West Virginia State Parks is a part of an exciting International game known as Geocaching (geo-cashing).
What is geocaching?
Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. Participating in a cache hunt is a good way to take advantage of the wonderful features and capability of a GPS unit. The basic idea is to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the site visitor with a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they take something they should try to leave something for the cache
Visit the www.geocaching.com to learn more about it and join this international community.
RULES AND GUIDELINES to geocaching in WV State Parks
There is a permit application for those wishing to place caches in state parks and/or forests in West Virginia.
Geocaching Participants
- Use good eco-manners when seeking a cache.
Examples: do not step on wildflowers or leave litter.
- Follow established trails.
Off-trail hiking is discouraged as it negatively impacts the environment.
- Lleave something in the cache if you take something out.
- Absolutely no tobacco, alcohol, drugs, firearms, dangerous items, adult items or food.
- Cache in - trash out.
- If there is a camera in the cache, please take a photo of yourself
- Please report blocked trails or abuse or misuse of an area to the park office.
- Log on to the web site www.geocaching.com to register your find.
- Please leave the cache where you found it. Others will be looking for it.
Have a great time exploring WV State Parks!
Placement of Caches
Persons placing a cache must have a permit issued by WV State Parks, Programming Office prior to placing the cache.
Download and print the application here Adobe Acrobat Reader required.
Permit is good for one year from the date issued.
When the permit year expires, the cache should be moved or removed and the new location re-permitted. This ensures that a particularly popular cache does not create an negative environmental impact on an area.
Monitor your permitted caches on a quarterly basis. This ensures that the cache is family-friendly. The cache should contain no food, alcohol, firearms, drugs, dangerous items or adult items.
Please use established trails for your cache. Off-trail hiking is discouraged as it negatively impacts the environment. Digging holes or disturbing the existing environment is not permitted. There is to be no earth disturbance or vegetative impact.
As a cache seeker or owner, observation of park hours, rules and regulations is applicable.
All approved caches should have an "Official Geocache" sticker with the cache. This sticker is received when the placement permit is approved.
Unauthorized geocaches on WV State Park or Forest lands will be removed and treated as abandoned property.
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