Sponsored by Harris County Precinct 4, the Precinct 4 GeoChallenge features a series of 101 geocaches that participants can find for the opportunity to earn pathtags and geocoins.
The 41st geocache is located in the 100-acre Wood Preserve. Precinct 4's 100-Acre Wood Preserve featues a 0.8-mile paved multi-purpose trail that connects to the YMCA grounds at SH 249 on the east, and to the (paved) Cypresswood Hike & Bike Trail to the west. Additionally, nearly two miles of natural surface trails through rolling, forested terrain connect with the nine-mile Cypress Creek Mountain Bike trail system in northwest Harris County.
Borders of the preserve include Jones Road to the west, the Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District 230 water treatment facility to the east, Cypress Creek to the north, and the Norchester Subdivision to the south.
Precinct 4 opened the preserve in April 2013 after receiving the land as a donation from Houston Endowment. Bayou Land Conservancy has a conservation easement on the property, assuring its protection forever. The preserve includes pocket prairies, wetlands, and forests featuring a variety of trees, such as mature post oaks, pine trees, American beautyberry, river birch, and American sycamore.
The most recent addition to the 100-acre Wood Preserve is a permeable-surface parking lot, located at the north end of West Cypress Forest Drive.
About the GeoChallenge
Each geocache contains unique collectible bottle caps and a unique code, either of which can be used to earn pathtags. Simply write down the code on your Precinct 4 GeoChallenge Series Passport and/or collect a bottle cap to prove that you have found the cache. Those who collect 25, 50, or 75 unique codes/bottle caps can earn bronze, silver, or gold-level pathtags. Geocachers who find all 101 geocaches will receive a custom-minted geocoin. Only one of each bottle cap is allowed per participant. Please visit the Precinct 4 GeoChallenge Series web pages for more information or to download your passport.
Geocaches are located throughout Precinct 4 from Greens Bayou Wetland Mitigation Bank in the east to Dyess Park in the west and Roy Campbell Burroughs Park in the north and Memorial Park in the south.
About Harris County Precinct 4
Precinct 4 is one of four precincts located in Harris County, Texas and boasts a population of over 1.2 million people. With a population of 4.3 million, Harris County is the largest county in Texas and the third-largest in the United States. It encompasses the Houston area, the largest city in Texas and fourth largest city in the nation. Both its total area and land area are larger than the state of Rhode Island.
With an area over 390 square miles—3,800 acres of which is conveniently located parkland—Harris County Precinct 4 has plenty to explore and scores of 'gems' to find!