Where To Park!

[Trinity's Crew]

I enjoy caching at lunch with another member of the crew and I am totally frustrated by the lack of parking directions that many caches supply.

 

For instance, there are many, many caches hidden in the Patapsaco Valley State Park system that runs through a large area of my state. (Maryland) The problem is, there are dozens of entrances to this park system within 10 miles of my workplace. Many (or most) of these are not marked on a map and roads that appear to be close to the cache are not usually close to a park entrance.

 

So, am I in the minority, or are others frustrated by a lack of directions to the nearest (or at least convenient) parking for a cache?

 

P.S. I am not nearly as frustrated on weekends when I have more time to kill. Driving around trying to find the appropriate parking place is not nearly as frustrating when you aren't punching a clock!

 

Edit: Clarity

Edited March 17, 2005 by Trinity's Crew

[+jeff35080]

Finding where to park is just part of the fun and part of the game. I consider it part of the whole experience

[+cache_test_dummies]

I usually appreciate a good set of parking coordinates when offered.

 

On the other hand, I fully respect the right of the cache owner to NOT provide parking coordinates, so I don't get frustrated when none are given. It just adds to my planning time.

[Mr. TSP]

Unless the page gives parking coordinates, it's usually pretty obvious to me where to park. But I do appreciate when this information is provided.

[+Ranboze]

So, am I in the minority, or are others frustrated by a lack of directions to the nearest (or at least convenient) parking for a cache?

Im with you Trinity, especially in areas where access is not obvious, maps may not be helpful for access, and trailheads are hidden. I love caching, but I would rather spend my time hunting the cache, not the parking spot... isnt' that why they call it geocaching and not geoparking? I will drive away from a cache if I can't figure out how to access it.

 

Having said that, if it's a cache that folks are raving about and I would really miss out on something special, I will usually ask previous finders or cache owner for access directions.

[+Renegade Knight]

You are in the minority but you are not alone. I'll leave parking coords when I want you to approach from one specific location. If I have no preference then I won't list them because, well, I have no preference how you approach the cache.

[+IV_Warrior]

Having recently done Dark, I can understand your frustration with trying to find the right parking area for caches in Patapsaco Valley State Park. I was given a tip on the right entrance to the park, and STILL took the wrong road my first try, and had to turn around to come in the right way.....(Dark's worth the trouble) Sometimes, the hider wants finding the best spot to park to be part of the challenge of the cache. Other times, they understand the frustration, and provide parking coords and/or directions to the best parking spot.

[+TheHawksNest]

I agree with Renegade, and its part of the challenge finding best place to park. Wether you have to print maps, refer to topos, or whatever.

[+GeoTeam Maggi]

I agree with Renegade, and its part of the challenge finding best place to park.  Wether you have to print maps, refer to topos, or whatever.

Me too. I've found ExpertGPS handy. You can drop cache placement right on topos and ariels which makes locating the closest road and parking area fairly easy.

 

I'll give parking or turn off coords depending on the cache. For example, Finger Rock Cache is an off road cache where travel is restricted to signed routes only. To make sure a cacher doesn't end up on a closed trail, I give turn-off coords. Treadlightly! Keep those park rangers happy!

[+cachew nut]

So, am I in the minority, or are others frustrated by a lack of directions to the nearest  (or at least convenient) parking for a cache?

I have found that the cache is still findable even if you did not park in the nearest or convenient spot. When driving gets frustrating, just pull over in the very first spot you see and walk the rest of the way.

Edited March 17, 2005 by cachew nut

[Hucklebuck]

By frustrated do you mean this:Where the heck do I park

I try to give parking and starting diretions if they're not obvious. I think it's only responsible to provide people with access points. i.e. "The best way into the Walmart parking lot is the right turn only lane off hwy 39" . Tresspassing is serious business. I have had guns pointed at me while surveying in the woods, it's pretty scary. I can only imagine trying to explain yourself without the work truck and survey gear.

 

In the OPs case its a park with lot's of different parking options. I'm never upset if I walk too far in a nice park. (plus there's probably a map in the visitors center or kiosk). I've purposely given "bad" parking coords to encourage people to explore a little of the park. But out in the boonies, around private property it's different.

 

P.S. Tpopzone and mapquest don't address issues of property ownership, and the rights of those owners to have you spend a few hours with the local law explaining "Geocaching".

Edited March 17, 2005 by Hucklebuck

[+briansnat]

So, am I in the minority, or are others frustrated by a lack of directions to the nearest (or at least convenient) parking for a cache?

 

Nope I'm not frustrated at all. Its all part of the hunt. The vast majority of the time of the time I can figure out where to park by checking the Mapquest and Topozone maps.

 

As a cache owner I'll only include parking directons or coordinates if there are private property issues and I want to make sure searchers don't trespass, or if for some reason I want searchers to approach the cache from a specific direction (often the harder one, hehehehe).

 

P.S. Tpopzone and mapquest don't address issues of property ownership, and the rights of those owners to have you spend a few hours with the local law explaining "Geocaching

 

No, but you can often tell by the maps whether a street will take you into a park, or if it will be surrounded by private property. Those little black sqares in Topozone are buildings - often homes, or businesses. If you see a street surounded with those black squares you can be pretty sure there is no legal access from that street.

 

I have found that the cache is still findable even if you did not park in the nearest or convenient spot. When driving gets frustrating, just pull over in the very first spot you see and walk the rest of the way

 

That's true. With the dash and grab, "#5 of 39 today" mentality of many geocachers they expect the owners to hold their hands and guide them to within feet of the cache. If they were instead willing to enjoy the walk and stop and smell the begonias along the way, they can park pretty much anywhere.

