I have found many interesting locations thru Geocaching and this is
one them. You will be traveling on public roads, however there are
numerous military restricted roads in the area and the public roads
often pass through areas where you are not permitted to leave
either side of the roadway. Pay careful attention to your approach
and watch out for tanks!
Once you reach the posted coordinates, locate the gate (there
used to be a sign here beyond which the Garrison Commander said
military vehicles may not travel). Proceed to the right post of the
gate (the part to which the gate hinge is attached) and project a
waypoint at a distance of 4537 feet on a bearing of 12
degrees true to determine the actual location of the
cache.
Now, ponder carefully the path which lies before you. The road will
be steep and rocky and is severely rutted in several locations. A
4x4 would be the best vehicle, but a regular vehicle with
sufficient ground clearance should be able to navigate the road.
You risk severely damaging the underside of your vehicle or getting
stuck if you choose unwisely. Under no circumstances should you
attempt this road in anything except a 4x4 after rain, snow, or
other inclement weather (and even then chains may be necessary). If
you think the road getting to this point was rough and difficult,
you would be best advised to leave your car parked here and to hike
the remaining distance to the cache. Your hike will be
approximately 2 miles, round trip, on the dirt road you otherwise
would have driven. Resist any temptation to try to find a shorter
path as it will most certainly be significantly more difficult. The
land between you and the cache is all State Game Lands. The area to
your left, right, and behind you is U.S. Government restricted
property. Remember those signs you saw on your way here about some
areas being projectile impact and landing zones? Keep your bearings
about you and be sure to remain on the State Game Lands lest you
potentially find yourself or your vehicle the subject of a little
target practice.
If you elect to drive to the second parking area, you will find
that you can park within 300ft of the cache. A short bushwhack will
bring you to ground zero. An observant cacher will know when they
have arrived in the right area. The cache is located on State Game
Lands. Please be sure to read and follow the regulations outlined
in the Safety Note below.
Once you've found and logged the cache, I recommend traveling
back to the area from which you projected your initial waypoint and
then following the other road east up to a beautiful overlook (see
additional waypoint). This other road is much easier to navigate
(although still bumpy), so even if you didn't drive down to the
cache, you can drive to this location. From the overlook you can
often see hawks and other birds riding thermals out over the
valley. There is a second cache located near the overlook (not part
of the challenge) which you may also want to spend some time
locating while you're here.
Safety Note: This cache is located on
State Game Lands. Please be familiar with the
Game Lands Regulations that apply to this area. A fluorescent
orange hat and vest is required November 15 through December 15
except on Sundays. Hunting occurs other times throughout the year
as well. Please act responsibly. It is strongly suggested you avoid
caches placed on State Game Lands during the most active hunting
seasons. Please check the Game Commission Web Site for
more information.