Geocaching Adventures and Basics

So, what in the world is Geocaching and what exactly is a Geocache anyway? Geocaching is considered a game but it is so much more than a game; it is an adventure! Geocaching uses the GPS Coordinates for a specific location where a player has hidden a Geocache. Using an app on their phone, Geocachers make their way to the location using a compass and Google Maps type system.

What is a Geocache? It is a hidden container that someone has placed using GPS Coordinates for another player to find. They come in many different sizes and containers and are often camouflaged to look like the area they are hidden in. Many players trade swag items, trackable items and special trade items inside Geocaches which makes the adventure so much more exciting.

Geocaching is like searching for hidden treasure, you never know what you will find when you locate a Geocache. Many are placed in historical locations and teach players things they may not have known before visiting a Geocache. There also many different types of Geocaches. Traditional caches, Virtual caches, Earth Caches, and Mystery caches are just a few of the types of Geocaches players can find!

Geocaching has been around since May 3, 2000 and is based on the original game of Letterboxing. There are over 1.4 million Geocaches hidden around the globe, which means you can find a Geocache almost everywhere on Earth! That number grows daily as Geocachers are constantly placing new and creative caches around the world!

There are currently over 4,000,000 members of the Geocaching community, although many people have never heard of Geocaching. In fact, most people walk right by a Geocache every day and have no idea!

There are many different kinds of Geocaches. Each variant of a Geocache (Traditional, Multi, Mystery, Earth, etc.) offers a player certain levels of challenge and adventure! Many Geocaches require a player to decrypt a secret message or solve a puzzle to claim their find and get credit for completing the cache!

Some caches aren't even physical items, but a place of interest or historical monument, anywhere on Earth. That would be a good example of an Earth Cache. While some Multi-caches require the players to find multiple caches within an area by solving varying difficulty riddles to find the next GPS Coordinates for the final Geocache in the series!

Most Geocaches are Traditional Geocaches, which are fairly easy to find just using the Geocaching app on your smart phone. All are supposed to be family friendly as well, making this adventure a fun activity to do with your kids or as a fun romantic adventure with your partner in crime!

So, what exactly will you find inside a hidden Geocache? Most Geocaches contain a log book/game piece for you to sign, proving that you were actually at the location. There's also usually an information sheet stating what Geocaching is and the rules that apply to the game. Depending on the size of the Geocache, you may also find many different tradable items (or swag as its called in the Geocaching community) like trinkets, marbles, small toys and sometimes even cold hard cash. Not a million bucks, but maybe a dollar in change!

Many players strive to find Travel Bugs and Geo-coins, which start at one location and try to end up at their goal location, traveling the country or even across seas to a different continent! Some Travel Bug goals are to visit all 50 States, while some are just trying to visit as many different Geocaches as possible.

Sometimes when you find a Geocache, you may find nothing at all inside, or just a log for you to sign. The rule is though, if you take something from a Geocache, you must leave an item equal in value to what you took. Other times you find that the Geocache needs to be replaced due to damage, water leakage, or vandalism. If this happens you should always leave a "Needs Maintenance" notice when you log your find on the App.

Geocaching is a family oriented, challenging and fun way to spend your free time while going on an adventure and helping the environment. In fact, part of Geocaching is cleaning up any litter you may find on your Geocaching adventure as well as learning more about the world and environment! To learn more about Geocaching visit the Geocache Wiki or the Official site for Geocaching!