Geocaching in Georgia
The Unofficial "Georgia Geocachers Association" home page
Geocaching - The sport where YOU are the search engine!
What is Geocaching, anyway?
In brief, Geocaching is an Orienteering game in which the participants use a Global
Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver in addition to maps and compasses.
Geocaching is a fun, FAMILY-ORIENTED outdoor activity. At thousands of locations in the United States and all over the world, people have chosen locations that they feel should be seen and enjoyed by others. These Geocachers have hidden a cache (a waterproof container) filled with small toys and other items in an appropriate place nearby, then posted the coordinates for the cache location on a web site.
Other Geocachers and their families who live in or travel to that area use the coordinates, their GPS receiver, and their maps and compass to seek out that cache. There is usually a logbook to record your experiences in finding the cache, and often a camera to take a family picture. The finders take an item, leave an item, replace the cache, and leave the area as they found it, usually picking up trash on the way out (we call this the "Cache In, Trash Out" program).
Geocaching brings families outdoors and to some of the most beautiful locations around, that they might otherwise never know existed. Our goal is to bring more people to the parks and other public lands, and help keep them clean and safe for everyone's enjoyment.
Why would I want to do this?
Lots of reasons. Here are just a few:
What do I need to participate in Geocaching?
1. A GPS (Global Positioning Satellite) receiver at a cost of $100 - $150
(and up) new. Click here
for info on how to pick a GPS.
2. A compass (not absolutely required, but highly recommended).
3. A love of the outdoors.
How can I learn more about Geocaching?
The MOTHER LODE of information about Geocaching can be found at the Geocaching - The Official GPS Cache Hunt site at http://www.geocaching.com/ or click the link below.
Here you will find general information about the activity, as well as tutorials and FAQs for newcomers. In addition, this site is the central registry where cache placements are posted and cacheseeking results are posted.
Are there Geocaches in Georgia?
There are over 250 active geocaches in the State of Georgia AND numerous geocaches in
surrounding states. To see a list of the Geocaches
in Georgia, click here.
Or, if would rather see these same geocaches displayed on a map page, the Buxley's
Geocaching Waypoint website will show you a Georgia map or a Greater Metro Atlanta map.
To find the closest Geocaches in your area, go to the main Geocaching
webpage at
http://www.geocaching.com/
and enter your zip code in the search window in the top right corner.
What is going on with Geocaching in Georgia?
A group of Georgia geocaching enthusiasts, mainly from the metro Atlanta area, has formed
a club to encourage, publicize and support geocaching in the State of Georgia. This club
is known as the Georgia Geocachers Association, or G.G.A. At present, the club plans to
meet monthly to discuss both the sport of geocaching and the organization of the club.
Our meetings are held monthly, usually in the afternoon of the second Saturday of the month, in a location somewhere in metro Atlanta. You will always find our next meeting listed as an "EVENT CACHE" on the Geocaching website.
Come and join us to learn more about Geocaching, Geocaching in Georgia and the GGA!
You are also invited to visit the official GGA home page at: http://www.ggaonline.org/
The GGA also has its own EZ Board Discussion Forums. Feel free to stop by and check this site out at http://pub78.ezboard.com/bgageocaching At the present, EZ Board registration is NOT required... but, if you do decide to register, be sure to un-CHECK the spam-request options on the right-hand side of the EZ Board sign-up page.
Some things you may be able to use:
GEO-CACHE CONTAINER IDENTIFICATION TAG - An informative tag designed to be laminated and attached to a Geocache container to inform those who might find the container, especially accidentally, what the container is. To download a Microsoft Word 97 format document which can be used to print the sample Geocache Container Identification Tag, right-click one of these links, then choose SAVE TARGET AS, and save to the C:\My Documents directory on your hard drive. Open the saved document using Microsoft Word. Choose a tag featuring either the old, thirty-square Geocaching logo or the new, four-square Geocaching logo.
GEO-CACHE CONTAINER IDENTIFICATION STENCILS - Instructions on how to make a stencil for marking a Geocache container, in Microsoft Word format, including a full size stencil with encapsulated stencil font. To download a Microsoft Word 97 format document which can be used to print the stencils, right-click one of these links, then choose SAVE TARGET AS, and save to the C:\My Documents directory on your hard drive. Open the saved document using Microsoft Word. Download your choice of Stencil Format 1 or Stencil Format 2 or Stencil Format 3.
Background image is a topo map of the Raven Cliffs Wilderness area in Georgia, with the trail to the falls, courtesy of mtn-man.
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