**Group 1: History and Evolution of Geocaching**
– Originated in 2000 after the removal of Selective Availability from GPS.
– First GPS-located cache placed in Beavercreek, Oregon, in 2000.
– First extra-terrestrial geocache on the International Space Station in 2008.
– Mars Perseverance Rover carries a geocaching trackable.
– Influenced by controversies and commercialization efforts.
**Group 2: Types of Geocaches**
– Traditional caches with physical containers at specific coordinates.
– Mystery or puzzle caches requiring solving clues.
– Multi-caches with multiple locations leading to a final cache.
– EarthCaches focusing on geological features.
– Event caches for organized gatherings.
**Group 3: Equipment and Technology**
– Handheld GPS receivers for navigation.
– Smartphone apps for geocaching.
– Trackable items like Travel Bugs with unique codes.
– Use of technology like QR codes for clues.
– Specialized tools like UV lights for advanced geocachers.
**Group 4: Community Engagement and Etiquette**
– Code of ethics for respecting nature and property.
– Regular cache maintenance for sustainability.
– Geocaching events for community engagement.
– Online platforms like Geocaching.com for logging finds.
– Collaboration with landowners and authorities for sustainable practices.
**Group 5: Geocaching Variations and Features**
– GeoArt forming pictures like the Space Shuttle.
– Variation in cache sizes, difficulty, and locations.
– Different cache types like moving caches and challenge caches.
– Specific cache types like Wherigo and Letterbox caches.
– Unique caches like the Geocaching HQ Geocache and Project A.P.E caches.
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (June 2023) |
Geocaching (/ˈdʒiːoʊkæʃɪŋ/, JEE-oh-KASH-ing) is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called geocaches or caches, at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world. The first geocache was placed in 2000, and by 2023 there were over 3 million active caches worldwide.
 International Geocaching Logo | |
| Nicknames | Caching, treasure hunting |
|---|---|
| First played | May 3, 2000 Beavercreek, Oregon, U.S. |
| Characteristics | |
| Team members | Optional |
| Type | Recreational activity |
| Equipment | GPS receiver or GPS-enabled mobile device, writing implement |
| Presence | |
| Country or region | Worldwide |
Geocaching can be considered a location-based game. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and sometimes a pen or pencil. The geocacher signs the log with their established code name/username and dates it, in order to prove that they found the cache. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where the person found it. Larger containers such as plastic storage containers (Tupperware or similar) or ammo boxes can also contain items for trading, such as toys or trinkets, usually of more sentimental worth than financial. Geocaching shares many aspects with benchmarking, trigpointing, orienteering, treasure hunting, letterboxing, trail blazing, and Munzee.