Geocaching the VCT

Enjoy the outdoors? Are you a bit of a techie too? Looking for a new hobby? Geocaching may be for you.

I've been into geocaching for almost three years now and the Virginia Creeper Trail offers several opportunities. What is geocaching, you ask? Well, I describe it as a "high tech scavenger hunt". Geocaching uses the satellite based technology of the global positioning system and the internet to locate hidden "treasure" (often in the form of tupperware containers or watertight ammo boxes containing items of little or no value) in the outdoors. These caches are all around, often hidden in plain sight or under a log, rock, or some other clever method of concealment. Cache hunters use the GPS coordinates associated with the cache to locate it, sign the log book, and then trade some item of small value. The experience is both rewarding in its feeling of accomplishment as well as often introducing you to new areas of the outdoors.

VCT visitors have well over a dozen caches that are accessible from the trail and more are being placed all the time. If you have a GPS receiver or can borrow one for your trip to the trail, click over to www.geocaching.com and check out the caches that you can find along your route. It's yet another fun way to enjoy the trail.