Geocaching for Beginners

What is a geocache?

A geocache is a container hidden by another player and published online with its GPS coordinates. Inside there's always a logbook to sign, and sometimes small trade items. Caches range from tiny magnetic tubes on a guardrail to ammo cans tucked behind a boulder on a hiking trail. Each one has a listing with its coordinates, a difficulty and terrain rating, and often a hint.

Every cache on geocaching.com has a unique ID that starts with GC — the "GC code." It's the easiest way to refer to a specific cache, and it's what you'll enter when you log a find in RoadTrippin.

Finding your first cache

1. Pick an easy one. Look for a cache rated low for both difficulty and terrain, in a public place you can visit during the day, with recent "found it" logs so you know it's still there.
2. Navigate to the coordinates. GPS on a phone is usually accurate to within several meters, so expect to search a small area rather than walk straight to it.
3. Think like the person who hid it. Look for spots that are slightly out of place: a loose rock, a hollow at the base of a tree, the underside of a bench or sign.
4. Read the hint only if you're stuck. Half the fun is the hunt.
5. Sign the log with your name and the date, put the cache back exactly where and how you found it, and log your find online.

Cache sizes

• Micro — film-canister size or smaller, often holding just a rolled-up paper log. Bring your own pen.
• Small — about the size of a sandwich container; room for a log and a few tiny trade items.
• Regular — a shoebox-sized container, such as a lunch box or an ammo can.
• Large — anything bigger, like a bucket or a full-size storage box.

Some caches are not physical containers at all. Puzzle caches make you solve something to get the real coordinates, multi-caches lead you through several locations, and EarthCaches teach you about a geological feature at the site.

What to bring

• A phone or GPS with the cache coordinates loaded — and a charged battery
• A pen, since many small caches don't have one
• A few small trade items, if you want to swap
• Water, comfortable shoes, and a flashlight for shady or dark hiding spots
• A bag for trash — many geocachers pick up litter along the way

Geocaching etiquette

• Trade fairly. If you take an item, leave something of equal or greater value. Never leave food, scented items, or anything dangerous.
• Be discreet. Non-geocachers — "muggles" in geocaching slang — might move or take a cache if they see where it's hidden. Wait for a quiet moment before you search.
• Replace it exactly. Put the cache back the way you found it so the next person has the same experience.
• Respect the place. Stay on trails, don't damage plants or property, and follow park rules and posted hours.
• Log honestly. If you couldn't find a cache, say so — a "did not find" log helps the owner notice when a cache has gone missing.

Trackables: caches that travel

Some items you'll find in caches are trackables, such as travel bugs and geocoins. Each has a tracking code and a goal set by its owner — for example, to visit every state or to reach a particular country. If you pick one up, log it online, then move it along to another cache to help it on its journey. Don't keep it.

Make it part of a road trip

Geocaches are a great excuse to stop somewhere you'd otherwise drive past. Many are placed at parks, historic markers, and scenic spots chosen because the owner thought they were worth seeing. With RoadTrippin you can add geocaches to a trip with Plan me a Trip, plan the drive, and record every find on the community map.