Geocaching: A Modern Outdoor Treasure Hunt

We all know there’s beauty to be found in PA’s wonderful natural areas, but what about hidden treasure? There may be more than you think. Ever hear of geocaching? This outdoor activity not only keeps you active but delivers on giving you something extra in the process – the rush of a hunt. Using your phone and GPS, geocaching enables you to use coordinates to search for hidden caches within the great outdoors and most often in parks. No need for “X marks the spot” on a map. Your own treasure hunt is in the palm of your hands. 

Geocaching is an exciting and fun activity for all ages and groups of people. In fact, don’t go searching alone. You may need some extra manpower to find the camouflaged loot. Find that cache? Geoca-ching. Curious how to get started? We’ve got you covered. 

Head to geocaching.com! This is the hub for all things geocaching and even gives you some helpful tips on getting to know the sport. You’ll want to download their app so you’re able to find geocache coordinates that are local to you. Once you make an account, you’ll be all set to go. Who knows? On top of buried treasure, you may also get to discover a PA park you’ve never seen before!

Be prepared! You’re able to determine the difficulty of your cache and the landscape you may have to traverse. First timer? It might be the most fun if you start out slow with an easy-level cache. Some require extremely tricky puzzles or clues to uncover their location – which can be exciting, but also daunting if you’ve never been geocaching before. 

Start the navigation! You’ll be able to pick a geocache and see, mostly, where you need to go – but it wouldn’t be fun if they gave it all away! A line will point you to the geocache but will not give you an exact route. That, you’ll have to figure out on your own. 

You’ve found the spot … kind of. Now what? Once you’re within about 30 feet of your geocache, the true hunt begins. No map can help you now. You’ve got to use all your senses to look, and feel, around at anything that could be hiding the goods. Geocaches are either extremely hidden or placed within something a little more conspicuous – perhaps a pile of sticks, a hole in a tree, etc. And hopefully not in a hornet’s nest. (We suggest skipping that geocache!)

Good job! You found the geocache. We hope you brought a pen. Once you open it, you’ll want to sign the logbook inside to prove you were there. You can also log it into the app so you can accumulate all your finds like a real-life treasure hunter. When it comes to the geocache items themselves, you have the option to leave a little something behind within. You can also take an item – but only if you replace it with something of the same value!

Some other general warnings include, as always, leaving the natural areas as you found them. Don’t disturb wildlife in the process of your search and don’t destroy any kinds of plants, flowers, nests, etc. In fact, some geocachers even bring trash bags with them along their hunt, picking up any litter they find. It’s part of an eco-friendly geocache initiative called CITO (Cache In, Trash Out). 

It’s also good manners to place the geocache back exactly as you found it. It may be tempting to hide it in an even more discreet place but unfairness really ruins the fun for everyone, so don’t be a geocache-meanie. 

Finally, prepare for an outdoor treasure hunt the same way you would for a hike. Be ready for anything. Comfortable, grip shoes are a necessity. And so are yummy snacks and water for hydration and energy. Plus, you don’t want to catch more than a geocache. Wear a coat or rain jacket if the weather looks chilly to avoid a cold. 

Geocaching is a fun outdoor activity that offers something a little different from the obvious like sports games and hiking. It can stimulate your mind, give you a chance to talk and connect with friends, family, and even meet new people along the way. Plus, it’s often an activity that prides itself on its environmental awareness. 

According to PA’s DCNR, there are geocaches available in so many of our 124 state parks and 20 state forest districts – and that’s not even counting the amount that will be in local, neighborhood parks. Check out their helpful tips on geocaching. And visit the Good Park Finder to locate local parks near you! And if you get really into the sport, join the PA Geocaching Facebook page for updates on challenges, geocaches, and to join the community of hunters.