Geocaching: Treasure Hunting in My Hometown

 

This was first published last year in the Hometown edition of Commonplace published by Daughters of Promise.

On a recent Sunday afternoon, my two youngest daughters and I tramped through the woods in our local park. We had visited this park many times for picnics and family gatherings, but until this occasion, I had been unaware of its extensive network of trails. One trail led to an overlook where we viewed our town from a new angle. We discovered a trail which connected to another park, and, running out of stamina, we saved its exploration for a future excursion.

If you had seen the three of us, you’d have noticed that we carried my phone, often checking it for directions. We may have acted like we didn’t know where we were going, for we didn’t—we had never walked this route. According to the Geocache app, a small container was hidden at a specific point, and we were on a mission to find it. As we walked, the app told us if we were traveling in the right direction and how close we were.

As we neared the spot, my girls started searching likely hiding places. Was it in a hollow log? How about those stacked rocks? Sometimes a cache sways on a string from a branch or hides in an abandoned stone foundation. The app tells us what size of container we are looking for, maybe a small cache—like an old mayonnaise jar or a micro one—such as a tiny plastic vial.

Then there is the thrill of discovery. “I found it!” Sometimes the cache contains trinkets, small items that can be traded. Some caches are so tiny that there is only room for a small paper log that we date and sign. We mark on the Geocache app that we found the cache, adding to our score of found caches.

And sometimes we can’t find it. Maybe the undergrowth covered the cache. Maybe the last visitor didn’t replace the box correctly. Or maybe we simply overlooked a cleverly hidden cache. We mark the cache as unfound, hoping to return later with better success.

Geocaching is a huge treasure hunt. All over the world, people have hidden containers in their communities and listed the GPS coordinates at an online site at geocaching.com. To join the fun, all you need is to download the app onto your phone, sign up for a free account, choose a cache, and start the hunt.

Geocaching is an inexpensive hobby. The basic app is free, though you can upgrade to the paid version, which gives access to more caches and a few extra features. Otherwise, all you need is a pair of walking shoes, a pen to sign the log book, and a little time. I love sharing the fun with children, but many adults also enjoy the hobby for their own pleasure. Each cache is listed by difficulty and challenge level. Some caches include puzzles or require searching for more information to figure them out. The first cache was hidden the day after GPS went public in 2000, and today over three million geocaches have been hidden and more are constantly being added.

Often when we go geocaching, I say, “I never knew that was there!” People usually place caches in favorite spots—places they’d like to share with others. We have discovered new-to-us parks, historical monuments, cute alleys, and natural wonders. I’ve lived just outside of Waynesboro, Pennsylvania for over twenty years, but usually I speed by, eyes set on my destination. Geocaching gets me out of the car, walking the streets and poking into corners of my small town. We’ve found caches stuck to stop signs, hidden at the drug store parking lot, and lurking in the flower bed at the borough office. Geocaches are always placed at public places that are open to walkers, so we never have to worry about trespassing.

One of my surprises, when we began geocaching, was the beauty found in local cemeteries. I had never walked in our town’s cemeteries before, but in addition to geocaches, we found huge old trees, fancy gates, and monuments to local residents.

Sometime we’d like to hide our own cache to add to the website. The process doesn’t look too hard, and I have some favorite spots that I think would be fun to introduce to others.

We have often geocached when on vacation, since it is a fun way to explore a new city. On a long road trip, stopping for an hour of geocaching gives us exercise before hitting the road again. Hiking and biking trails are more fun for children when they include geocaches.

But my favorite geocache excursions, though, are Sunday afternoons, rambling around my own hometown.

What are you waiting for? Find a geocache in your hometown.

Would you like to read the Home Joys blog by email? Sign up at homejoys.substack.com to receive all new posts in your inbox. It is free!