My E-mail To Mn Tourism & Dnr

[+Car54]

Given all the recent issues regarding various states either restricting or banning geocaching, I decided to send the following e-mail to the Dept of Tourism and the Dept of Natural Resources in the state of Minnesota. I was reacting to the following quote found on MN State Park General Rules Page:

 

"Geocaching

Geocaching is prohibited in Minnesota State Parks. Due to concerns related to natural resource protection, visitor safety, staff workloads and liability, geocaches are not permitted on lands administered by the Minnesota State Park System. Any geocaches found will be considered abandoned property."

 

In our case, this particular paragraph really did change our plan to spend some time and money in that state. Maybe my e-mail won't matter a hill of beans (most likely outcome ), but if, over time, enough of us continue to press the point, some changes might be made.

 

TO: info@dnr.state.mn.us; explore@state.mn.us

 

Hello! We live in Indiana and are planning a 2-week trip to the Mt.

Rushmore area this summer. As we researched the routes we wanted to take

with our pickup truck and pop-up camper, we thought it would be nice to

visit as many states as possible. We really enjoying camping at public

campgrounds - state parks, COE, national forests, and the like.

 

Last night we were researching Minnesota state parks along our planned route

and were just about ready to make a reservation at Kilen Woods SP when we

decided to check the general rules portion of the state park website. What

we were looking for was the vehicle fee, which we found. However, something

else we found made us decide to just skip your state and come back home

through Nebraska and Iowa instead.

 

What turned us off? We are geocachers. We like to hike trails and enjoy

finding the scenic spots where geocaches are often hidden. Oh, we've heard

many of the "reasons" geocaching is out of favor with some state DNR's and

I'm sure you've heard the counterpoints. So there's really no need to

rehash that discussion.

 

We just simply wanted to let you know that your stand on our hobby cost your

state our tourist dollars, not just this summer, but potentially in the

future as well. While I'm sure Minnesota is a beautiful state with many

fine parks, we've got plenty of parks yet to explore in those states that

welcome "our kind". Perhaps if you hear from enough of us, as well as the

voices of your local geocaching organizations, you might reconsider your

total ban of a wholesome hobby in your state parks.

 

Thanks for listening,

Rochelle XXXXX

[magellan315]

Nice letter. Taking my tourism elsewheres. Short, to the point, and no belabouring the problems they may have with Geoaching.

[+planetrobert]

A very nice letter. You didn't fly off the handle or anything.

 

If more people would write letters like that we maybe could accomplish things.

[+cudlecub]

What more can ya say? Maybe if others have done this same thing they will realize the loss they are encountering because of their rules.

[+Hydnckr]

I liked it too. Very to the point without, as you stated, rehashing the details and pros and cons. Good idea

[+Jamie Z]

That letter has a very interesting tone. Very upbeat, yet somewhat condescending. Heh... I think it's pretty good. Perhaps you'll get a response you can share.

 

I agree that the state park ban in MN is really a shame. I'm a native Minnesotan, and I've always been proud of the attitude Minnesotans have in their policies and politics. Voting Jesse in, for example, may or may not have been a good idea, but it sure was an interesting experiment.

 

I've only visited a handful of MN state parks. Shortly after I graduated from high school, I moved to a very rural part of the state with a state park about ten miles from my home. While I lived there, I never once visited the park.

 

Seven years later, after I moved away and after the introduction of geocaching, I went back home for a visit. I went to the state park with some friends to find the cache. When I went into the office to pay my daily permit, I had a conversation with the park personel about how it was such a great park but people don't know about it--I mentioned that I used to live right down the road.

 

Well, the geocache led us down a rocky hiking trail paralleling a turbulent river. We were high on a cliff, looking down at the rough water. It was exceptional. The cache was hidden under one of the rocky overhangs above the water.

 

The two friends that I brought with me really enjoyed it, and its still one of the best geocaches I've ever found. That cache was removed shortly after our visit based on the then-new geocaching prohibition. I surely wish MN would reconsider the policy.

 

Jamie

[+Isonzo Karst]

Nice, but I'd edit the "our kind" to just geocaching... the "our kind" in quotes is intended to be (or likely to be perceived as) inflammatory. They've got nothing against "any kind" actually. Providing links to some state park systems that DO allow geocaching would be a good idea too. Not that I'm writing any emails like that - not doing any traveling and living in Florida (land of caches everywhere). And I do appreciate the effort.

