A list of suggested and commonly practiced protocol and etiquette while geocaching.

Geocaching Etiquette

For many, the allure of geocaching is being able to play a worldwide, generally non-competitive, outdoor game that has no ultimate goal.  The choices of how to play are endless and you can change your choice at any time.  You are free to choose when, where, and how you play. You are free to cache alone, or with companions.  Your level of participation (from how many caches you find, to how many you hide) is entirely your decision.  Undeniably, the liberty to choose your own adventures based mainly on your own desires and limitations, along with no pressure to “graduate” to another skill level, is rare in many hobbies. 

The aforementioned liberties, along with the certain amount of anonymity to the game, unfortunately give some the impression that it is acceptable to conduct themselves in an unsporting manner. Others, whether in ignorance, zeal or enthusiasm while playing, may unintentionally cause detriment to the game or unwittingly insult other players. Disrespecting nature, your fellow cachers, jeopardizing safety, and lessening the rights of the public in a public place, all for another smiley, is not what this game advocates. 

Having fun should never come at the expense of the game, nature, or another person, place, or thing.  To ensure that no harm comes to anyone and no hardships are created by this game, the following are some commonly accepted & suggested protocol on game conduct while hiding or seeking a cache.

Hiding Caches:

1.   Study the cache site thoroughly and make sure you are not on private property, violating any no trespassing signs, disobeying any “entry by permit only” areas, or rules applying to stepping off designated trails.  While Administrators have access to many maps, they are not always accurate.  Geocaching.com trusts you to follow your local laws and the rules governing the land your cache is placed on.

2.   Consider the muggle activity, and if there is another reason/excuse other than geocaching, a person has to be in that area.  While muggle challenges are great, don’t place your cache on or near something where seekers will likely draw attention from law enforcement, security, maintenance workers, or employees.  Obviously any cacher has the potential to call attention to themselves no matter the cache, but consider the area you are putting it in and consider the likelihood that they will be seen. If this area is one that might possibly be a target of terrorism, and a geocacher’s behavior could arouse suspicion, perhaps rethink hiding one there. It doesn’t matter how stealthy people think they are being, our society is more vigilant and suspicious then ever before.  Step out of the geocacher mentality for a moment. Think about what you would assume if you saw someone loitering, looking and feeling around for no obvious reason in that spot, with a mysterious device in his or her hand they kept consulting.

3.   If the area is garbage laden or an obviously debauchery inclined gathering site, it’s cruel to draw your peers to the site and expect them to root around the mess.  At best, you are subjecting them to gross-outs and unpleasant aromas; at worst you are endangering them should they touch or step on broken glass or used paraphernalia of controlled substances.  Think about what a child geocaching might come across and how their parents may have to fear for their safety, or even explain what that child may have found.

4.  Take a moment to look around the cache site and think about how drawing visitors will impact the site.  If there is a possibility the extra foot traffic will be detrimental to the environment or disturb wildlife, choose another location. 

5.  Does your cache site have any of these features; poison plants, creepy critters or hungry mosquitoes, heavy bushwhacking thru thorns, muddy trails, steep slopes to climb up or down, or even require a higher standard of physical fitness?  Will the height of the cache cause some difficulty in retrieving it? Be kind and note those obstacles in your description or attributes, or even in your hints if for some reason listing it on the cache page will give anything away.  While there is a terrain rating and a difficulty rating on the cache form, those are open to interpretation, and may mislead people.  It takes just a little more effort to thoroughly inform seekers. This will assist them in making an educated decision to pass over or go for it and properly prepare for the challenge.

6.  Take as many coordinates as you can.  Wait a few minutes, walk some distance away, navigate to your waypoint and estimate your accuracy.  Accuracy fluctuates so frequently with GPS, that the more waypoints you take, the more likely you are to have an accurate coordinate. Google Earth is also a wonderful tool to help you pinpoint your accuracy.  Save your waypoints, and then open them in Google Earth to give you a visual aid in determining the closest waypoint.

7.  Include coordinates for parking and trailheads on your cache page, especially if those spots are difficult to locate.

8.   Include on your cache page park hours, permit requirements, dog policies, and if necessary, picnic or carry in/carry out policies.  List in the attributes section if there are public restrooms. If there is history to the site, or something interesting to do, or just a spectacular view, note that on the page to give seekers a heads-up not to miss it.

