Geocaching And State Parks.

[+Milbank]

I know some of the State parks are geocaching friendly and some (MN) seem to be against geocaching in there/our state parks.

 

South Dakota State parks have there open park weekend this coming weekend and I have been hearing a lot on the radio about all the activities that you can do in the state parks.

 

They talk about horse back riding, biking, hiking, fishing, etc....

 

It would be preaty cool if they would have said Geocaching.

 

Do any of the Geocaching friendly state parks list Geocaching as a activity when they advertise on the radio or in brochures?

 

If so what one's and how did someone go about getting it listed?

 

I think it would be great (if possible) to have a cache in each and every South Dakota State park and to have the park dept. talk about geocaching every now and then.

Edited May 17, 2005 by Milbank

[Keystone]

The geocaching page for West Virginia State Parks is pretty cool, because it lists all the geocaches and includes links to the cache pages.

 

Many other State Park systems *mention* geocaching on their websites but it's usually a more passive form of promotion -- a quick description of the activity followed by all the rules that must be obeyed before a permit will be issued.

[peter]

Arkansas has a pretty positive description of the activity along with several pictures and a list of which parks allow it and the minority that don't. See:

http://www.arkansasstateparks.com/things/geocache/

 

North Dakota also lists links to the geocaching site and lists some of their parks that have caches:

http://www.ndparks.com/Trails/geocaching.htm

[+junglehair]

The State Parks in New York recently implemented a permit system for caches placed there. It's a free permit, they just want to make sure that caches are placed in safe/non-sensitive areas.

 

The New York Geocaching Organization has a pretty good working relationship with the State Parks, and they've even asked us to come out and set up geocaching demonstrations a few times.

[+hikemeister]

The geocaching page for West Virginia State Parks is pretty cool, because it lists all the geocaches and includes links to the cache pages.

 

Many other State Park systems *mention* geocaching on their websites but it's usually a more passive form of promotion -- a quick description of the activity followed by all the rules that must be obeyed before a permit will be issued.

Wow -- this is extremely progressive. I geocache there periodically and am glad to see the state is embracing the sport in this manner.

[+Breaktrack]

The geocaching page for West Virginia State Parks is pretty cool, because it lists all the geocaches and includes links to the cache pages.

 

Many other State Park systems *mention* geocaching on their websites but it's usually a more passive form of promotion -- a quick description of the activity followed by all the rules that must be obeyed before a permit will be issued.

Wow -- this is extremely progressive. I geocache there periodically and am glad to see the state is embracing the sport in this manner.

Actually, for several years there, it was not certain that ANY state parks were ever going to allow Geocaching legally. Due to the very sincere and constant efforts on the part of some very dedicated cachers many of the states have opened up, and some even embraced, the Geocaching concept.

 

Mac

[+Milbank]

It's great to see other state parks being so geocaching friendly.

 

http://www.ndparks.com/Trails/geocaching.htm Did not know about North Dakota's Thanks..

[+briansnat]

The state of Connecticut actively promotes letterboxing in their state forests.. They even have a program where they give out awards for reaching a certain amount of finds.

 

I have no idea why they chose to promote letterboxing over geocaching other than maybe that there is no need to buy "expensive" equipment to find a letterbox.

[+wimseyguy]

It must be because CT is such a poverty stricken state.

[MapheadMike]

The state of Connecticut actively promotes letterboxing in their state forests.. They even have a program where they give out awards for reaching a certain amount of finds.

 

I have no idea why they chose to promote letterboxing over geocaching other than maybe that there is no need to buy "expensive" equipment to find a letterbox.

Because in CT, letterboxing has more participants and more objects in the field than geocaching and the local letterboxers have done the organizing and outreach that has been more commonly done by cachers in other states.

 

While the state parks website in Virginia doesn't mention geocaching, there is a page for geocaching and letterboxing on the Virginia Tourism website.

[+briansnat]

While the state parks website in Virginia doesn't mention geocaching, there is a page for geocaching and letterboxing on the Virginia Tourism website.

 

Hey, great link. Perhaps our SC friends should see that!

[+Team Platypus Love]

The State Parks in New York recently implemented a permit system for caches placed there. It's a free permit, they just want to make sure that caches are placed in safe/non-sensitive areas.

 

The New York Geocaching Organization has a pretty good working relationship with the State Parks, and they've even asked us to come out and set up geocaching demonstrations a few times.

where can I get more information on this?

