Geocaching offers an abundance of improvements for your mind, body, and soul.
One of the chief benefits of geocaching is that it involves being physically active. Players are encouraged to get of the couch and explore their local environments. Caches can be searched for at any time, there's not set 'matches', time limits' or restrictions. As a player explores an area, they'll build up exercise hours. Even caches that don't require you to walk very far or over particularly tricky terrain still add to hours moving around. Geocaching reduces the risk of heart disease, along with strengthening bones and muscles.
Some people need extra motivation to get outside and get moving (I know I do!). Having a geocache as the goal at the end of the walk/hike is the motivation I need. Combining this with the use of technology and the stats and challenges within the game provides me with the gamification I need to hold my interest. My physical and mental health benefits from this. Being outdoors has been shown to result in lower stress levels, meaning just a walk in a local park to pick up some caches can help you relax. Studies have shown that keeping the mind challenged with activities like puzzles and problem solving can lead to a longer life expectancy, better quality of life, and increase our overall health. Solving Mystery Caches and creating your own geocache hides are a great way to increase brain activity.
There are numerous social benefits of implementing geocaching into your life. Finding a geocache is intrinsically rewarding. People feel a sense of accomplishment especially when they place a high amount of effort doing so. This will help to build self esteem, especially in people who do not excel in
traditional physical education activities such as sports or fitness. Geocaching provides all players an equal opportunity of being successful as players choose their own challenge. Geocachers regularly participate in groups or teams, therefore it gives players a sense of belonging to a group that share a common goal. Geocaching makes you stronger in other ways too. Overcoming fears and obstacles increases your brain’s idea of what you are capable of, opening up more and more doors in the future.
The potential educational benefits are profound—a quick internet search reveals powerful examples of how geocaching can be used to teach history, geography, social studies, literacy and numeracy, and science. Geocaching also teaches people to have respect for the environment through positive environmental stewardship.
Locate the plaque on the striking tree and enter the hashtag (including the #) into the checker below to reveal the nearby coordinates.