 9. Maintain your caches.  Physically compromised containers containing water, dirt, mildew, and/or critters taking up residence, do not make for a pleasant experience when a finder opens it up.  It’s so disappointing to find a wet cache and log. Geocachers are not shy about letting you know your cache is in dire need of an owner visit.  You will usually know by the first person to find it in that condition.  Be polite and acknowledge their concerns by putting a note on the cache page. Assure future seekers that you will follow up by either cleaning it up and restocking, or simply archiving it (you still need to go and pick up the remnants), and make good on that promise. The same can be said for possible muggled or missing caches.  By the 3rd DNF in a row, it is reasonable to expect an owner visit to check on the cache, even if it is an evil little micro.  If more than a month has passed since a cacher has expressed concern, but nothing has been accomplished, any cacher has justification to report your cache and request an archive.

10. Be realistic in your own capability to maintain a cache.  Placing a cache outside your boundaries of convenient visitation is not an excuse to neglect a cache if something goes wrong, or if it needs a new logbook and swag stock.

11.  If you are genuinely occupied by unforeseen or unusual activities, but want your cache to survive, appeal to a nearby cacher or ask for a volunteer in the forums for assistance in maintaining it temporarily, or if more long term, adopting it.  Perhaps you can repay the favor to them or another cacher in the future.

12.  Be prepared for good, bad, and ugly reviews.  Most players are pleased to get another smiley, and will thank you for the contribution.  However, not everyone plays the same way you play, and not everyone will appreciate your hide the way you intended.  Don’t take criticism personally, but rather learn from their opinions and suggestions.

Seeking Caches:

1.   Take the time to thoroughly read the cache page before you head out.  There could be crucial information and recommendations for preparations on your part. Don’t complain in the cache page log just because you skimmed the cache page or didn’t read it at all, and your ill-equipped journey turned out to be a bad experience.

2.   Stay on the trails as long as you can before stepping off, (unless the cache page states bushwhacking is necessary). Sure you may be 100ft directly across from the cache, but maybe the trail ahead bends that way, and you end up only steps away from it.  I’ve mentally kicked myself for the several times I didn’t follow this advice and needlessly subjected myself to thorn scratches and hitchhiking critters.

3.    Respect the environment and wildlife and seek the cache with as minimal impact as feasible.  Don’t trample and tear up ground zero looking for the cache.  If you move a rock, or a log, even a leaf, inspect it first, check for a cache, then move it back. This decreases your chances of stirring up a bees’ nest or other non-appreciate wildlife, unwittingly crushing plants or just plain making the area unsightly.  Geo-trails are the natural equivalent of putting a bright neon sign up with the words “cache here” emblazoned on it.  You could be ruining the fun of “hunting” for anyone after you, not to mention detrimentally effecting the environment.

4.   Don’t intentionally trespass, disregard parking restrictions or park hours, or anything else that will draw unnecessary attention to you, the cache, and overall the game.  No one wants to see you arrested or fined, and no one wants to see the game banned in an area because a cacher broke the law or caused bad publicity. 

5.    Put the cache back exactly where you found it, and recover exactly how you found it.  If there were sticks or rocks on top of it, put them back.  If only leaves were on top of it, and that was sufficient enough to leave it unexposed, then do not pile other things like rocks or sticks on top.  The only two exceptions to this rule is: A) if the cache is lying on the ground and it’s intended spot is obviously higher ground, B) the hiding spot has been compromised and the cache is exposed due to natural events such as the log rotted out, or the tree came down, or water eroded the area.  In those cases, use your discretion about either re-hiding it as close GZ as you can get, or take the cache with you to later return to the owner.  If you do change the cache location, even by a few feet, make a note of that on the cache page.

6.   If you come across a cache that either needs maintenance or is complete trash, use your own judgment on whether to help it, re-hide it without helping it, take it with you, or throw it into the nearest trash receptacle.  A container that is irreparably damaged with unsalvageable contents is obviously trash.  If a container is still reusable, but the contents trash, put the cache back, or take it with you if you are willing to contact the owner and arrange a meeting to personally return it.  Whatever you choose, be sure to log the cache condition and your actions online.