 

I would like to place some caches up in the Thousand Island Region

[+junglehair]

The State Parks in New York recently implemented a permit system for caches placed there.  It's a free permit, they just want to make sure that caches are placed in safe/non-sensitive areas.

 

The New York Geocaching Organization has a pretty good working relationship with the State Parks, and they've even asked us to come out and set up geocaching demonstrations a few times.

where can I get more information on this?

 

I would like to place some caches up in the Thousand Island Region

The permit application is available at the park office. The guidelines are published on the NYGO site at:

 

New York State Parks Geocaching Permit

[+Bjorn74]

McCormick's Creek State Park in Indiana lists Geocaching as one of the activities in the park's brochure. It was something to look at when we were avoiding rain instead of geocaching there in February. I'd guess that the rest of the parks have something similar.

[+RetiredDNR&R2]

Some geocaches have been placed in State areas and do not have the necessary permission. What do we do when we know this is the case?

Should we email the owner and let him know the policy for the area? If we do and they do not correct it do we contact the reviewer? Contact the park?

[+Bluesman63]

I looked at the Washington State Parks website but couldn't find anything on caching there.

Here's what the ranger at a park near my house had to say about a cache that was placed with out permission.

 

Bluesman63

[+soreyes]

I looked at the Washington State Parks website but couldn't find anything on caching there.

Here's what the ranger at a park near my house had to say about a cache that was placed with out permission.

 

Bluesman63

Washington State park guidlines are listed here :

WA St Park Guidlines

 

BTW, that was a super cool log! Thanks for posting it.

[+GEO.JOE]

Kentucky Dam Village State Park's recreation department has placed a cacheKDV Catfish Cache and an April 2005 press release indicates "Pennyrile Forest State Park has planned a special event around the hot new sport of geocaching, in which participants use global positioning system devices to find the “prize.” Pennyrile will hold a geocaching weekend on Sept. 9-11."

 

Geocaching is still not listed on there website but everyone I have spoked to at a KY State Park about Geocaching has a positive attitude and welcomes the sport.

[+c88m]

So since we're talking about state park guidelines are there any for MA ? I've done some searching to no avail so I want to see if someone else can find any . I've got one and getting ready to place a second so want to make sure .

[+Fergus]

In Maryland we have a pretty good relations with the state parks. The Maryland Geocaching Society worked with the state parks to write a set of guidelines for geocaching in state parks. Sense then I don’t think we have had any major problems with caches in state parks.

[+MTGeoPirates]

I recently talked to the park manager at a state park here in Montana. His first reaction was to say no because "we don't allow digging at the park". When I explained to him that there's no digging involved, and that the cache would be in an out of the way area, he seemed much more receptive. He had me email a proposal to him, explaining where and why I would like to place the cache. I'm hopeful that things will turn out. I'll keep you posted, for those of you in or planning to visit Montana.

[+Team HHD1]

I'm currently talking a South Ga State Park into allowing GeoCaching... I was almost given a YES when I mentioned the CITO program.

 

I'll let you know how it goes... There is a site I want to hide an ammo can... I can almost taste it, oh what a great site to hide!!!

 

*salivating*

lol...

[+okpondlady/N5PNE]

I got permission in Oklahoma by asking the Park Manager. Lake Eufaula State Park's Manager, Sue Hughart, was thrilled to have ANOTHER geocache. Of course, what I forgot to ask was... do you burn off in the spring/late winter? Yes they do and burned off my tupperware box. Live and Learn, I will place another soon. BUT, Oklahoma Corp of Engineers, said NO WAY when I asked about placing a cache in Belle Starr Park which is closer to the Lake and part of their domain. They think it is a digging thing too and I cannot get an appointment with the man who I need permission from to explain it.

 

Depends on the department I think.

 

Karen

[+MTGeoPirates]

It's looking good for placing my cache in the state park in Montana. I've talked with the manager again, and he seems very receptive. We've scheduled a meeting so that I can show him my cache, and the location I'd like to place it. We'll also have the park historian along to ensure I don't want to place it in a sensitive area. The only down side is that between the two of us, our schedules don't match up until the 25th of June. I guess the moral to this story is to keep trying, and be willing to bend over backwards to assure the managers that our intentions are good.

[+BubbleDragon]

Here's PA's site for such information. I'm glad they're addressing it in a positive fashion, and I totally understand the rule about no PVC pipes, though I think they'd be ok if you used the pipe as the base for a clever disguise to build up from.

 

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/geocaching.aspx