Smokey Bear 75th Anniversary GeoTour
Since 1944, Smokey Bear has taught millions of Americans about their role in preventing wildfires. 75 years later, Smokey is celebrating a milestone birthday. Honor him and this timeless message of wildfire prevention by finding all 75 caches in this GeoTour.
About This Specific Location
Established in 1937, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge protects one of the last remaining expanses of tidal salt marsh in the mid-Atlantic region. It is primarily a refuge and breeding ground for migrating birds and other wildlife and serves as a vital link in the chain of refuges extending from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico.
As you pass through the refuge gate, you will see an expansive pollinator meadow on the right. Every fall, members from the Delaware Forest Service perform a prescribed burn to prevent the establishment of invasive species and increase the diversity of native, pollinator plant species. This partnership between the Delaware Forest Service and Bombay Hook serves as a vital training exercise to prepare wildland firefighters for summer fire assignments.
Note: Gate is closed from 1/2 hour after SUNSET to 1/2 hour before SUNRISE. Cache is NOT available when gate is closed.
Pass through the gate and go 0.3 miles to the Visitor center and parking. Take a short walk to the cache. After you find the cache please stop in the Visitor Center to see the exhibits, use the rest rooms if needed, and thank the National Wildlife Area for hosting the cache. There is no fee to access this cache, but there would be a $4/car fee for a full visit to the wildlife area
Cache container is a small lock-n-lock.
NOTE: Approval was obtained for this cache was obtained from Oscar Reed, Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge Manager.
More About This GeoTour
By visiting all of these locations, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of why it is so important to prevent wildfires - whether in your backyard or out in the forest. The Middle-Atlantic Interstate Forest Fire Protection Compact are the Hosts of this GeoTour. We offer several trackable prizes so please use this GeoTour Passport to keep track of your progress.