Create a Program

How you go about creating a Treasure Hiking program is directly dependant upon which method of Treasure Hiking you have selected.

To plan a program, please select the method you have choosen.

Method: Den

Creating a Program for a Den Treasure Hike is very easy to do.

  1. Find a GPS unit to use, if you do not already have one
  2. Select a public park as the location for the Treasure Hike
    • Go to www.geocaching.com
    • Type your zip code into the box in the upper right corner
    • Click the arrow to search
    • Click on the "Map It" icon in the upper right corner
    • Move around the map looking for a park in your area that has 5+ caches
      • Public parks are usually shown as green on the map
      • You can move the map by clicking on the map and holding the button down while moving the mouse.
      • You can also zoom in/out using the + and - icons on the left
  3. Pick a date for the Treasure Hike
    • Saturday mornings or weekday nights work well
  4. Communicate to your Den
    • Send out an email (or call) the members in your Den to let them know the plan
    • An example email can be found here
  5. Find a nearby cache and go on a "test run"
    • This will help you learn how to use the GPS unit
    • It will also give you your first experience finding a cache
  6. Go to the Plan a Hike section

Method: Entire Pack

Creating a Treasure Hiking Program for a Pack will require some planning.

  1. Find more than one GPS unit
  2. Select three (3) public park as locations for the Treasure Hikes
    • Go to www.geocaching.com
    • Type your zip code into the box in the upper right corner
    • Click the arrow to search
    • Click on the "Map It" icon in the upper right corner
    • Move around the map looking for a park in your area that has 5+ caches
      • Public parks are usually shown as green on the map
      • You can move the map by clicking on the map and holding the button down while moving the mouse.
      • You can also zoom in/out using the + and - icons on the left
  3. Find a Hike Leader for each Treasure Hike
  4. Pick dates for the Treasure Hike that work for the Hike Leaders
    • Saturday mornings or weekday nights work well
  5. Decide if you are going to hold a picnic in addition to the Treasure Hike
    • Depending upon the facilities you would like, this may effect your selection of parks for hike locations
    • If necessary, reserve facilities at the parks
    • Find someone to manage the picnic
    • Add a description of the picnic to the next section
  6. Communicate to your Pack
    • Fill out the Treasure Hiking Pack Program template
    • Post a notice on your website with the Pack Program as an attachment
    • Send an email to the Pack with the Pack Program as an attachment
    • An example email can be found here
  7. Organize a "test run" for the Hike Leaders
    • This will help learn how to use the GPS unit
    • It will also give them their first experience finding a cache
  8. Have the Hike Leaders go to the Plan a Hike section

Method: Pack Optional

Creating an optional Treasure Hiking Program for a Pack will require some planning, but not as much as for the entire Pack.

  1. Find more than one GPS unit
  2. Select three (3) public park as locations for the Treasure Hikes
    • Go to www.geocaching.com
    • Type your zip code into the box in the upper right corner
    • Click the arrow to search
    • Click on the "Map It" icon in the upper right corner
    • Move around the map looking for a park in your area that has 5+ caches
      • Public parks are usually shown as green on the map
      • You can move the map by clicking on the map and holding the button down while moving the mouse.
      • You can also zoom in/out using the + and - icons on the left
  3. Find a Hike Leader for each Treasure Hike
  4. Pick dates for the Treasure Hike that work for the Hike Leaders
    • Saturday mornings or weekday nights work well
  5. Communicate to your Pack
    • Fill out the Treasure Hiking Pack Program template
    • Post a notice on your website with the Pack Program as an attachment
    • Send an email to the Pack with the Pack Program as an attachment
    • An example email can be found here
  6. Organize a "test run" for the Hike Leaders
    • This will help learn how to use the GPS unit
    • It will also give them their first experience finding a cache
  7. Have the Hike Leaders go to the Plan a Hike section