photo credit:  SC Outfitters

I’ve heard friends talk about geocaching and how much fun it is for families.  Today I finally signed up for a free, geocaching account.  We’re adding “treasure hunting” to our list of summer fun.  In case you haven’t heard about geocaching and all the adventure it offers familirs, here’s some basic information to get your family started:

Geocaching is a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache (container) hidden at that location.

At its simplest level, geocaching requires these 8 steps:

1. Register for a free Basic Membership.
2. Visit the “Hide & Seek a Cache” page.
3. Enter your postal code and click “search.”
4. Choose any geocache from the list and click on its name.
5. Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device.
6. Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache.
7. Sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location.
8. Share your geocaching stories and photos online.

The rules…

• If you take something from the geocache (or “cache”), leave something of equal or greater value.
• Write about your find in the cache logbook.
• Log your experience at www.geocaching.com.

The only item you need to geocache is a GPS device or a GPS-enabled mobile phone so that you can navigate to the cache, and a Geocaching.com Membership.

Geocaches can be found all over the world. It is common for geocachers to hide caches in locations that are important to them, reflecting a special interest or skill of the cache owner. These locations can be quite diverse. They may be at your local park, at the end of a long hike, underwater or on the side of a city street.

The list of geocaches in the Brazos Valley is extensive.  This is easily an activity that could offer fun year-round.  Most are hidden in city parks which means a family could go hunting for geocaches and then spend some time together at a local park.  Since Geocaches are hidden all over the world, I could see this being a fun activity during vacations and road trips.

If your family has hunted geocaches in BCS let us know about your experience and which treasure hunts you recommend!  For more information visit the Geocaching website.  We’ll keep you posted on our adventures this summer as we hunt for treasure around Bryan-College Station.

Happy Hunting!

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