For this week’s Mark at the Park, we went to Mahoney State Park to learn about geocaching. Jay Cleveland, with Nebraska Game and Parks, taught us the basics. Geocaching is basically a treasure hunt with objects hidden in parks and neighborhoods across the country.
Before even leaving the house, download the Geocaching app for Apple or Android phones. Then set up a free basic account. The free account will show you where some of the caches are hidden, which is what you’ll be searching for. It also gives you a description of where or what you might be looking for.
Similar to a map app on your phone, the Geocaching app will plot the caches on a map and show you where you are. Each one also describes how large the cache is and how difficult it is to find. Search the area for the cache. A cache can be any hidden object that a geocache group or any random person decided to hide. The cache we found at Mahoney was an old ammo box. Sometimes caches have a lock on them, and you have to solve clues to figure out the code.
Inside the hidden cache, there is often a log sheet where you can write you name and date you found it. You can also do this through the app. Some caches have random objects inside, like bracelets or other small items. You can take one of them, but you should replace it with something you brought.
Most importantly, put the cache back where you found it so the next person can find it too.
If you think the caches listed in the free account are too easy, you can upgrade to a paid account for a larger and more difficult list of caches.
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