Around Atlanta
Geocaching in Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites
What is Geocaching?
Geocaching is an outdoor adventure game, similar to a treasure hunt played with a GPS capable device. The basic idea is to locate hidden containers called “caches”, trade trinkets of equal or greater value along the way, then sign the logbook at each cache before sharing your experiences online.
After obtaining coordinates and hints from geocaching.com, you can begin searching Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites locations for these hidden caches. Geocaching is the ideal activity for families or anyone looking to try a new outdoor activity.
Georgia State Parks GeoTours
GA State Parks has two different GeoTours – the new Parks GeoTour and the History Trail GeoTour. The Parks GeoTour now has 4 different region coins to collect and all new cache locations. The History Trail features indoor boxes with combination locks that can only be opened after learning about the site’s history, solving clues and discovering the combination; it’s a new twist on some of Georgia’s oldest attractions!
While searching for caches, please follow the Leave No Trace guidelines.
Georgia State Parks has released an all-new GeoTour this year, with brand new caches at all 45 parks. The parks GeoTour has four regions, and the prize features a coin from each. In the north is the ominous Mountains Region. In the east harbors the vast Lakes Region. In the southwest sits the deceptive Plains Region, and in the southeast lies the Swamp Region. Get started on your journey today!
Parks GeoTour (NEW!)
Activated Monday, February 8th, 2021 at 8 a.m.
How to Play
- Download and print the new Parks GeoTour passport.
- Visit our new GeoTour page on GeoCaching.com.
- Check our website for hours of operation of each site.
- You will need a GPS phone to locate each cache.
- Once found, trade items in the cache & write your name in the logbook. Bring something to write with.
- Locate the codeword inside the geocache container.
- Write down that code word on your passport in the box for the appropriate Park.
Note: A parking fee may be required for parks. Annual passes available.
Park Geo-Coins
Once you have 9 codewords for one region, email your passport (or a photo of it) to parksRfun@dnr.ga.gov. We will mail you a region-specific geo-coin for each region you have completed. Good luck and happy geo-hunting!
History Trail GeoTour
Sleuth across the Peach State as you visit 19 historic sites, solving clues along the way. Only by answering questions about Georgia’s history will you be able to open the combination lock to each geocache. This game can be played with the geocaching app or with a GPS device.
Note: An entry fee may be required for historic sites. Historic site passes available.
How To Play
- Go to the geocaching.com Georgia History Trail page, log-in and find GPS coordinates and clues.
- Download a GeoTour Time Travel Ticket and print it out. The grids will be used to record your success.
- Check our website for hours of operation and admission fees of each site.
- In this GeoTour most of the caches are mystery/puzzle geocaches. You’ll need to visit 3-5 stages (locations) within the state historic site, the final location being a locked ammo can.
- Answer questions at each stage to determine the 4-digit lock combination for the final geocache.
- After you find the geocache and correctly open the combination lock, log your name and comments inside the geocache then trade a trinket of equal or greater value.
- Find the letter inside the cache and write it in the corresponding historic site location box on the grid of your GeoTour Time Travel Ticket. Find all the caches to reveal the message!
- Log back into geocaching.com to tell of your experience and brag about your find!
Note: We are no longer doing trading cards and pathtag for the History Trail GeoTour but instead have a new trackable history geocoin to collect.
History GeoCoin
Complete all History Trail caches to be eligible for a History Trail geocoin.
Take a photo of your GeoTour Time Travel Ticket and email it (along with your name and address) to parksRfun@dnr.ga.gov. We will mail you your own trackable History Trail Geo-Coin!
Want More?
We also offer orienteering, an activity which uses a compass and a map to navigate through the woods from one point to another at Cloudland Canyon, Panola Mountain, Red Top Mountain, Sweetwater Creek and Unicoi state parks, and a beginner compass course at New Echota State Historic Site.
Source: GaStateParks.org