Easy Way to Find an Unused Cache Location

[+DrJeckyloftheDunes]

I'm trying to place my first cache and I went to go grab coordinates. When I got home and placed the coordinates for the hide I found that the website said that there was a  cache nearby. The cache in question is an EarthCache and showed it was much further away. In fact, the closest cache was .2 miles away. If I have to go back and find a new location I'd like to find an easy way to find an appropriate spot. On the website it shows red circles all over the park with some trails having small spots of availability. It would be nice to be able to see this on the app. Hopefully I explained this well enough. Any ideas?

[+The Leprechauns]

The app really isn't designed for hiding caches, it's for finding them.

Use the planning map to "plan before you go."

The cache saturation guideline doesn't apply to earthcaches (except regarding other earthcaches with similar subject matter).

[+Lynx Humble]

53 minutes ago, DrJeckyloftheDunes said:

I'm trying to place my first cache and I went to go grab coordinates. When I got home and placed the coordinates for the hide I found that the website said that there was a  cache nearby. The cache in question is an EarthCache and showed it was much further away. In fact, the closest cache was .2 miles away. If I have to go back and find a new location I'd like to find an easy way to find an appropriate spot. On the website it shows red circles all over the park with some trails having small spots of availability. It would be nice to be able to see this on the app. Hopefully I explained this well enough. Any ideas?

If you have an iPhone the app cachly show the 0,1 mile circle. But that doesn"t guaranty that the spot is available because multi and mysteries have hidden container that could be in conflict with your new hide

 

Like The Leprechauns said you can put a cache directly beside an earthcache 

[+Isonzo Karst]

I'm quite surprised that you would see a saturation warning for an Earthcache. Ah, but looking at it, I see why (i'm assuming the Earthcache you found recently). The owner of that Earthcache has listed its points to visit as "physical stages", and duplicated the listing coords in that list of waypoints. They are NOT physical stages - they are physical places, but the Earthcache owner didn't put anything (a "stage") there.

 

Your cache may have other problems, but proximity to the Earthcache is not one of them.  It's confusing that you should run into this problem on your first try in placing.

 

Edited December 31, 2018 by Isonzo Karst

[+DrJeckyloftheDunes]

Awesome. Thank you everyone.

@Isonzo Karst that is what I thought might be happening. This EarthCache wants you to visit all three sand dunes but the placement of the cache itself is on the first one and I am on the third.

@Lynx Humble I have an Android. So no circle but you can clearly see the nearest caches then click on them and see the distance.

@The Leprechauns This is great info. I remember doing an Earthcache and a traditional recently in close proximity now that you mention it. I guess I could always start creating a hide on my phone with the website and then input the coordinates as I go but man is that a hassle. I doubt I run into this issue often but I'm trying to find a place within the State Park and get it approved before an event in late January. It has the added difficulty of proper permits and such since it is in the State Park. But a little difficulty will just make the reward greater.

[+The Leprechauns]

I'm happy you found everyone's responses to be helpful!  Good luck with your State Park permit and the January event.  Caches like what you've described are the ones I enjoy visiting when traveling, and Indiana is very much on my radar for future trips.

[+coachstahly]

Hope you enjoyed the hike up and down, up and down, up and down the dunes for your most recent EC.  I did it a bit later in the winter than you did but either way, it's still an interesting hike. The state park permit process isn't too bad.  I'd suggest making sure you take photos of the area you wish to place your cache, the actual container you plan on using (extra helpful if you have the container with you and show the way in which you plan on hiding it), and the coordinates when submitting it for SP approval.  The naturalist is the one who usually approves the cache, but that might not always be the case.  I know the naturalist did for the 2 ECs I have near Turkey Run/Shades SPs.  Once you get the approval, I'd include a photo of the sheet showing approval with your cache submission to the reviewer to speed things up.  I did that with my local park's approval and the reviewer appreciated it.