Park officials offer suggestions to protect fragile
environments, cultural sites
Geocaching is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreational
activities in the world and a local Fremont Peak State Park
official said that it has
”
been a positive thing for the general public visiting the
park.
”
Park officials offer suggestions to protect fragile environments, cultural sites
Geocaching is one of the fastest growing outdoor recreational activities in the world and a local Fremont Peak State Park official said that it has “been a positive thing for the general public visiting the park.”
“If it’s something to get people out to enjoy nature, it’s a great thing,” said Fremont Peak State Park Superintendent Eddie Guaracha. “It brings out a new segment of people who might not go to parks.”
According to a press release from the state parks department, geocaching is reported to be one of the fastest growing outdoor recreation activities in the world today. The activity is much like orienteering, only using Global Positioning System satellites and hand-held receivers to find the end result rather than a map and compass. Using the hand-held receivers, the user attempts to navigate and find or plant hidden containers, known as geocaches, which typically contain a logbook or small treasure. The State Park Service estimates that there are more than 700,000 caches worldwide today.
The parks department released these guidelines to help prevent further damage to “fragile environments.”
“We understand the popularity of this sport and the demand for it to continue,” said Tony Perez, deputy director for operations for California State Parks. “Our concern is that many have secretly hidden such caches in places where repeated searches, successful and unsuccessful, have caused damage to facilities or natural areas. We are asking that visitors follow our guidelines and respect these fragile environments to insure they survive for the benefit of future generations.”
The biggest concern for Guaracha is that the activity does not take away from the features of a park.
“My biggest concern is to make sure it isn’t obtrusive to natural features.”
He added that he doesn’t want people going off of the trail too much to find or place caches.
The press release recommends talking to park staff beforehand to learn if the activity is permitted and what rules and regulations are applicable to each individual park. The state parks department also established the following guidelines for geocaching.
– Caches may be allowed where they do not affect natural, cultural and historical resources, visitor safety or other park users.
– Caches are typically not allowed or encouraged in the following State Park System units:
-State cultural reserves, state natural reserves, state historic parks and state historic monuments and state wildernesses.
– Virtual caches are encouraged and must adhere to the applicable requirements used for physical caches.
– Caches may not be buried, nor may vegetation, rocks or other features be marked or damaged in the process of placing, accessing or maintaining the cache.
– Physical caches are not permitted inside or upon any state park facility or structure.
– Caches may not be permanently attached – glued, bolted, or screwed – to any historic structure, monument, archeological, natural or geologic feature.
– Caches are not allowed within 300 feet of streams, marshes or sensitive water features.
– Caches may not be placed more than three feet from a designated trail.
Guaracha said the best way to approach picking an item for geocaching is to “always think about low-impact use.”
“(Use) virtual caches, natural features that already exist,” he said. “Use something that doesn’t necessarily need to be erected. It could be a rock, but the rock would need unique features or a special tree or unique rock.”
For more information on geocaching and geocaching guidelines, visit the state park’s Web site at www.parks.ca.gov/geocaching. The state parks department said that more and more people are geocaching and out of respect for parks, they are following the geocachers’ creed. The creed can be found at www.geocreed.info/.
