Does any government or authorities get involved in geocaching?

[richie-rich5]

Hi. I just wondered if in any way either any governments or local authorities or councils get involved in Geocaching in any form as a way of promoting their area or country? Surely it would be beneficial for them in the way of tourism.

[Trinity's Crew]

Well authorities get involved when they blow caches up but I don't think that qualifies as promoting caching.

[Mr.Yuck]

Here's one: Allegheny Geotrail in Northern, Pa.

 

EDIT: Thought of another one: Geocaching Capital of Canada

Edited April 29, 2009 by TheWhiteUrkel

[+StarBrand]

A number of small Nebraska towns have added a mention of Geocaching to thier websites. A few have the local tourism folks put out a cache or 2 but they have to be careful to follow the guidelines in the page listing.

[+wimseyguy]

Asheville NC promotes caching on it's tourism website. They even ran a geocaching promotion last year that was too commercial to be listed here. You had to stay at a participating property to get the coords to the caches, but they were full of quality swag and gift certificates from Chamber of Commerce members.

 

Florida's Gulf Coast website mentions kayak caching. IIRC they ran some sort of promotion a few years back too.

 

I worked with our local CVB to help with the planning for geowoodstock5 a few years back. They were thrilled that we were bringing a few thousand visitors here. Geotourism is here to stay, and I'll bet there are lots of other CVB's that are aware of our sport.

[+Viajero Perdido]

In Canada, caches were kicked out of the national parks for a few years via a national directive, though enforcement was spotty at the local level.

 

Now caches are welcome again in the national parks (sort of, it's a bit bureaucratic) and at least one park is actively promoting it.

 

http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/ab/elkisland/visit/visit4_e.asp

 

I'm not sure I'm ready to kiss and make up, though...

[+Rose Red]

I did several Geocoin Contests/Challenges last year:

 

July 1-2, 2008 - 2008 Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory Geocaching Contest

 

July 14, 2008 - The Canby (Oregon) Chamber of Commerce Geocoin Challenge

 

August 21, 2008 - The Dalles-Dash Geocoin Contest

 

August 26, 2008 - 2007 Oregon's Mt. Hood Territory Geocaching Challenge

 

September 16-18, 2008 - Pendleton Oregon What a Kick! Geo Coin Hunt

 

September 27-28, 2008 - Lincoln City Oregon Geo Coin Hunt

 

This year Canby and Mollala in Oregon are promoting Geo Coin Hunts.

[knowschad]

Yes, Minnesota State Parks, after having banned geocaches for several years, is now not only allowing them (under their supervision) but actively participating in it. See http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/geocaching/index.html for more info.

[+ArcherDragoon]

Not to mention all the satellites we use for our little game here...but I sure am not a personal owner of those magical orbiting things so high up there...

 

[+legacypac]

We have the BC Parks GeoRush involving several hundred caches placed in Provincial Parks last year. The Parks also provided a trackable coin and other swag.

 

I understand there will be a Gold Trails series in the BC Interior sponsored by the tourism people.

[crawil]

I remember the Utah State Park folks promoting geocaching not too long ago.

[+niraD]

The rangers for a national wildlife refuge near here recently published a multi-cache that takes you on a tour of the refuge lands. The cache itself is at the refuge visitor center, since physical caches are still not allowed in the refuge proper. IIRC, they modeled their cache after one that was published by the rangers for another refuge elsewhere in the state.

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Maryland apparently does - http://www.mdmunicipal.org/programs/geocache.cfm

 

and

 

http://www.ci.north-beach.md.us/Pages/Nort...hMD_WebDocs/geo

Edited April 29, 2009 by TheAlabamaRambler

[+hydnsek]

How about this:

 

[+SKILLET]

The Rangers at the Off Road area at ocotillo Wells Ca. Have hidden about five Caches. One is right in front of their Ranger Station.

 

Here is a link to their Geocaching policy

 

they have stopped by at many of the Events we have held out there and they are a great bunch of folks.

[+The Blorenges]

Here in the U.K. the National Trust is supportive towards geocaching. I understand that they generally give permission for caches to be placed on their land but they've also created their own geocaching account on some estates and hidden caches for visitors to their park land walks.

 

e.g. National Trust Tyntesfield.

 

MrsB

Edited April 29, 2009 by The Blorenges

[+KCL777]

Forrest State Park in Colorado has nine caches listed on their web site. They even rent GPS units.

