1,000,000 Reasons to Get Outside Now Hidden Throughout the U.S.

MailerImage_09152014_OneMillionGeocachesUSA_vFINAL_blog

Each square represents a cluster of geocaches

A milestone 14-years in the making reached yesterday at 7:45 am as the millionth geocache was published in the U.S.

1,000,000 reasons for Americans to get off the couch and explore their neighborhoods are waiting to be discovered and some are likely within walking distance. Geocaching.com launched in 2000, listing just 75 hidden geocaches. As of 7:45 am EST on Sunday, September 14, the 1,000,000th active geocache in the U.S. was published on Geocaching.com. The 1,000,000th active geocache is called Daddy’s Fishing Hole, located near Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

As of 9:00 am PCT on Monday, September 15, the 1,000,000th geocache has only been found only three times. To celebrate the 1,000,000th active geocache in the United States, the staff at Geocaching.com named the top 8 most amazing geocaches for beginners in the U.S.

The 8 Most Amazing Geocaches for Beginners in the U.S.

  • Just outside Milwaukee, WI, adventure-seekers will have a little extra help from some geocaching chickens.

  • Geocachers in Hershey, PA will be able to channel their inner Indiana Jones with this adventure.

  • Visitors to Fremont, CA, will learn the best way to catch a geocacher (and it might just involve a giant mouse trap).

  • Follow the yellow brick road to this geocache in Saratoga, Springs, NY.

  • Unlock a 1890’s history lesson involving Moon Towers in Austin, TX.

  • Visitors to Blackshear, GA can discover a newspaper box that’s out of the ordinary.

  • Stop by Denver, CO to find a geocache that’s a puzzle and a fashion statement.

  • One AA battery is all new geocachers in Seattle, WA need to unlock this geocache.

Geocaching events will be held near each of the sites the weekend of the September 20 to cheer on the 1,000,000th geocache and welcome new geocachers to the adventure. Expert geocachers will attend each of the geocaching events to guide new people through the free adventure. They’ll also give insider tips and tricks, and help find the geocache. New geocachers should register for the events and anyone can find a geocache near them now.

There are more than 6,000 hidden geocaches in Alaska alone
There are more than 6,000 hidden geocaches in Alaska alone
More than 2,000 hidden geocaches are waiting to be found across Hawaii
More than 2,000 hidden geocaches are waiting to be found across Hawaii

 

Geocaches can be found in all 50 US states

 

  • California holds the record for the state with the most active geocaches, boasting more than 130,000 hidden geocaches.

  • The oldest active geocache in the U.S.. published in May of 2000, is located in Mingo, Kansas.

  • Texas A&M just published an independent, CDC-funded study on the health benefits of geocaching.

  • Geocachers occasionally arrange their geocache hides in the form of county-sized art.

  • Nearly 11 million people have registered for accounts on Geocaching.com since 2000.

  • Germany is second to the U.S. in active geocaches with 325,000.

  • There are currently 2,487,221 active geocaches hidden around the world – in 2013 alone geocachers were found 75,453,001 times.

finding a geocache 2
Geocaching is increasingly popular with families

 

Geocache containers can look like almost anything... they should never be buried and should always be clearly labeled.
Geocache containers can look like almost anything… they should never be buried and should always be clearly labeled.
Most people in the U.S. walk or drive by dozens of hidden geocaches nearly every day
Most people in the U.S. walk or drive by dozens of hidden geocaches nearly every day

 

 Congratulate the 1,000,000th geocache owners in comments below!