What is this all about???
Vernon County wants YOU to visit their parks and trails and find some Geocaches.
Vernon County owns and manages 8 parks, trails and recreation areas.
This Challenge will take you to all of them.
How is this accomplished?
Download your Passport passport link here .
Take this Passport with you when you are seeking these Caches.
Each of the 8 Caches will contain a block with a unique symbol etched on it.
They also contain a couple crayons.
Place the appropriate section of your passport over the symbol. Rub the crayon over the paper to recreate the likeness of the symbol on your passport, as is done with gravestone rubbings.
Use the etched block and the crayon on your Passport to prove that you have found this Cache!
Completing the passport is not a requirement of finding the cache, it is an added element of fun!
On August 27 and 28, 2018 record rainfall fell on the area and the Jersey Valley Dam, as well as four other dams in Vernon and neighboring Monroe County failed. The 52 acre lake burst through the dam, rushing down the valley to devastate the West Fork of the Kickapoo River and the community of Bloomingdale. The park and lake had been well loved for fishing, boating, trails and swimming.
After parking in the lot, walk past the playground to see the canyon created by the dam failure.
After you see the remains of the lake and dam, drive back up the hill to safely park in the parking pull off area. There is a trailhead there, but you will want to walk about 130 feet up the hill, cross the road, and begin your hike at that trailhead. Continuing on the trail past the cache will win you a peek at the lake from above, but the trail gets pretty rugged.
Vernon County Parks and Trails caches are in the following parks, forests and trails:
Blackhawk Park
Coon Prairie Trail /Wayside Park
Duck Egg
Esofea Rentz
Jersey Valley
Kooyumjian Lost Creek
Runge Hollow
Sidie Hollow
Appreciation goes to Friends of Vernon County Parks and Trails, Vernon County Parks and Forests, and McIntosh Memorial Library for support and assistance.
Permission to place this series of caches was given by Marty Kennedy of Vernon County Parks and Forests.