 

http://parks.state.co.us/Parks/StateForest/Geocaching/

[+DiamondDaveG]

Cleveland Metroparks places and maintains a number of caches every year.

[+Anno Lynke]

In a park near Cincinnati, near my parrents house, there ar 2 caches placed by Hamilton County Parks Dept.

to get people to less used portions of the park

[+JBnW]

Several U.S. state parks have active caching programs. Here's a link to the Kansas state-wide challenge page. http://www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/Other-Ser...ties/Geocaching Check out the YouTube video, pretty fair advertisment of the game. This is the second year KS has sponsored a caching program, cool swag for completing each park, and great prizes for completing several or all. Cheers!

[+ducksbucksnbulls]

I remember the Utah State Park folks promoting geocaching not too long ago.

You are Rite, Utah promotes geocaching and sponsors events in state parks it also has a cache at the division of natural resources building in down town salt lake.

[+briansnat]

I remember the Utah State Park folks promoting geocaching not too long ago.

You are Rite, Utah promotes geocaching and sponsors events in state parks it also has a cache at the division of natural resources building in down town salt lake.

 

Utah State Parks also has a geocaching account and they place their own caches.

 

Virginia's tourism bureau promotes geocaching on their website

 

Arkansas state parks promots geocaching on their website

[+Shadowraven]

When I read "government authorities" I think of FBI, police, etc So here's my experience... there was a cache right outside Northrup Grommen (or whatever it's called)...

 

Our log from April 2004: The log was VERY interesting as well... it had been signed by a special investigations agent from the Air Force. The agent even left their card with their name cut out. It felt a little bit cool to think we were being watched.

 

Somebody else's from a couple days later: As Shadowraven said, the security people have been watching the previous GeoCachers come and go from this location and were very suspicious. They then found the cache and made an entry that said something like: “You people look very suspicious from our cameras at the government facility to your South. ” BTW, The camer that is watching you is located on the NorthWest corner of the large hanger directly SOUTH of this cache. You can just see it on the hanger corner.

 

The Cache

[+The RaceGang]

The City of Tallahassee, FL Parks & Rec Dept. hid 41 geocaches, one in each city park.

Each cache has a alpha-numeric code, and if you email all 41 codes to the Parks Coordinator, you are rewarded with a City of Tallahassee Parks & Rec geocoin.

Some of the caches were really clever, and a few routinely wind up on the area's various 'top 10 lists' or 'best of lists'.

It is no wonder that the city parks have been voted "Best in America" recently.

[+Cacher Checks Only]

Escambia County Environmental Geocache Tour (GC1NCDF) was put together by Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Escambia County and City of Pensacola recently. Completing the 14-stage cache will provide you with an environmental education and snag you a beautiful, non-trackable coin in celebration of the city's 450th anniversary.

[Knight-Errant]

I remember the Utah State Park folks promoting geocaching not too long ago.

You are Rite, Utah promotes geocaching and sponsors events in state parks it also has a cache at the division of natural resources building in down town salt lake.

 

Utah State Parks also has a geocaching account and they place their own caches.

 

In addition to placing caches in Utah State Parks, in some cases they also will loan out GPR's to help you find them. They also distributed a bunch of their unactivated geocoins as part of a promotional event by hiding them in their caches throughout the year.

An additional note, while they HAVE had several problems with geocaches in State Parks, they have chosen to address the problems on a case by case basis, rather than a blanket policy. We are saddened that other states cannot follow such an approach.

[+karstic]

Nevada did/does

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...74-19c86c42ccef

[+CanadaKate]

In Northumberland county, Ontario:

 

http://www.northumberlandtourism.com/en/wi.../Geocaching.asp

 

and we visited a California Welcome Center cache in Yucca Valley: GCY92C

[+Renegade Knight]

Hi. I just wondered if in any way either any governments or local authorities or councils get involved in Geocaching in any form as a way of promoting their area or country? Surely it would be beneficial for them in the way of tourism.

A few years ago I was working with the Idaho Department of Commerce on promoting the state via caches. They were receptive to the idea but they also had several other projects with much higher priority. It all fell by the wayside when I moved.

[+DiamondDaveG]

Ohio State Parks just released their summer challenge set for this year. There are 19 individual caches in 19 different parks in northeast Ohio as part of the set. I haven't paid close attention, but I believe they do something similar every year on top of the other caches they maintain.