This geocache is surrounded by some great geology, so we thought it would be the perfect spot for rock hounders. Rather than regular swag, this cache will contain fossils found here and rocks brought by glaciers from eslewhere, as well as just plan cool rocks from travels. Feel free to leave a rock or fossil you found on your hike, but please do not disturb plants or animals in your rock hunting.
The short version of the geology is this: most of North America used to be covered in a warm, shallow sea. Dead creatures created layers of sediment that eventually turned into limestone. Sometimes they left fossil imprints in the rock. The other rocks we have around here were brought by glaciers during the Illinois or Wisconsin glacial episodes.
This cache is starting with fossils of corals, lake superior agates, unakite, and petosky stones.
This cache is part of the "My Favorite Places" series, and counts toward earning a new Byron Forest Preserve Fox Snake geocoin. Find 15 caches with a Difficulty and Terrain rating of 2 or lower in this series to earn a geocoin. Take note of the code word on each log book, and visit the Jarrett Prairie Center during open hours (M-F 8 am-4:30 pm; Sat 9-4; Sun 12-4). Coins are at the front desk and staff will be happy to get them for you. If you aren't caching during open hours or log later and live farther away, please message me and I will mail you a geocoin. All caches in this series are geared toward beginners and families. Trails are well maintained and caches are available year-round, and are placed at the Jarrett Prairie Preserve, Barrick Oaks Homestead Preserve, HeLeo Two Rivers Preserve, and Bald Hill Prairie Preserve.
Caches in this series:
At the Jarrett Prairie Preserve (main site):
GCB80TV Skyview
GCB80XG Old Trail, New Trail
GCB80WQ Sunflowers and a Sinkhole
GCB80WW Hen of the Woods
GCB80XA Down Low, Up High
GCB80V8 Gulley Overlook
GCB80VT End of the Road
GCB848B Remnants of Days Gone By
GCB76DQ Fossil and Rock Exchange
GCB80W2 Greater Prairie Chicken
GCB80WA Garden Walk
GCB82AT Monkey See, Monkey Do Travel Bug Hotel
GCB8497 Clyde James Prairie
At the HeLeo Two Rivers Preserve:
GCB82DQ Duck, Duck, Goose
GCB847X Out of Bounds
Bonus cache, counts for both geocoins:
GCB82DD Frog Watch
At the Bald Hill Prairie Preserve:
GCB84B5 The Easy Way or the Hard Way
GCB84BR Milkweed
At Barrick Oaks Homestead Preserve:
GCB84C2 BFPDBOHPPnG
GCB84CJ Baby Cedar
Coming soon! The forest preserve is also putting out a series to earn an Environmental Education Association of Illinois geocoin. Find 8 caches in the EEAI series that have a D or T rating of 2.5 or higher to earn the EEAI geocoin.