What Is Geocaching - An Introduction To Geocaching Adventures

By Timothy Croft

Geocaching has slowly become one of the biggest "off the radar" hobbies in the world. What is geocaching you ask? It is a high tech treasure hunting game that is played throughout the world by adventure seekers and nature lovers equipped with GPS devices. The idea is to search for hidden containers called "geocaches" using a GPS enabled device. The GPS coordinates for these hidden caches can be found online, all you need to do is enter these coordinates into your handheld GPS unit and head out to find the hidden surprise.

Your GPS will take you to the general location of the container but you still have to search for it and they are often well hidden in very clever places. Once you find the geocache you sign the logbook and either take the hidden "treasure" and replace it with one of your own or just check it out and place it back in the container. When you're done you hide the container back in the exact spot you found it and head out to find the next one in the area. You can also go online after locating it and log your find and write about your experience.

Geocaching was originally started on May 3, 2000 by a computer consultant who went out into the woods of Oregon with a bucket, notebook and a pencil. He then hid the bucket, noted the GPS coordinates and then went online and basically challenged people to find it. From there the sport took off like wildfire and has been growing ever since.

Geocaching is a great way to get outside and to explore locations that you've never seen before. There are well over 1 million geocaches that have been hidden worldwide and they are in almost any area you can imagine. They can be found in the hills, mountains, in the city, and deep in the forest. The fun is in the hunt not so much in what you find. It's a low cost family friendly activity that in today's troubled economic times is an inexpensive hobby that allows families to spend quality time together out in nature instead of staring at computer or TV screens in separate rooms of the house.

If you are a nature lover, adventurer or just enjoy discovering new locations in your hometown Geocaching is a great way to spend the afternoon. Give it a try some weekend that your bored and you may just find a new hobby and passion that will fill your free time with fun and adventure for years to come.

About the Author

Tim Croft is a Geocaching enthusiast and operates the blog GPS For Geocaching which reviews the most current GPS units on the market from a Geocachers perspective