This purpose of this post is give you some basic information to help you be successful in your hunt for geocaches. There are also some tools that you might want to take with you to help retrieve certain caches or their logs. I have a quart-sized Ziploc bag that I carry my supplies in. Finally, there is a small section on some of the lingo you will read in other people’s logs.

Getting Started

First, download the Geocache app. It is available on both Apple and Android phones. Create an account. Don’t worry, it’s free. There is a premium version but it’s not necessary to get started and enjoy the hunt. The main goal is to find the geocache and sign the log inside. If you do not sign the log, it does not count as a find.

In the app you will see a map of the area that you are currently in. Any green circles are potential geocaches to claim. Click on one to read more about it. Geocaches are rated by terrain and difficulty settings ranging from 1 (easy) to 5 (very hard).

Terrain settings of 1-1.5 are very easy and accessible. Even with limited mobility you should be able to retrieve the cache. A terrain setting of 5 will require special equipment like a boat, or rock-climbing equipment to reach it.

Difficulty settings work in a similar fashion. A difficulty rating of 1-2 are going to be easy to find and open. Higher difficulty ratings will require some skill like solving a puzzle or combination before you can open the cache.

Tools

Now that you have picked a geocache that you would like to hunt for, you need tools.

The first thing is having a phone with the app downloaded and a data plan.

The next most important thing is to have a pen or a pencil to sign the logs. Some containers have plenty of room and provide a pen, but others are so tiny that there is no room.

Other handy items include: a pair of tweezers, a magnifying glass, and a flashlight. Over time you will find how necessary these items can be.

Finding the Cache

All that is left to do now is to follow the directions to the cache. Once you get close, it will tell you how many feet away you are and what direction it’s in. In some areas the GPS may bounce around a bit and you will feel like you are going in circles. After finding a few caches, you will get a sense of where the hide might be.

Once you have found it, open the container and you will find a log to sign with your user name to prove that you found it. Depending on the size of the container, you may find little trinkets in there too. The general rule is if you take something out of the cache, replace it with something else.

Once that’s done, click “Found it” on the app and write a note about the find. Some people just write “found it,” while others write a short novel. Then it is time to look for the next one!

Lingo

Reading other people’s logs can be fun and sometimes give a hint to a hide that you are having trouble finding. Some abbreviations that you might see are: TFTC (Thanks for the cache), P&G (park & grab), TN/LN (Took nothing, left nothing), TS/LS (Took something, left something), DNF (Did Not Find).

You may also read references to muggles. They are not aware of geocaching. Be very careful searching for geocaches when muggles are close by. More than one cache has gone missing or been destroyed by the uneducated. Unlike Harry Potter though, geocaching does not need to be kept a secret. If a muggle shows interest, feel free to educate them on what you are doing. They might like to join too!

Thank you for reading!

If you enjoyed this post or have questions, please feel free to leave a comment. I love to talk about geocaching!