How many of you grew up with a treasure map hidden away in your room? Perhaps you made it with a group of friends to find a buried toy you sacrificed to the game, or as part of a classroom time capsule where you contributed a photo of your dog. Maybe it was cut out from the back of a cereal box, or came with a happy meal when they were still served in the original McDonald’s box? Whatever it was, “X marks the spot” has always been a phrase that evokes the thrill of search and discovery; peril and reward. It’s part of the archetypal hero’s journey that has inspired literature, movies, and games for hundreds of years, and even legends and mythologies for thousands of years before that. You may be an adult now, unfortunately, but you should know that you can still partake in this unwavering human adventure right in your own backyard through geocaching.
“Geocaching uses a smartphone app to help find hidden ‘caches’ – like mini treasure boxes – in neighborhoods, parks, and trails,” says Sarah Breznen, Director of Education at the Woodcock Nature Center. “The caches are often camouflaged in their surroundings and contain a log book and small items (trinkets, stickers, seashells, marbles, etc). The rule is if you take something, you must leave something behind.”
If you want to unleash the treasure hunter in yourself or live the experience with your kids, geocaching.com tells you how to download the app and explains the basics to get you started. Breznen says the app is free, but there is also a premium version you can pay for that unlocks more caches. Once you have the app, you can search a map and see all the caches near you. They are also rated by difficulty of terrain so you can choose what is best for younger kids starting out.
While geocaching is allowed on state park lands throughout the area, some parks such as Weir Farm National Historical Park don’t allow it but offer a fun alternative. The park offers a Letterboxing Junior Ranger program May through October that is similar to geocaching, but without the need for a GPS.
“The Letterboxing activity is one of our most popular Junior Ranger activities,” says Park Ranger Kristin Lessard. “Visitors of all ages love following the clues and finding the 5 boxes hidden within the park, and of course earning their Weir Farm Junior Ranger Badge!” Like geocaching, letterboxing indulges our innate sense of discovery, but it’s knowledge and appreciation for the land’s wildlife and history that is gained at the end of the search. If you’re craving a broader search for knowledge, there are EarthCaches established by the Connecticut Geological Society that educate about unique natural processes that are spread throughout the state. Some locations close to home are Kent Falls, Sherwood Island State Park and Silver Sands State Park.
Of course, you may not be the type to follow in someone else’s footsteps, you want to forge your own path for crying out loud! You’re not a player of the game, you’re the game master in all his or her glory! If that describes you, then place your own geocaches, formulate your own clues, and expand the treasure hunt to your own local patch of forest; people will thank you for it. If you live in Wilton, this opportunity is closer than you think.
The Wilton Land Conservation Trust is dedicated to preserving biodiversity and open spaces through conservation, stewardship, and education. It invites people to explore nature across its 840+ acres of conserved open space. Many of its preserves have maintained trail networks that would be perfect for geocaching. “Nothing brings us more joy than seeing people connect with nature,” says David McCarthy, Executive Director. The Trust brings people and families together outdoors through its many educational and recreational programs and invites geocaching to its preserves. The Trust would love to participate in and host such activities; if anyone is interested, please reach to them at inquity@wiltonlandtrust.org.
Whether you are a creator or a seeker, or a little bit of both, the facts are undeniable; geocaching is the perfect way to safely satisfy the need for a good old treasure hunt no matter what your age is. Make your own hunt or discover what’s waiting out there for you. To view rules on placing and finding geocaching and good places to get started, follow the QR code link. Happy hunting! •
