Geocaching: a GPS based outdoor search
Geocaching is a location game in which participants use coordinates and clues to find a placed container or complete an approved task. The number of active caches changes continually, so a global count or a promise that one is nearby quickly becomes stale. Use the current map on the geocaching service to see what is available where you plan to visit.
Getting started
Choose a cache whose difficulty, terrain, and access match your experience. Read the current description and recent logs; a cache can be temporarily unavailable. Bring a charged phone or GPS receiver, water, and clothing suited to the site. Navigation gets you close, but the final search should avoid damaging plants, structures, or other people's property. Sign the log if the cache is present and leave it as found.
Placement and permission
Do not place a container merely because a map shows open space. The official Geocaching guidelines require permission and provide restrictions on locations and contents. A park or landowner may impose additional conditions. The BLM collecting guidance also reminds visitors that public land has resource protections; a geocache is not permission to collect artifacts or dig for them.
Report a missing or damaged cache through the service rather than replacing it without the owner's knowledge. Keep the exact location discreet where publication could attract unwanted disturbance. Geocaching works best as a low impact way to explore local geography and history. When a clue leads to a historic feature, observe and photograph it from a permitted location and leave the site intact.
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