Edited March 17, 2005 by briansnat

[Trinity's Crew]

I have found that the cache is still findable even if you did not park in the nearest or convenient spot. When driving gets frustrating, just pull over in the very first spot you see and walk the rest of the way.

Sage advice, Cachew. As I mentioned, my frustration level is directly proportional to the time I have at my disposal. Poking around or parking wherever on weekends is no big deal. Of couse with the price of gas these days, being lost a lot can start to add up.

I was just a bit frustrated yesterday while trying to find a usable entrance for a couple of caches in a state park. Initially, I was in a residential area that bordered the park with no access unless I wanted to cut through somebody's yard. Anyway after trying a couple of other entrances, I found the area that I believe will take me to the right trailhead, just in time to turn around and go back to the office. Oh well...there's always today!

[+Team GPSaxophone]

Finding where to park is just part of the fun and part of the game. I consider it part of the whole experience

Not neccessarily. Keep in mind that non-locals will have no idea where to park. Leaving parking coords off may not affect the locals, but it sure hurts the visitors.

 

I'll be doing a lot of driving this year, and we just bought a travel trailer to take with us. I'd rather not have to back that thing up more than I have to to try and find a parking area by the trailhead.

[+Isonzo Karst]

I'm sure this varies wildly from county to county, but locally (west central Florida) I find the county tax offices to be a gold mine of information about public/private property boundaries. I've used Hernando county's tax maps to verify that an access lot was public (parking for my own cache placement) and to confirm my suspicions that a cache had been placed on a private lot that (undeveloped) had long been used for river access.

 

I like parking coords, and generally supply them.

 

For the OP I'd guess these folks would know about all the access points.

Edited March 17, 2005 by Isonzo Karst

[+CharlieP]

For some locations it is appropriate to make finding the parking area part of the hunt, in fact it may be the major component of the search. For some other locations, not specifying the correct parking area may lead to geocachers tresspassing or encountering dangerous conditions. Cache owners need to consider the possible approaches that may be used by searchers, and post parking coords and other instructions when appropriate.

 

FWIW, CharlieP

[+StarBrand]

Sure I get frustrated but I consider it part of the thrill and the hunt. Most Private property is well marked or fairly obvious - use some common sense - if you are uncertain - find a new approach or skip it. I leave parking coords only where there is a private property issue or to guide somebody down an intended path - wether or not it is the close-in parking.

 

I have have found at least 1 cache that listed parking coords about .75 miles away - only to gewt to the cache and discover perfectly legal and safe parking about 500 feet away. Not sure if the owner did it intentionally or the owner simply listed the path he/she took. Either way, I learned to look at maps and try to find closer parking when and where I can/want to.

[+cache_test_dummies]

I have have found at least 1 cache that listed parking coords about .75 miles away - only to gewt to the cache and discover perfectly legal and safe parking about 500 feet away.

This has happened to me, too.

 

The good news was that I found the closer spot after I DNF'd the cache, so I got to use it when I came back the second time. Oh, and since I DNF'd the second time as well, I got to use the closer spot when I came back for the third time ...

[+sbell111]

I think that it's totally up to the cache owner. Sometimes, it is frustrating to find the perfect place to park, but it's part of the game.

[+CharlieP]

Most Private property is well marked or fairly obvious

Around here (north GA) that is not true, especially near large National Forests or Wildlife Management Areas. I have been scoping out a cache placement where the location is on public land (WMA) that is surrounded by private land on 3 sides. It has taken a lot of research, including looking at county tax maps, to determine a way geocachers can approach the cache without tresspassing. Some of the private land is posted, but only at the obvious entry points.

Edited March 17, 2005 by CharlieP

[+Poindexter]

For instance, there are many, many caches hidden in the Patapsaco Valley State Park system that runs through a large area of my state. (Maryland) The problem is, there are dozens of entrances to this park system within 10 miles of my workplace. Many (or most) of these are not marked on a map and roads that appear to be close to the cache are not usually close to a park entrance.

 

I have done a few caches in this park as well. They have a nice web site with maps and directions to each of the entrance area's. They even have some nice topo maps with all the trail systems that you can purchase for just a few bucks. Well worth it if you hike often there. I provide directions to parking for my cache but it doesn't bother me that there are none for caches that I'm seeking. Just part of the fun trying to figure out the best spot as far as I'm concerned.

[+reveritt]

If there is a legal parking location, or a trailhead to use in order to avoid trespassing, or other information that will help geocachers stay within bounds, then that information should be included in the cache listing.

[+Perrin]

I could care less if there are parking coords or not. Except for the fact that gas prices are now ridiculously high and getting higher. So from a financial perspective it would be nice to have accurate driving and parking directions.

[+JohnnyVegas]

I would provide them if there might be problems.

If the only place to park is a small parking space along a very long road with no place to turn around for several mile, I will leave parking coordinates.

[+jimmyreno]

its part of the challenge finding best place to park. Wether you have to print maps, refer to topos, or whatever.

I think parking should be included, if finding a parking spot is the hardest part of finding a cache, then it's pretty lame.

 

I'd just as soon skip that one. Especially if I'm in another city.

 

When you log your find, you can include parking hints in it, I do that.

[+cachew nut]

Is there anyone else who finds the need for parking coordinates humorous? If you can't find a parking place then what makes you think you can find the cache?

 

Imagine, if you will, a spiral parking lot with the cache near the end of the spiral. If you can't figure out how to get into the parking lot then how are the parking coordinates going to help? What next, include parking lot entrance coordinates?