After finding geocaches of different types and sizes, you might be wondering what it takes to hide one yourself. We compiled a list of the next steps to follow in preparation for your first hide.

📖 Read the guidelines. The geocache hiding guidelines are essential to ensure you know the rules that cache owners must follow, including but not limited to how far caches can be from each other, how to ensure your cache is accessible, and respecting the environment and local laws.

🖊️ Take the hider quiz. This quiz is a delightful way to test your knowledge of the guidelines you just read. How did you do?

🗺️ Choose a location. This is the fun part! Once you have researched, it’s time to start planning where you want to hide your cache. Choose a location you find exciting and think others will enjoy visiting, like a neighborhood park or a favorite lookout spot. It’s best to hide the cache within a few miles of your home location so you can easily maintain it if needed. Remember, you’re not just hiding a geocache; you’re creating a moment of joy for millions of geocachers worldwide!

🫙 Choose a great container. Now that you have your location, it’s time to select a sturdy, waterproof container suitable for outdoor use. The container should be as large as your location will allow, but most importantly, it should withstand the weather. Don’t forget to provide an empty logbook. This is a crucial step in ensuring your cache is ready for the adventure!

📍 Collect coordinates. You’ve picked out the perfect spot, so now you need to collect the coordinates for the location. Accurate coordinates help geocachers find the right place and can make the difference between finding the cache or not. You can collect the coordinates with the Geocaching® app or a dedicated GPS device.

🖥️ Set it up and go! It’s time to create a cache page on Geocaching.com. You will be prompted to answer a few questions about the cache, including the size, difficulty, terrain rating, type, and attributes. Provide detailed information about the cache in the description and include a hint to help other cachers locate your cache if they are having trouble. Make sure your cache is in place and ready to find before you submit your cache page.

💬 Communicate with your reviewer. Once your cache has been submitted, a geocaching community volunteer reviewer will check the cache page to ensure it follows all the guidelines in the review process. Geocaching has amazing community volunteers that help keep the game running smoothly. Reviewers are experts in the hiding guidelines and local land policies and will guide you if something needs to be updated or changed on your cache page.

🎉 Congratulations! 🎉 You are now the owner of your very own geocache! It’s time to watch the fun logs from cachers roll in, letting you know about the great cache you have hidden. Keep an eye out for any “Owner attention requested” logs so that you can maintain your cache and keep it available for all to find.

Now that you’re an expert on the geocache hiding process, where will you place your cache?