Parks and caches

[+Luggage & Leather]

I only posted this in the South and Southeast section because that is where I'm located. Many State Parks have rules restricting caches and some have no rules. National Parks forbid them altogether . Many county and city parks have no rules, or some rules. What do you think we could do (as the geocaching community) to have them OKed? I've been to Virginia and they seem to allow them, I know that North Carolina and Georgia have certain restrictions for placement. I don't disagree with having restricitions, since I used to work for parks, so whats the rules in your area and what do you think of them? Remember that any locality (city, county, state, or national) have to answer to their voters. So far I would say thatGeocachers don't have a lot of political clout, but we could work on it . Maybe we could set up a few standards and convience the parks that we were doing a good thing. By placing caches without the landowners permission, we're just going to cause them to distrust us at this point.

[+JoeyBob]

A $25 fee to place a cache? A placard on the dash if you are searching for geocaches? I won't be placing any in Umstead anytime soon. Did they ask for input from geocachers? Hawk-eye may have more info.

[+GoJoey&GoPollyanna]

Same feeling here in western carolina. I think Ill avoid the state forests and parks....

[JeffersonStone]

Let's go city parks!!!!

 

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If I had a nickel for every sewerline near rivers and lakes, I'd be RICH!!

[+GoJoey&GoPollyanna]

up here in the mountains of WNC were having some pretty good luck with the national forests and City parks in hendersonville... we havnt been botherd by any silly regulations from either of these two (YET)

[+Hawk-eye]

quote:

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Originally posted by JoeyBob:

A $25 fee to place a cache? A placard on the dash if you are searching for geocaches? I won't be placing any in Umstead anytime soon. Did they ask for input from geocachers? Hawk-eye may have more info.

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Hey JoeyBob! Yeah, if anyone's interested in my smart mouth comments check this link

 

Hey Congrats again on your 100th ... really nice getting to actually put a face with the emails! Like the video tape by the way!

 

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Co-founder of the "NC/VA GEO-HOG ASSOCIATION"

... when you absolutely have to find it first!

[+Luggage & Leather]

You might also want to check out NC State Parks & Caching if you haven't noticed that it's running a similar discussion.

[+VentureForth]

There is no state-wide policy prohibiting geocaching in State parks. However, prudence dictates that we seek permission from Park Managers or rangers. This does two things: 1) Creates a relationship between the geocaching community, and 2) Prevents the hider from getting fined if they place a cache in a sensitive area. A third 'bonus' is that if you're lucky, the land manager will keep an eye out for you. Great if you can't maintain them frequently.

 

My personal guidelines are:

Seek permission before hiding a cache in a park where a law enforcement representative lives onsite (State Parks, Army Corps, etc). To me, it's like literally hiding something in their backyard, and it'd be nice for them to know about it.

 

If it's a big city or municipal park, don't worry about permission - unless there are posted regulations at the entrance of the park. Now, seeing as this is probably the most popular place to hide caches, many get hidden in municipal parks. If you're going to hide a cache in a park where a cache already exists, encourage cachers to experience more of the park by finding a unique part of the park to hide your cache - NOT 350 feet away.

 

Always post park hours and/or fees when applicable.

 

Hope that helps...

VF

 

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Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

[+Luggage & Leather]

I placed a cache in Eno River State Park today after paying my fee and filing out the paperwork. The Park Superintendent was very nice, and informed me that I was either the second or third registered NC Park cache. I want to know who the other ones are. I understand one may be in Crowders Mountain State Park (and intuition says it was a current ranger). Any clues?

[+Luggage & Leather]

Well a few have made it to my cache in Eno River State Park (after I fixed my coordinates which I entered wrong at first . But I want to warn you that even though I used to have a few friends in the park system, some parks (like W.B.umstead) are a little resistant to it . Since it's mostly up to the park superintendent, if you want to place one in one of the NC Parks, I'd test the waters first and call them to see what they say. It may save you a lot of time. I will say that my experience at Eno River State Park was great and hope anyone in the area gets a chance to visit the cache. The fee seems a little out of line, but I understand why they are doing it. On the other hand, I guess my other ones in NC Parks will be virtual, or out of their borders .

[+ron50eli]

We have one in a State Park In Florida. I Got permission from the person in charge of that particular park. The rules for Florida State Parks, as I understand them, where NO DIGGING, NO ROPES (tied to trees) NO CHOPPING or CUTTING of anything. TREAD LIGHTLY, (try to keep cache as close to trail as possible). But they understand that if it's in plan view, it won't last long. Ours is about 100 feet off the trail. WE decided that if the Terrain starts to look like a lot of unnecessary distruction (so to speak) was starting to happen, we would move it. Don't want to give Geocaching a Bad Rap.. And the Ranger at this park is a cacher himself. Not same person as above. Sorry so lenghty. Con't.

rocker51

[+ron50eli]

Continuing on. We love the state parks. They are as REAL as is gets anymore. Our first hind is in a County Park. I got permission from the head person on this one. She have me her card with the approval written on it, which I placed in the cache. But...she showed me where we could & could not hide the cache. They had a problem with one cache being in a delicate place. But she was still very nice & understanding. If some how we can let them know that most cachers are responible, and that we take out trash, would not have know about the place if it were not for Geocaching ect. We may be able to get on there good side. Something like being protector (helping) of the land??????

rocker51

[+T-storm]

quote:

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Originally posted by VentureForth:

There is no state-wide policy prohibiting geocaching in State parks. However, prudence dictates that we seek permission from Park Managers or rangers. This does two things: 1) Creates a relationship between the geocaching community, and 2) Prevents the hider from getting fined if they place a cache in a sensitive area.

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VF is right about there being no specific prohibition of caching, but if you are placing any sort of physical cache in a Texas State Park, failure to get permission could result in a misdemeanor fine. See my post in this forum for details and the proper citation and web location of same.

 

I think that VF's initiative in getting permission from a state park paved the way for others to succeed. I also think that feeling that they had a reasonable chance of a positive response has opened a lot of cachers to taking the time and responsibility to ask. I see more and more cache listings in TX state parks that specifically say they were placed with permission. Happy Caching in your local State Parks!

 

T-storm

 

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