Hiking the trails of Ontario County is fun to do in any season, but if you’re looking to add a new twist to your next adventure, consider Geocaching.
Simply put, geocaching is a treasure hunt. It’s the activity of hunting for, and finding, a hidden object by using GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates that are posted on the Geocaching website. The game is completely free, and you can download the Geocaching app to most smart phones, or you can purchase a hand-held GPS device to help you find hidden geocaches. Once you have the app or a GPS device, you can start finding hidden geocaches anywhere around the world!
My husband and I – we call ourselves Chapin Street Couple – have found over 900 geocaches, so we consider ourselves pretty darn good at geocaching. The first step to becoming a geocacher – or “cacher” as the pros call themselves – is to go to the Geocaching website, register yourself and pick a screen name.
Here are a few more tips any new cacher ought to know:
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If you follow these tips, you’ll be sure to have lots of fun, and you’ll probably even meet great people along the way.
We have been caching all over Ontario County; but if you’re new to the game, some spots I recommend are Mertensia Park in Farmington, anywhere along the Ontario Pathways, or Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva.
One more tip… a few things to keep on hand when you head out for your first adventure:
- GPS unit and extra batteries (or a fully charged smart phone)
- Swag for trading
- Pens
- Water and snacks
- Flashlight
- Sunscreen
- Bug repellent
- Rain poncho
- First aid kit
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