How safe is geocaching?

That all said, geocaching is about as safe as most outdoor activities and safer than many. You can mitigate the risks by being prepared for the weather, not taking unnecessary risks, knowing your limitations and staying aware of your surroundings.

Are geocaches illegal?

Geocaching is an illegal activity in National Forest wilderness if personal property is left unattended.

Are geocaches ever buried?

Do not bury geocaches, either partially or completely. You must not create a hole in the ground to place or find a geocache. The only exception is if a property owner gives explicit permission to create a hole to place the cache, which you must provide to the reviewer and state on the cache page.

What are some dangers of geocaching?

Geocaching has many of the same dangers of simply being outside. In urban areas there is the risk of being hit by an auto, being mugged, etc. In the woods there are the risks of inclement weather, lightning, poison ivy or oak, stinging nettle, biting insects, venomous snakes, predatory animals, falling, etc.

Can you take things from a geocache?

While some caches host trackables or unique SWAG items, some geocaches aren’t so lucky. The etiquette around geocaching SWAG is simple. If you take something, leave something behind of equal or greater value.

What is blue switch day?

On May 2, 2000 the U.S. government “flipped the switch” so high-accuracy GPS was available to everyone. For reasons unknown, geocachers know this as Blue Switch Day.

What are wonders of the world in geocaching?

Wonders are digital stamps hidden in geocaches. Wonders help you fill your Wonders of the World passport. Collect them when you find and log geocaches. Search for geocaches that contain the Wonders you are looking for and collect them when you log the cache.

How popular is geocaching today?

Dozens of press articles and millions of online conversations later, Geocaching.com is the world’s largest location- based gaming portal. Today, more than 1.4 million geocaches have been hidden, and found by more than 4 million people worldwide.

Can you take from a geocache?

One of the guiding principles of geocaching is “take something, leave something.” A geocache hider places a number of goodies in a container when a new cache is first started. If you take something from a cache, be sure to leave something. If you forgot your trade items, just sign the logbook.

What goes inside a geocache?

When you find the box, there is usually a log book or sheet inside so that you can record your visit. There may also be small treasures–if you brought something to share, you can trade for what’s in the box. Just make sure to replace the treasure you take with something of equal or greater value.