Paw Paw Prairie Fen Paw Paw Prairie Fen Preserve in southwest Michigan. © Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media

The Thrill of the Hunt

Geocaching offers a fun and sometimes surprising way to discover special places in nature.

July 16, 2024

Geocaching is a popular hobby that combines outdoor exploration with the excitement of a quest. A smartphone app or GPS device guides users to an exact location where a “cache” is hidden, generally close to trails and walkways on public-access lands. A cache is usually a weather-proof container holding a logbook for successful treasure hunters to document their discovery. Some also contain trinkets—take one, leave one! Some caches are relatively easy to spot, while others require a keen sense of observation and adventure.

Nassawango Creek Preserve Canoeing past a cypress tree on Nassawango Creek. © Alan Eckert Photography

Prairie Fen in Michigan A prairie fen is a rare type of wetland that receives water from cold, underground springs rich in minerals instead of from rainwater. © Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media

Brownsville Preserve Entrance to Brownsville Preserve and gateway to the Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve. © TNC

Here are a few locations to explore

Geocaching is a great way to get to know these Nature Conservancy Preserves.

Nassawango Creek Preserve Canoeing past a cypress tree on Nassawango Creek. © Alan Eckert Photography

MARYLAND

Scout caches with fun names like Spider Hollow and Salamander’s Sanctuary amid a primeval forest of bald cypress and black gum trees at Nassawango Creek Preserve.

Prairie Fen in Michigan A prairie fen is a rare type of wetland that receives water from cold, underground springs rich in minerals instead of from rainwater. © Jason Whalen/Big Foot Media

MICHIGAN

See a rare fen wetland fed by alkaline, mineral-rich groundwater while searching for caches at Paw Paw Prairie Fen Preserve, where TNC is restoring habitat with prescribed fire and other conservation strategies.

VIRGINIA

Brownsville Preserve is a historic farm on Virginia’s Eastern Shore that serves as the headquarters for TNC’s Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve. Cache descriptions include information about local ecology and protected habitats of the scenic property.