 

Here is the portion of the Florida State Park procedures manual related to geocaching:

 

24. GEOCACHING PROCEDURE

 

Geocaching is a popular worldwide game using GPS (global positioning system) equipment. The game consists of someone creating a cache (often a tupperware container with small items and a log-in book); hiding it and posting its GPS coordinates to a website. Game-players access the website for the GPS coordinates; then use their own GPS units to find the hidden cache. Natural areas, including state parks, are favorite hiding locations.

 

The Division considers geocaching to be benign and a legitimate public attraction to the parks, when the cache sites are not objectionable to park management for resource protection or safety reasons. The geocache websites include many enthusiastic reports of geocachers enjoying the parks as families and individuals.

 

Geocaches may not be placed in state parks without verbal permission by the Park Manager. Caches should not be buried, should not contribute to trail-blazing, should not be placed in an active burn zone, and should not be in areas where access is prohibited or discouraged (e.g., dunes, archaeological sites, or sensitive areas). No toxic or explosive substances, including batteries, lighters, matches, aerosol cans, etc., should be included in a cache.

 

Geocache website managers have been requested by BNCR to verify a Park Manager’s approval before they post a new cache site to their website. In addition, Park Managers should access geocaching websites (e.g., http://www.geocaching.com or http://www.navicache.com) and learn what caches are already located in their parks. If an unapproved geocache is found, the Park Manager should attempt to contact the owner. If the placement is not objectionable, approval should be given. If placement is objectionable, the caches should be confiscated and the owner should be asked to choose a mutually acceptable location.

Edited May 4, 2005 by Isonzo Karst

[+miles58]

Car54,

 

Would you please also send your email to:

 

http://www.deed.state.mn.us/tourism/

 

Thanks.

 

A Minnesota Cacher

[+Car54]

Miles58,

 

I checked the contact info at that website and all I could find was the explore@state.mn.us that I already e-mailed. Do you have another e-mail address you'd like me to forward it to?

 

Car54

[+dmnrec]

I am a geocacher who gets paid to cache with my youth at my recreation sites in Duluth, MN. I am currently working on a policy for caches in our 129 parks in the city as well as all of our trails and other park property. Even though I do not have any say or jurisdiction on state parks, our city Parks Dept. supports geocaching. So if you still want to come to MN, come to the city of Duluth..we have awesome caches here and also a campground at Spirit Mountain. The Lester Park Bash, a MN Geocache event, is on June 4th.

[+Kitch]

129 parks---wow!

 

Duluth just went up on my list of vacation locations....

Edited May 4, 2005 by Kitch

[+Car54]

Duluth just went up on my list of vacation locations....

 

Yup, I've bookmarked that campground's website for future reference. It's too far north for our trip this summer, but sounds like a good candidate for a future trip. Thanks, dmnrec!

 

Car54

[+GunniGirl]

Here is the portion of the Florida State Park procedures manual related to geocaching:

 

24. GEOCACHING PROCEDURE

 

Geocaching is a popular worldwide game using GPS (global positioning system) equipment. The game consists of someone creating a cache (often a tupperware container with small items and a log-in book); hiding it and posting its GPS coordinates to a website. Game-players access the website for the GPS coordinates; then use their own GPS units to find the hidden cache. Natural areas, including state parks, are favorite hiding locations.

 

The Division considers geocaching to be benign and a legitimate public attraction to the parks, when the cache sites are not objectionable to park management for resource protection or safety reasons. The geocache websites include many enthusiastic reports of geocachers enjoying the parks as families and individuals.

 

Geocaches may not be placed in state parks without verbal permission by the Park Manager. Caches should not be buried, should not contribute to trail-blazing, should not be placed in an active burn zone, and should not be in areas where access is prohibited or discouraged (e.g., dunes, archaeological sites, or sensitive areas). No toxic or explosive substances, including batteries, lighters, matches, aerosol cans, etc., should be included in a cache.

 

Geocache website managers have been requested by BNCR to verify a Park Manager’s approval before they post a new cache site to their website. In addition, Park Managers should access geocaching websites (e.g., http://www.geocaching.com or http://www.navicache.com) and learn what caches are already located in their parks. If an unapproved geocache is found, the Park Manager should attempt to contact the owner. If the placement is not objectionable, approval should be given. If placement is objectionable, the caches should be confiscated and the owner should be asked to choose a mutually acceptable location.

That looks like a fine policy example for other park managing entities to adopt. Bless Florida!

[+Milbank]

Car54,

Did you ever get a reply back?

[+Car54]

Sorry it took me so long to answer your question, Milbank. Nope, I never heard back - not even the courtesy of an auto-reply.

 

Mrs. Car54