Earthcaches in Wilderness Areas?

[+rlridgeway]

Are ther any earthcaches located in Wilderness Areas?

[+The Herd]

I'm sure there are. I just checked a wilderness area I have visited, and found that there are geocaches there. Must be earthcaches in some too.

[+wvcoalcat]

Dolly Sods Wilderness

There are some great traditional caches in this area too.

[+rlridgeway]

Dolly Sods Wilderness

There are some great traditional caches in this area too.

 

Thanks...actually I had noticed that listing.

I was really wondering about www.geocaching.com's official policy on earthcaches in Wilderness Areas.

I am thinking of placing some earthcaches on the Cranberry Wilderness. I also understand the need for the Forest Service's permission before listing it.

Just trying to get my ducks in a row before placing one.

[Neos2]

Dolly Sods Wilderness

There are some great traditional caches in this area too.

 

Thanks...actually I had noticed that listing.

I was really wondering about www.geocaching.com's official policy on earthcaches in Wilderness Areas.

I am thinking of placing some earthcaches on the Cranberry Wilderness. I also understand the need for the Forest Service's permission before listing it.

Just trying to get my ducks in a row before placing one.

Earthcaches are reviewed by the GSA (Geological Society of America) for publication here at GC. The reviewers there will look for appropriate educational activities, and geological content. If the property is in an area that requires permission (private property, state park, national park, wilderness area, etc) you must provide the name and contact information of the person who provides you with permission to place the cache. Geocaching's official policy is that the cache must meet the GSA's guidelines.

 

You may be concerned because Wilderness Areas don't (usually? ever?) allow physical geocaches on their property--that isn't Groundspeak's policy, that's the policy of the Wilderness Area folks. Groundspeak would be happy if geocaches were allowed in those areas. If the Wilderness Area people allow earthcaches in their areas, and the GSA approves them, Groundspeak is happy to have them published by this listing service.

[+Rev Mike]

Dolly Sods Wilderness

There are some great traditional caches in this area too.

Go do that earthcache and the others as well... this is a favorite area of mine.

 

- Rev Mike

[+paleolith]

I was really wondering about www.geocaching.com's official policy on earthcaches in Wilderness Areas.

Groundspeak's policy is that caches are allowed if the property owner allows them. (This may not be the official statement, but it is the essence.)

You may be concerned because Wilderness Areas don't (usually? ever?) allow physical geocaches on their property

Some do, some don't. California State Park wilderness areas do. Up on San Jacinto, there's both a state park wilderness area and an adjacent national forest wilderness area; physical caches are allowed in the state park area but not in the national forest area. In the Los Padres National Forest, about 150 miles away, physical caches are apparently allowed in the wilderness areas -- I say apparently because it's not clear whether it's even been an issue. The obvious difference is that San Jacinto is heavily visited and the Los Padres is lightly used. I did some searching a few months ago when I noticed caches in the Los Padres (either the Dick Smith or the San Rafael Wilderness, I forget which), and found that it's up to the local or regional supervisor.

 

In national parks it's now officially up to the local manager, though I'm not aware of any allowing physical caches in national parks yet. (Obviously all references here are US.)

 

Edward

[+Isonzo Karst]

I'll make a slight correction to the post above about permission. The earthcache form has the following spaces, which must be filled in:

*Type of Land

ex: State Park, National Park, National Forest, Private, County

*Phone number of public land

ex: Main phone number to National Park

Approval Permit Number

(if applicable)

*Name of Land Manager

Person giving approval/permission of EarthCache

 

there's no "assumed permission" on any earthcache.

[+MissJenn]

I'll move this to the newly-created section for EarthCaches. I think it would get more responses there.

Let me know, rlridgeway, if you want it moved back into its original area.