, along with other interesting tidbits you want to add, such as how difficult it was to find, the weather that day and so on.

Caches can also be “virtual” caches, which may be natural, historical, or cultural in nature. No hidden treasure is buried, but there may be a beautiful view you would otherwise not see, an interesting plaque to read, or some artifact to take notice of. Many “virtual” caches are found in natural areas where it’s not permissible to be buried, but are treasures just to observe.

The Basics

A small handheld GPS receiver can be found for under $100, or you could purchase a  pricier model with built-in maps and a compass. The basic models can pinpoint your location to within 20 feet, so they are a good place to start. Many handheld devices such as Palm Pilots and some cell phones also have GPS features you can add.

Next, you need a compass to navigate your direction once you have entered your starting point and the coordinates of the cache.

Starting Out

Once you have your equipment, visit geocaching.com. Here you will be able to enter your zip code or town for caches nearby, or perhaps one you may be visiting on a weekend or vacation. Next, select a cache from the list by an interesting name, or by experience level. All caches are rated according to difficulty level and have descriptions of terrain, distance, and other information.

Select a cache, and write down the coordinates to enter into your GPS receiver. Print or write down any hints that may help, for instance, what lot to park in. Bring a pen or pencil, and a small trinket to leave in the cache. Things like key chains, small toys, or trading cards are common.

Once you are at your starting point, use GPS to determine your “start” point coordinates. Enter the “end” coordinates, and you are ready. Your compass will help navigate as you get closer to the cache and eventually you will be steps away. At close range, the GPS device will be readjusting rapidly with every step you take, and you may need to stop and scan the environment.

Just because you are told the location of the cache doesn’t mean you don’t have to search for it. When you are at the cache coordinates, begin searching for the container which may be under twigs or rocks, or hidden in a bush or other natural feature. Once you have found the cache, place it where it was found, leaving it ready for the next treasure seeker. When you are home, log your find on geocaching.com, and add comments for the next search party.

Multiple caches are those that have coordinates as the “treasure” that ultimately lead to a final treasure. Sometimes puzzles are used, such as a road sign with numbers representing coordinates, making it more challenging and fun.

Another variation of caching is the “travel bug.” Travel bugs are small objects with a numbered tag attached. The object of the travel bug is to move from cache to cache, with a destination usually in mind. Some travel bugs are introduced to see how many miles it can log. Others have specific end points in mind, such as the Grand Canyon, with the final cacher taking a picture of the object there and posting it on the Web. The possibilities are endless for travel bugs.

Laura Zurita is a freelance writer.