If you aren’t familiar with geocaching, we recommend you visit www.geocaching.com, the “official global GPS cache hunt site”. It truly has everything you need to know – and could want to know – about geocaching. You may also want to find a cache near you and treasure hunt yourself to see how it works! As we all know, experience is often the best teacher.
Step 1 – Find a Good Cache Location
Geocaching.com advises that geocaching “is just like real estate - location, location, location!” As you consider possible places to hide your caches, think about what you want to show off within your park:
- Perhaps the location(s) you select will treat cache finders to a spectacular view or will lead them on an adventure through interesting locations on your property.
- Perhaps you will consider a theme for your cache – one that leads them through interesting flora or fauna.
- Take them on an interesting path – not too close to a major road or too close to your park entrance.
- Let them explore – that’s the nature of the game – getting outside and finding treasures – both in the cache box and on the path to it!
It is a great way to for a family or an individual to lead a life filled with physical fitness and exercise.
Step 2 – Prepare Your Cache
First, you need a weather-resistant container. Experienced geocachers are used to seeing plastic buckets, tupperware containers, ammo boxes, and other similar sturdy boxes.
Make sure to mark your cache so that someone who may stumble across the “hidden” box knows it’s part of a game and doesn’t remove it.
Inside the box, you should place a logbook and a pen or pencil. (In locations that experience freezing temperatures, be sure to use a soft lead pencil as pen ink will freeze.) Most boxes contain a small spiral notebook that treasurer hunters will sign highlighting their success in finding the cache... Some caches contain a specially made stamps and ink pads for the regular geocachers to stamp their personal log books. You could consider having a stamp made that includes a variation of the ARVC slogan: “I Discovered Hidden Treasures in an RV Park and Campground” with your park name and location underneath. Consider leaving a welcome note to congratulate the adventurers on their success! Consider placing all the contents in a Ziploc bag or two in case your box leaks over time.
You can put “goodies” in the cache. It's recommended, but not necessary! Geocaching.com suggests the following ideas as gifts:
- Disposable camera - Put one in and ask everyone to take a picture of themselves and put it back in the cache. Later you can develop the photos and place them on your web site and send them to ARVC for us to place on GCA.com
- Inexpensive toys - play-doh, silly putty, action figures, etc. Maybe a pin that is customized and tradeable for your park.
- CDs, gift certificates, dollar bills, gold bars, park dollars, etc.
Do not put food in a cache unless you want to offer it to some furry friends.
Step 3 - Place Your Cache
When you reach the location to place your cache, note the exact coordinates from your GPS unit. It all depends on how visible your cache is, but you'll need to get the coordinates as close as possible to the cache.
Again from the experts at geocaching.com, “some GPS units have the ability to do averaging, but if yours can't, the best suggestion is to take a waypoint, walk away from the location, then return and take another waypoint. Do this around 7-10 times, then pick the best waypoint.”
Once you have your waypoint, write it in permanent marker on the container, the log book, and make sure you have a copy to bring back with you. Write a few notes in the log book if you like, place it in a zip-loc baggie, and place it in the container. Make sure to secure the container with a rock, etc, to decrease the chance of it blowing, floating, or being carried away.”
Step 4 –Allow Others to Find Your Cache
There are many ways you can promote your cache and allow folks to take part in your game! First, you can list your cache on GoCampingAmerica.com by going to the Contact Us section of the site and put Geocaching in the Title field. In the Questions/Comments section let us know the coordinates of you cahce, if there is a fee to play, if a potential cacher must be a park guest or may be just a day visitor, and if the visitor must be a park guest. You can let us know by clicking here.
Be sure to have information ready for check-in that notes your involvement with geocaching and offers cache coordinates. Consider whether you will rent GPS units, loan them, or require those interested to have their own equipment. If day visitors can geocache on your property, you can post the coordinates on GCA.com. Once we know of your cache we can then add it to the GCA website. Also, let other parks know about your cache and is success in the forum.
If you are ready for the big league, you can post on www.geocaching.com.
Special Note for Those Without GPS Units
If you would like to have folks seek your cache without a GPS unit, consider hiding a box as noted above, but giving written clues about how to find it from a beginning point at your campsite. This is called “letterboxing.”
Let the adventure – and the treasure hunting begin!