Geocaching in North Iowa

BY: RACHEL WUMKES

Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity, in which participants use a Global Positioning System receiver or mobile device and other navigational techniques to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, at specific locations marked by coordinates all over the world.

This family friendly game became a popular endeavor in the early 2000’s.  While some caches are traditional “stop and grab,” some are mystery caches where hiders provide online clues for seekers.

Just like a modern-day treasure hunt, geocaching can take you on some amazing treks.  It’s a fun hobby for the family that people play across the globe. Not only this, but it’s inexpensive and keeps you active.

The rules for geocaching are very simple:

  • Take something from the cache.
  • Leave something in the cache.
  • Write about it in the logbook.

And guess what??  Clear Lake Tourism has entered the realm of geocaching!   We’ve got a doozy of a mystery geocache right here in Clear Lake!

Download the geocaching.org app and start exploring. Our first cache, “Welcome to Lake Life!” is live and features a custom postcard beautifully designed by 2020 Creative that cachers can take as a memento.

There are many other caches around North Iowa as well, so we invite you to get out and explore!

We will be releasing more Clear Lake Tourism caches around town as we prepare to welcome the Iowa Geocachers Association’s Hike & Seek fall event.  According to the Iowa Geochachers website, “Hike-N-Seek is an annual event in the state of Iowa. The Iowa Geocachers Organization sponsors this event each year, which travels around the state being hosted by geocachers who want to showcase their part of the state.”

And this year, they are headed to Ventura!

The event takes place September 10th at the Ventura Community Center.  Geocachers from across the state will gather together, and a brand new, music-theme cache will be released.

For more information and to stay up to date with the event, go to www.IowaGeocachers.org.

Now, for any newbies out there who still aren’t 100% sure what geocaching is and how it works, NIACC Continuing Ed is offering a class to help!

Geocaching 101 will be held at the Surf Ballroom Music Enrichment Center on July 19th and is open to the public.  The class will be taught by Donald Johnson, who has been geocaching since 2010 and has found over 1,700 geocaches and has hidden over 200 caches.

Learn the brief history of geocaching, explanation of cache types and useful terms.  You will also be introduced to GPS and satellite technology with help setting up your geocaching account and logging your caches. You will get a hands-on demonstration that will assist with at least two “finds”!

CLICK HERE to register.  The cost is only $19 and you must be registered by July 19th.