Release Notes (Geocaching® app (iOS): Walking directions) - March 17, 2025

[+Geocaching HQ]

Release Notes (Geocaching® app (iOS): Walking directions) - March 17, 2025

With this release, we have added walking directions to the navigation screen on iOS (app version 9.70.0). This helps you follow a walking path directly to the cache instead of a straight-line route.
 

• On the navigation screen, you can toggle between walking directions and the original straight-line route.
• When you are within 2 miles (3.2 km), the navigation screen defaults to walking directions.
• Walking directions update dynamically as you move.
   

Note: Walking directions only work when you are online.

 

Walking directions have tested well to help players get to the cache coordinates. We plan to continue updating this feature, so please let us know how it is working for you.

 

Nicole (nykkole), Product Manager, is watching this thread to answer questions whenever possible.

 

Any posts in this thread should relate to features in this release. Comments unrelated to the release may be removed. Please direct unrelated comments to other appropriate threads. Thanks!

[+Sottiwotti]

Hopefully it will be added to Android soon, such a cool feature!

[+Cheer_Mom]

Is there any way to turn these “walking directions” off?  Or at least allow us to default to just driving directions? 

We were trying to cache tonight, and twice I ended up making wrong turns on my gps because the walking directions were taking us some crazy way that was ridiculously longer than it was to drive there.   
 

I hate that it defaults to “walking”. I will probably never need or use that where I live and it’s interfering with my safe driving.  While i’m trying to drive,  i do not want to have to remember to reach down and switch it back to the 🚗on my tiny phone screen.  I swore at it several times.
 

if someone could please tell me how to make it STOP, I’d be very thankful.  

[+Stachey Pete]

Is there a way to turn off the default that happens within 2 miles of the cache. I am reading Facebook posts complaining about this while driving to a cache. Personally I have an Android and based on the local feedback, I am not looking forward to this feature if it remains in its current settings 

[nykkole]

Thank you for your feedback. We are aware of the impact and are working on a solution. In the meantime, you can do the following:

• Toggle off walking directions back to the straight-line route by tapping the walking icon in the header on the navigation screen
• Use your preferred maps app for navigating (e.g. when driving) by tapping the car icon in the header on the navigation screen

[+Cookie & Co.]

Over the weekend was caching while driving. Twice the  iOS app tried to turn me onto a one way street going the wrong way.  The first time I turned onto the unfamiliar street and then saw oncoming traffic.  Fortunately quickly got off the street and out of the way.  The next time I knew the street was one way so I turned off the app thinking it couldn't be trusted.  Now I know that the default navigation is walking, and that is why it was navigating me to drive on wrong way on streets and once  It also haver me go the wrong way on a divided road with an esplanade. 

 

I admit I had not read the release note, nor noticed the walking & car symbols that had been added to the app when navigating.  I thought it had been updated to now giver street/trail navigation when relatively close to the cache, which is a useful change.  I think many cachers are like me and don't know exactly how this new feature works.  I suggest a warning is needed to better alert cachers of the limitation when using the app navigation while driving. 

[+Overused]

Hey I like the walking feature, but what should be added is that it recount the distance. Like when i click basicaly navigate its 2km from cache on straight line, but when i switch to walking line its still 2km but it should recount and change..

Most important now and is quite a problem is idk why you removed option to add/remove FP(hearts) from cache on cache page.. That should be definitely added back 

[+Joe_L]

The walking directions would have put me on the curving hill climbing road. Not intended for walking and a 10 to 20 foot drop over the guide rail.  Maybe the walking directions work in flatter terrain, but I have my doubts about using them in these parts.  

[nykkole]

With the most recent release of the Geocaching app version 9.74.0 on iOS, you can now select the walking directions icon and your choice will be 'sticky'. This mean that if you no longer wish to see walking directions when you are within 2 miles of the cache, you can tap to return to the straight line navigation - and every future navigation will show the straight line until you toggle the walking directions back on.