What Is A GeoTrail And How Does It Work?

[+MindlessEngine]

I have heard of GeoTrails in the past and just assumed they were similar to a GeoTour. Today someone found a series of caches I had placed and said "Working through the new geotrail" today. Just wondering if anyone could let me know what a GeoTrail is and how it works.

 

Thank you!

Alex.

[+Bear and Ragged]

GeoTrail.

A series of caches in an area, by a cache owner, or group of cachers.

Or could be 'some' caches that can be done while in the area.

That may, or may not have a theme.

That can be done 'together'  in a caching session. (That could be a short or long session)

 

How many caches to make a trail? Depends!

 

eta

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2011/05/geocaching-com-do-it-yourself-create-a-geotrail/

 

 

Edited June 7, 2020 by Bear and Ragged
added link to blog

[+Max and 99]

5 hours ago, MindlessEngine said:

I have heard of GeoTrails in the past and just assumed they were similar to a GeoTour. Today someone found a series of caches I had placed and said "Working through the new geotrail" today. Just wondering if anyone could let me know what a GeoTrail is and how it works.

 

Thank you!

Alex.

We have an outstanding Geo Trail in my state that has a theme of barn quilts. There is a beautiful reward geocoin for completing the trail. It is very much like a geotour but not official so it's called a Geo trail. 

[+MindlessEngine]

2 hours ago, Bear and Ragged said:

 

eta

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2011/05/geocaching-com-do-it-yourself-create-a-geotrail/

That explains it well! Thank you!

[+TmdAndGG]

There's also some good info here.

[+thebruce0]

A geotrail is also the remnant of regular geocaching activity typically through a natural area so much that a new an unintended trail is formed, typically a giveaway of the cache location, and often considered an unpleasant side-effect of geocaches in beautiful areas just off of intended higher traffic pathways... ;P

[+cerberus1]

54 minutes ago, thebruce0 said:

A geotrail is also the remnant of regular geocaching activity typically through a natural area so much that a new an unintended trail is formed, typically a giveaway of the cache location, and often considered an unpleasant side-effect of geocaches in beautiful areas just off of intended higher traffic pathways... ;P

 

Yep.  Our state parks have time-limits for caches because in many areas, eventually a "geotrail" leads to GZ.   

A geotrail here is an area that's now worn enough that many searchers can put the gps away and just follow the trail to GZ.

Here, caches in a series is called that - a series, and like many areas today, we have "power" trails, but "geotrails" aren't a nice thing to have.

Now that someone put a positive spin on the term, the term we've known it to be since starting has been relegated to the urban dictionary...  

 

[+Max and 99]

2 minutes ago, cerberus1 said:

A geotrail here is an area that's now worn enough that many searchers can put the gps away and just follow the trail to GZ.

That's the first thing that came to mind when I saw the topic of this thread. 

[Keystone]

The OP is clearly asking about the "unofficial GeoTour" meaning of "GeoTrail," so let's talk about that.

[+JL_HSTRE]

In terms of a GeoTrail cache series they come in multiple varieties:

 

1. A true power trail, i.e. series of caches along a road meant to be park-n-grabbed.

 

Lately I've seen people mixing this up. During the shutdown someone hid a power trail in central Florida consisting of multis!

 

2. A non-driving trail (hike, bike, horse, or paddle) with a high volume of hides, usually with a theme or otherwise very simple.

 

3. A series of caches, usually by one CO, with each location on-theme somehow. Caches at local waterfalls, historic buildings, city parks, or the like. Some as unofficial Geotours with a reward for completion, some not.

 

So "geotrail" is a broad concept. Generally though they try through quantity or quality attract non-locals to make a special trip for them.