Georgia Magazine - October 2016 - 30

LINDA ANDERSON GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Young visitors explore the contents of a cache at Panola Mountain State Park in Stockbridge. John "Doc" Anderson of Paso Robles, Calif., points out a nanocache in a rock wall in Ocean Springs, Miss. For more information about the types of geocaches, including nanocaches, as well as more about the geocaching adventures of Anderson and his wife, Linda, see the bonus content in the online edition, starting on page 33A. (Continued from page 27) and the Department of Natural Resources tries to list the caches for each park on its web page. Our website [alapark.com] also invites people to take the Alabama State Parks Geocaching Challenge by finding caches in every park," Simon says. Of course there are plenty of other caches throughout the state. Earthcaches are places that show people unique geological features or historic sites. They can be found at Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Horseshoe Bend National Military Park in Daviston, Moundville Archaeological Park in Tuscaloosa and the 5 Rivers Delta Resource Center in Spanish Fort. "Natural Bridge in north Alabama is a beautiful little town and home to a 148-foot sandstone bridge," Simon says. "Geocaching is a great way to see anything and everything you want to see." She's hiked and paddled her kayak to locate almost 5,000 caches in 43 states and seven countries since 2009 and is planning to climb a 75foot tree for her 5,000th find. "I'll have help with the ropes for that one, and it will be a challenge, since I'm afraid of heights," she says. "But besides the exercise and the rejuvenation I find in nature, one of the best things about this hobby is the "Georgia is such a pretty state. You come over a vista and find yourself saying, 'How gorgeous is that?!'" Bowden says. "One of the benefits of geocaching is that it gets you off the beaten path and takes you to some of the most beautiful places and historic sites everywhere you go." Want to see Georgia top to bottom, from its mountains to its marshes? Consider participating in one of its geocaching challenges. You can pick up a passport and stamp it by finding 47 caches hidden in 44 state parks with the Georgia State Parks GeoTour, gastateparks.org/ Parks-GeoTour. Fifteen caches get you a bronze geo-coin, 30 a silver and 40 a gold. The Georgia History Trail will have you solving clues to unlock caches in 14 historic sites. You'll collect cards and path tags (patches) along the way to exploring sites like the Dahlonega Gold Museum in Dahlonega, Chief Vann House in Chatsworth, Roosevelt's Little White House in Warm Springs and the Hofwyl-Broadfield Plantation in Brunswick. In honor of the 85th anniversary 30 More online at www.georgiamagazine.org friends you make. Geocaching is very social." Georgia of Georgia's state parks, there's the Birthday Bash Geocache. You can download the game board and start hunting for caches hidden by Georgia Geo-Campers at 12 state parks. Complete the challenge and you win one of 1,000 limited-edition coins (while supplies last). See gastate parks.org/85. Going Caching is an annual Georgia mega-event for geocachers with games, hunts and prizes. It will happen Oct. 13-16 at F.D. Roosevelt State Park near Warm Springs. For information, visit goingcaching.com. "I'm a park ranger, but geocaching has taken me to vantage points I'd never seen," says Hannah Warner, interpretative ranger at Red Top Mountain State Park in Acworth, which has 27 caches. After looking for a while for her first cache, "I finally pulled the top off a fence post, and there it was. I was so excited; I must have looked like a crazy person." Geocaching brings more people to Georgia's state parks and gives them motivation to hike the trails, she says. Most people who do it are environmentally conscious, and groups often hold CITO (cache in, trash out) events to keep natural spaces clean. "It also teaches kids to be creative and think outside the box, and it's just exciting," she says. (Continued on page 32) GEORGIA MAGAZINE http://www.alapark.com http://www.gastateparks.org/85 http://www.gastateparks.org/85 http://www.goingcaching.com http://www.gastateparks.org/Parks-GeoTour http://www.gastateparks.org/Parks-GeoTour http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - October 2016