Mystery Geocaching - A great activity for an individual, group, or family!
So what is Geocaching anyway? Geocaching is a fun, high-tech way to get outside and explore. Its what you might call a modern day treasure hunt! Only instead of using a map and compass, participants use a set of clues and a hand held Global Positioning System (GPS) unit to find the treasure. Our Mystery Geocaches are actually routes that we have set up with multiple treasures or points of interest! To get started we need to make a few things perfectly clear. First, there are absolutely no buried or hidden treasures in our mystery geocaches. That includes all the routes we have set up, whether they are on or off the Refuge! All of our clues lead you to a point of interest that is in plain sight! And secondly, its against Refuge regulations for anyone to create their own geocache on the Refuge. We have worked closely with the Upper Miss Refuge staff to create all of our geocaches through a special use permit. They are designed to minimize your impact on the Refuge, while helping you to uncover some wonderful treasures! If you have an idea for a new geocache route, please contact us and we will review it for possible inclusion on our website. All of our caches were created with the intent of sharing something with you. We have tried to make them fun and educational. Nearly half of our planned caches will require a boat to complete; the others are designed to be driven to or walked to! If you have your own GPS unit, you can simply print off a set of clues and begin your treasure hunt as soon as you want. If you don't have a GPS unit then you will need to borrow one and spend a few minutes learning how to use it. GPS units can be checked out from the Lansing Public Library, 515 Main Street or the McGregor District Office, on the River Road between McGregor and Marquette, Iowa. For complete library hours please go to: http://www.lansing.lib.ia.us/library-information If you haven't spent much time on the Mississippi River and are planning on going on one of our boating routes, we would suggest that you take our Navigation Primer first. This route was created to help refresh your knowledge of the many navigational aids and a few of the hazards you might find on the River.All of the routes on the River end up close to where you started from. The last clue will lead you to a box where you can check your answers. It also has a log book where you can share a few highlights about the trip and perhaps the city or state where you live.