Creating Driving cache trail, looking for tips and suggestions to share locally

[+Mike & Jess]

This topic has come up a couple times on our forum (NorthernOntarioGeocachers.com). A few of us in different areas (a lot of tourist areas) are looking to do some driving cache trails.

With these types of trails, there is always a safety concern with stopping along the side of the road.

 

For those that have either placed these types of cache trails, or found them, what suggestions, tips or tricks should I relay to my local community about placing these caches?

I'm looking for what could make them fun, safe and worth doing.

 

I've touched a few rail trails before, and found them to be kind of boring if I was specifically going there to walk these trails.

With these ones, it may be a bit better as these would be routes to get to tourist areas (towns) which could make the drive a bit more fun.

[+StarBrand]

The best "power trails" that I've seen came about naturally over time. If it is an interesting area with good possibilities for caching than cachers will naturally over time place a lot of caches. Visitors will come.

 

Having said that - I would never encourage the placement of any cache that did not have an obvious form of safe parking nearby. I would certainly never encourage illegal parking for the purpose of caching.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Just got back from Canada/Montana,N.Dakota....many caches up that way are " snow friendly " ( 5 or 6 feet high ).

For a trail various road signs work well....a bison with good o-ring with magnet attached is a good hide . Evergreen trees are good and a green painted preform or match-holder with wire attached for hanging works well. Preforms,match holders, and bison's can also be hidden in cavities of bare trees and posts.

Its best to have a large enough shoulder by the cache so a vehicle can pull all the way off. I've done many on rural unsurfaced roads where simply pulling to the side of the road was fine.

[+ras_oscar]

First, ensure there is somewhere safe and legal to park at each cache. Second, be sure the road is sparsely traveled at all times, weekday and weekend. Third, ensure the road is not heavily populated by residences within eyeshot of the road. Sudden heavy traffic that stops at the same spot is sure to attract unwanted attention by residents and John Law.

[+frinklabs]

If I lived up there, I'd put a bunch along the Sultan Industrial Road

 

This provides access to some ghost town locations that are neat, and there are no caches in there now:

 

http://coord.info/map?ll=47.52045,-82.59109&z=10

 

It'd be nice to go back and see how the trees I planted back in '84 are doing.

[+Mike & Jess]

If I lived up there, I'd put a bunch along the Sultan Industrial Road

 

This provides access to some ghost town locations that are neat, and there are no caches in there now:

 

http://coord.info/map?ll=47.52045,-82.59109&z=10

 

It'd be nice to go back and see how the trees I planted back in '84 are doing.

 

Funny you mention that specific road.

I was up there with one of the Central Ontario Geocachers (Juice Pig) a few years ago. There is a cache right at the begining of that road. Pretty sketchy road during the winter.

 

It truely is in the middle of no where. I don't think we have anyone on our forum that is close enough to the area.

[+Mike & Jess]

This is the first bit of info I posted as tips for these types of caches. The thread can be found here NOG forum(which currently has only my stuff as I just create the thread)

 

Parking:

Be sure that any road side caches can safely be stopped at or have a safe place to park.

Parking coordinates are great, but keep in mind that there will always be someone who won't see them and park at or near the cache.

 

If road side (shoulder parking) is the only option, make sure there is adequate distance from the previous corner so that the traffic can see the parked car, and the cacher can see any approaching vehicles. The shoulder must be wide enough to safely remove the parked vehicle from the road.

 

Cache Placement:

A lot of road side property is privately owned. If placing a cache away from the roadside, be sure to have land owner permission before hand.

 

When utilizing signs, rock faces, etc, be sure the cacher can remove and replace the cache safely without the concern of traffic.

My general rule of thumb is that a group of 4 cachers should be able to stand around the cache and not get hit by a passing vehicle.

 

Can local residents see the cache location from their home? Although not so much a safety concern, if local residents see people stopping at the same location, walking over to the same spot regularly, they might investigate and damage or remove the geocache (or call it in as a bomb to the local authorities).

 

Be creative. We did a small section of a rail trail down south. After the 4th or 5th bison tube tied to the fence, lost interest and went for ice cream instead.

 

Distance from Home

When placing these types of caches a distance from your home, be sure to have either a sponsor or support person available to check on the cache. If the location is near a cottage or second home, let the reviewer know this in a reviewer note when submitting the cache.

Should your cache have issues, you can utilize your support person, and/or use the forum to find someone in the area who can easily check on it.

As previously mentioned on this forum, my furthest cache from home is more than 2500km away. I have my in-laws as my support (informed the reviewer they know where the cache is, and will check on it), and had no issues with getting the cache published.

[+humboldt flier]

Good sight lines and adequate parking are what I appreciate the most.

 

Also a note as to best done while driving from XXXX to ZZZZ. As opposed to the opposite direction.

 

I do NOT mind short hikes on a driving cache run, however, co-ords to trailheads helps we who are from out of the areas.

Edited August 16, 2012 by humboldt flier

[+The A-Team]

Use a variety of containers and hiding methods. A long string of film canisters all hidden in the same way can get old quickly.