7.   If you unintentionally harm or compromise a cache, inform the cache owner and make a note on the page.  Confessing your mistake gives the owner a chance to replace or repair.  Most cachers understand cache killing happens and are more forgiving if you own up to your blunder, rather than leaving it for further damage, and for the next unsuspecting cacher to discover. 

8.    If you plan on trading, bring along items with a variety of sizes and worth.  “If you take something, then leave something.”  It’s fun to inspect the “treasure” and make your own carefully picked contribution.  Do not pillage caches, it’s just wrong and you jeopardize the fun of future seekers. It is best to trade up, trade equal, or don’t trade at all.  However, the above captioned creed is so often spoken, that it seems people feel ALWAYS obligated to trade.  There are many caches that have been destroyed in part because they were so overstuffed with either too many crammed in items, or one slightly too big item. The result is the cache lid isn’t closed securely or is forced closed so tightly that it cracks, allowing water and critters in.  In those circumstances it is acceptable to remove the item(s) without replacing with another item(s). 

9.   Travel bugs (any swag with an attached serial coded dog tag) and geocoins (serial coded coins with trackable at geocaching.com engraved somewhere on it) are NOT to be kept.  These hitchhikers are meant to travel from cache to cache and some have chosen destinations.  Each of these trackable items has their own page separate from the cache page.  If you take it from the cache, you MUST log on that page you retrieved it, and/or placed it in another cache.  Refer to geocaching.com and click on the trackable items menu bar for further instructions if you are unsure how to handle these items.  You do not necessarily have to “trade” in the cache for these items, as they are meant to keep moving.  The exception to this rule would be caches that are designated travel bug/coin swap “hotels”.  At those caches, you are asked to either leave a bug without taking anything, or trade one bug for another. Don’t take a TB without leaving a TB at these caches.  Also, try not to hang onto a TB for more than 2 weeks (especially if it is in a race), unless you are helping it on it’s destination soon and you notify the owner.

10. Log DNFs. If you had an unsuccessful search, don’t be embarrassed.  It is important for the owner to know in case there is a potential problem. If an obstacle such as poison plants or a downed tree blocking your path discouraged you from seeking further, it is helpful to note that for future seekers. However, do not automatically assume that the cache is missing and claim so on your log. The cache could just be a very tricky hide, you could be discouraging others from seeking, and you will appear foolish when the owner checks on it, and declares it still there.  If you are reasonably sure that the cache is gone, it is better to personally email the owner rather than put that on the cache page. 

11.  Your local Geocaching.com Administrator should not be your first contact if you feel a cache violates terms, or is in your opinion, a bad location.  Give the owner a courtesy email first and explain your concerns.  Perhaps they did not realize the proximity or location of their cache invalidates the hide.  It is also bad form to quickly complain negligence when you do not know the owner’s current personal situation or whether they are working on a solution.  If your emails go unanswered within a week, if the owner does not note their intentions on the cache page, and a month or more has passed since the last cacher reported an owner visit needed, then you have grounds to ask Admin to intercede.

12.  Logs should not give away any more clues to the location or to the container (if it’s unusual) than what the owner put on the cache page. 

13.  When logging online about your cache visit, be honest, and be polite. If you had an enjoyable experience, share with the cache owner and readers.  This acknowledges their time & effort, and affirms their reasons for wanting to share that location for you. If your experience was less than entertaining, offer criticism, but share why, do not be inflammatory or degrading.  Constructive criticism without condemnation builds better community and encourages the game to continue to evolve and improve.

In conclusion, take a moment to review your reasons for playing and how you are playing.  Does your conduct reinforce, improve, or jeopardize the integrity of the game? As long as your actions do no harm, you are free to play as intensely or as casually as you wish, without anyone discouraging the style or difficulty levels you wish to find or hide.  The important thing, like many other outdoor games, is to have fun, fulfill your need for thrills and adventure, perhaps make some new friends along the way, all this while obeying the law, respecting your fellow geoachers, your community including muggles, and not disturbing nature.  The geocaching community appreciates the cooperation of all those who play the game in order to sustain it’s future and keep it fun for all ages. Happy Caching!

Written by Kalliope176

Writing Credits to JerryMonkey & contributing LIGO members.