Geocaching
Geocaching turns any walk into a treasure hunt. Using a free phone app, you follow GPS coordinates to find hidden containers tucked away in parks, towns, and trails all over the world.
What you need to start
- A smartphone with the free Geocaching app
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A pen to sign the logbook
- A sense of curiosity and a little patience
At a glance
Your learning path
Three stages, taken at your own pace. Start at the top, get comfortable, then move down as you grow. There is no rush, and no wrong place to begin.
Start right here. These four videos show you what geocaching is, how to use the free app on your phone, and how to find your very first hidden cache.
A Beginner's Guide to the Ultimate Outdoor Treasure Hunt - GEOCACHING for beginners
Hunt & Honey HomesteadHow to Geocache using the Android/Apple Geocaching App
More Than Just a CleanerGeocaching: Finding a Cache & Safety Tips
CES WarrenA Journey through Geocache Types (Explained! How to Geocache 101 )
LANMonkey Travel AdventuresOnce you have a few finds under your belt, these five videos help you read the clues, handle trackables, mind your manners around non-players, and pack the right little tools.
Geocaching 101: Tips For Beginners, Read The Hint/Activity!
HullsomeWhat are Geocaching Trackables?
Geocaching5 Tips for Geocaching Stealth
Geocaching4 Geocache Sizes You Never Knew Existed (and how to find them)
LANMonkey Travel AdventuresMy Geocaching Tools of the Trade
Earl RReady to go further. These five videos cover hiding your own cache, solving tricky puzzle caches, working multi-stage hunts, using a handheld GPS, and tackling special cache types.
How to Hide a Geocache
BassocantorGeoSnippits - Geocaching: Mystery - Puzzle GeoCache Tutorial
Andrew Headhardhat SmithMystery Geocaches 101
Don't Panic GeocacherBest Garmin GPS unit for Geocaching
GPS TrainingHow to EarthCache Like a Pro! 5 Tips to Log Every EarthCache
LANMonkey Travel AdventuresWhy geocaching is wonderful after 50
Geocaching may be one of the best hobbies you can pick up after 50. It is a gentle reason to get outside and walk, with a real goal at the end of every stroll. There is a little thrill to it, too: each cache is a tiny treasure hunt, and the moment you spot one tucked behind a sign or under a log never gets old. It gets you exploring parks, downtowns, and trails you would otherwise drive right past. It costs almost nothing to begin, you set your own pace and distance, and it is wonderfully family-friendly. Grandchildren love it, friends enjoy it, and you can go solo whenever you please.
Your first month, week by week
Download the free Geocaching app and create an account. Browse the map to see how many caches are hidden near your home, then read a few cache pages to learn how they work.
Go find your first cache. Pick one with an easy 1/1 difficulty and terrain rating, bring a pen, and sign the logbook when you find it.
Find three or four more caches of different sizes. Practice reading the hint, checking recent logs, and re-hiding each cache exactly as you found it.
Try a slightly harder cache or one in a new park, and log your finds online with a friendly note for the cache owner.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Giving up too soon; many caches are well hidden, so slow down and look closely before you walk away.
- Not reading the most recent logs and the hint, which often tell you exactly where and how to look.
- Being seen by non-geocachers, called muggles, who may get curious and disturb or take the cache.
- Not re-hiding the cache the way you found it, which makes it harder for the next person and can get it lost.
- Forgetting to bring a pen, so you cannot sign the logbook and properly claim your find.
- Trading unfairly from a cache; if you take an item, leave one of equal or greater value.
Make it easier on your body
Simple ways to keep geocaching comfortable and safe with arthritis, low vision, or limited mobility.
- Filter the app for an easy terrain rating of 1 and look for caches marked wheelchair-accessible or roadside so you avoid rough trails.
- Choose larger-size caches, like regular or large containers, because they are far easier to spot and reach than tiny micro or nano caches.
- Use your phone's larger map view and zoom in for low vision, and turn on the audio and bigger-text settings to read clues comfortably.
- Bring a walking stick for balance and a buddy who can help reach low or awkward hiding spots.
- Stick to paved-park, sidewalk, and urban caches that sit close to parking so you are never far from your car.
- Go during cooler hours of the day, carry water, and pace yourself with one or two caches per outing instead of a long hunt.
Words you'll hear
- Cache
- The hidden container you are hunting for, usually holding at least a logbook to sign and sometimes small trade items.
- Muggle
- A non-geocacher, a passerby who does not know the game; cachers stay discreet so muggles do not disturb a cache.
- GZ (Ground Zero)
- The exact spot the GPS points to, the center of your search; your phone gets you within about 30 feet, then you look around.
- Trackable
- A tagged item, such as a Travel Bug or geocoin, that moves from cache to cache; you log its unique code online to track its journey.
- DNF (Did Not Find)
- The log you post when you searched but could not find the cache; it helps the owner and other cachers know its condition.
- TFTC
- Short for 'Thanks For The Cache,' a friendly note geocachers leave in the logbook or online log to thank the cache owner.
Where to find your people
- The official Geocaching.com community, where you can read forums, message cache owners, and follow other players.
- Local geocaching events listed in the app, which are friendly in-person meetups for finders of all ages.
- Facebook groups for geocachers, both global and local to your region, full of tips and encouragement.
- Geocaching forums and Reddit communities where people share hints, gear, and stories.
- Group hikes and meetup outings, where you can cache alongside experienced players and make new friends.
Start learning Geocaching
Sign up for our free, friendly lessons and we will help you take the first step. Tell us where you are starting from and we will meet you there.
