Adventures in Geocaching

X marks the spot! There is treasure hiding in Wayne County!! Did you ever dream of being a treasure hunting pirate as a kid? Well it’s not too late! People of all ages can hunt for treasure throughout Wayne County. Geocaching is an outdoor sporting activity in which the participants use a global positioning system (GPS) or a smart phone to hide and seek containers, called geocaches or caches which sometimes contain small treasure items.

So how does it work? First off start by visiting geocaching.com and create a free account.Visit the "Hide & Seek a Cache" page, enter your postal code (47374 for Richmond) and click "search.” There will be many geocaches to choose from all with clever names, choose one and it will open the page displaying coordinates, a short description and possible clues. Enter the coordinates of the geocache into your GPS Device. Use your GPS device to assist you in finding the hidden geocache, it will point you in a direction and give you the amount of feet left until you reach the destination. If you don't have a gps, there are apps you can download on your smartphone that will direct you to geocaches as well.

A typical geocache with small prizes

Sometimes a cache can be a large easy find, others called micros or nanos are extremely hard and well hidden forcing you to look all over and sometimes becoming very frustrating. Look up in trees, under logs, inside bushes, or under benches, geocaches can be anywhere. Once you find the geocache jump with joy, open it, sign the logbook and return the geocache to its original location. If the geocache is large enough it will contain small trade items, the rule being if you take something you must leave something for the next person. You can then log back into geocaching.com and share your story on the cache page you found called “logging your visit”.

Example of a micro geocache

So why am I telling you how to find a geocache? Well, geocaches are hidden all over, Richmond for instance has 100 or more. The hunt to find a cache takes you to exciting places; local parks, hiking trails, historical buildings, and so much more. This free adventure is a fantastic way to get the family out of the house and exploring the outdoors.

Not sure where to start out? A great geocache to start out with as your first hunt may be located at the Wayne County Tourism Bureau, 5701 National Road East, Richmond, Indiana. Many people from as far away as California have come through Wayne County while geocaching. To find the coordinates and a hint visit the geocache page at "Welcome Center Geocache"
                                                                                                              

Place the available coordinates into your gps or smart phone and start your adventure! If you stop by and can’t seem to find the hidden treasure, ask one of the lovely ladies at the front desk and they will gladly point you in the right direction or ask for Angel, a local geocacher.

Get your walking shoes on and start out on your treasure hunt! Who knew there was hidden treasure right in your neighborhood? Have fun and enjoy your local adventure!

Written by: Angel Gray
A mother, photographer and avid hiker, Angel enjoys the outdoors and spending time with family. She graduated midterm from Richmond High School in 2009 as a member of the National Honor Society and received her Honors diploma. Angel is the Communications and Social Media Specialist at the Wayne County Convention and Tourism Bureau.