25 Years of Texas Challenge - Inks Lake SP Traditional Cache

25 Years of the Texas Challenge -Inks Lake State Park (2006)

Over 25 years ago a group of cachers (UsMorrows, 9Key, Cybercat, CacheReward, and Moosiegirl) got together and came up with an idea of creating a statewide event that celebrated geocaching.  In addition to the fun and fellowship, the centerpiece of this event was a competition to determine annual bragging rights for the “Best Geocaching” group in Texas.  The winning team receives the coveted Golden Ammo Can.  Over the years this event has morphed and evolved but the core idea remains, and Texas Challenge is the longest running event of its kind and the longest running Mega event. 

In March of 2027, TXGA will be celebrating our 25^th Annual Texas Challenge in West Texas.  To help commemorate this incredible milestone TXGA is announcing a special project - 25 Years of Texas Challenges.  Starting in March of 2026 - TXGA will be releasing a series of 25 Anniversary Caches.  Each of these caches will be hidden “near” the location of that year’s Challenge and will have information and history of that specific Challenge.  In addition to the normal contents - each cache will contain a special punch that corresponds to that year’s event and a number of Passports. (Scorecards can also be downloaded from the TXGA website using the link above).  The first 50 people to find all 25 asnniversary caches and complete the scorecards by punching their passports will receive a commemorative 25 Years of Texas Challenge Coin.  The coins will be delivered at a special award ceremony at the 25^th Texas Challenge in March 2027.  Who knows there may also be some other interesting prizes available along the way so pay attention to the contents of the caches and the cache pages!

This activity is being sponsored by the Texas Geocaching Association (TXGA) the group that promotes and supports geocaching in Texas.  If you are new to geocaching and/or want more info abou this or other TXGA activities check us out Texas Geocaching Association (TXGA)

25 Anniversary Caches

• • Fort Parker SP - 2003 (GCBJXJ7) 
  • Huntsville SP - 2004 (GCBJYQ5)  (Available September 2026)
  • Cedar Hill SP - 2005 (GCBJYQC) 
  • Inks Lake SP - 2006 (GCBJYQJ) 
  • Brazos Bend SP - 2007 (GCBJYQY) (Available September 2026)
  • Lake Mineral Wells SP - 2008 (GCBJYRC) (Available November 2026)
  • Enchanted Rock SP - 2009 (GCBJYRM) (Available October 2026)
  • San Angelo SP - 2010 (GCBJYRX) (Available March 2027)
  • Huntsville SP - 2011 (GCBJYT4) (Available September 2026)
  • Ray Roberts SP - 2012 (GCBJYTD) (Available December 2026)
  • Port Aransas - 2013 (GCBJYTQ) (Available January 2027)
  • Bastrop SP - 2014 (GCBJYTZ) 
  • Lubbock - 2015 (GCBJYV6) (Available March 2027) 
  • Brenham - 2016 (GCBJYVC) 
  • Tyler - 2017 (GCBJYVK) 
  • Denton - 2018 (GCBJYVT) 
  • Seguin - 2019  (GCBJYW2) 
  • Round Rock - 2020 (GCBJYW5) 
  • Cisco - 2021 (GCBJYWB) (Available March 2027)
  • Conroe - 2022 (GCBJYWK) 
  • Longview - 2023 (GCBJYWT) 
  • Wichita Falls - 2024 (GCBJYX3) (Available March 2027)
  • Floresville - 2025 (GCBJYX7)  
  • Taylor - 2026 (GCBJYXJ) 
  • San Angelo - 2027 (GCBJYXV) (Available March 2027)

Inks Lake SP Texas Challenge 

4^th Annual Texas Challenge (GCRHB6)

Date: Saturday, March 18, 2006

Location: Inks Lake State Park

Attended: 165

Winning Team – Central

What sets this one apart:

• • •  The introduction of the orienteering PUNCH CARD system still in use today.

The 2006 Texas Challenge at Inks Lake State Park, held on March 18, 2006, brought geocachers from across Texas together for a full weekend of competition, camaraderie, and innovation. Located roughly 50 miles northwest of Austin, the event featured a Friday evening kickoff with a geocaching-themed gathering and a full-day Saturday challenge that combined strategy, physical effort, and problem-solving. Despite weather challenges, burn-ban restrictions, and a last-minute catering issue, participants consistently described the event as exceptionally well-run and highly enjoyable, with strong praise for both organization and creativity

A defining feature of the event was the new challenge format, which departed from prior years. Instead of teams hiding caches for one another, all regions competed to find the same set of specially placed caches, earning points through speed, coordination, and execution. The format included a structured morning briefing, waypoint loading, scorecards with punches (inspired by orienteering), and a strict scoring deadline. This approach emphasized teamwork while allowing cachers of varying mobility levels to contribute meaningfully, resulting in a fairer and more inclusive competition

Beyond the competition itself, the event fostered a strong sense of community. Camp Little Cachers provided activities for children, temporary and “evil” caches challenged even experienced participants, and social elements—like shared campsites, travel bug trading, and informal gatherings—created lasting memories. The Central Texas (CenTex) team ultimately won the challenge. The overwhelming sentiment across logs was appreciation for the effort, creativity, and collaboration that made the event a standout experience for first timers and veterans alike.