UPDATE: 3/1/2024:
2019 was the 100th Anniversary of Michigan State Parks and we're still celebrating!. Join the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO), the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Geocaching.com for the first official GeoTour in Michigan.
This tour was originally scheduled to run for three years, kicking off on Friday of Memorial Weekend in 2019 and continue through May 31, 2022. The success of this awesome tour has not gone unnoticed. On February 2, 2022, The DNR announced the extension of the GeoTour through September 24, 2024! Join us in making a final push to complete this very popular and very successful GeoTour before the sun sets on it.
Each geocache is in one of Michigan's state parks. The geocaches are arranged by MiGO Region, with twenty-five geocaches per region. The Ticket to Celebrate 100 is available for download from the DNR's Geocaching page. It explains how to qualify for prizes in each of the four regions and for the GeoTour as a whole.
Day use areas of state parks are open from 8AM to 10PM. Geocaching is limited to those hours. Entry into Michigan's State Parks requires a Michigan Recreation Passport. See the Resources section below for more information.
The sun will set on the MSPCGT at midnight Tuesday, September 24, 2024. The MSPCGT will go off the air as a GeoTour and the caches will disappear from the map. There is a lot of construction going on in our State Parks in 2024. Some of the GeoTour caches will have to be pulled earlier. The remaining geocaches in the tour will be archived October 1, 2024. Players will have until December 31, 2024 to claim any prize they have earned. Hiders will be contacted to request removal of the geocaches they hid unless they have made arrangements with park managers and have their own permit in place to keep the geocache in play, with a new GC Code.
Now for some good news: MiGO and the DNR are busy working on a new project that will kick off in the Spring of 2025, code named MSPGT 2.0. Are you interested in helping? Keep your MiGO Membership up to date and stay tuned to the website.
Cache:
This cache was hidden as part of the Michigan State Parks Centennial GeoTour, presented by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Geocaching Organization. Record the codeword printed on the log book and on a label inside the cache container to the appropriate box on the Ticket to Celebrate 100 form. See the instructions on the form to claim prizes.
This is a multi-cache with a field puzzle and is not at the posted coordinates. Petoskey State Park is a beautiful gem. The park is extremely popular and day use parking is often at a premium. Ground zero is near a small parking area near the contact station for a hiking trail. To determine the location of the cache, answer the following questions with information at the posted coordinates where you will find a sign for the Old Baldy Trail. The final is located at:
- N 45° 24.ABC W 084° 54.DEF
- A = The number of letter "e"s in the first word on the sign.
- B = The number of letters in the first word on the second line.
- C = The number of pictures of bears on the sign.
- D = The number of letter "t"s on the first line of the sign.
- E = The length of the trail is: __.44
- F = The number of letter "p"s in the top line on the sign.
- North Checksum: A+B+C = 5
- West Checksum:. D+E+F = 5
The cache is located near the top of a large dune and will require a climb up a trail or up a long series of steps. Please pace yourself and bring water if the day is hot. Enjoy your hike up to the cache. Note how the wind has shaped this giant dune. There is a picnic table and bench at the top of the dune. Take your time and enjoy the view!
You are looking for a Regular size container. Please return everything as good or better than you found it.
Thank you
TJPost
for creating, hiding and maintaining this MSPC GeoTour cache.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Beach at Petoskey State Park
Petoskey State Park:
Petoskey State Park, located on the east end of Little Traverse Bay, is situated on 303 scenic acres and offers a beautiful sandy beach on the bay. The park has two modern campgrounds. Tannery Creek Campground offers 100 campsites and Dunes Campground offers 80 campsites.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
View across the water
History:
The park land was originally deeded to Pay-Me-Gwau under an Ottawa Indian treaty in July of 1855. Later, much of the land was the site of the W.W. Rice Company. In 1934, the City of Petoskey purchased the land and named it the Petoskey Bathing Beach. In April of 1968, the beach was sold to the State of Michigan. On May 21, 1969, the state was given the title to the land. The campground opened its sites to the first campers in July of 1970.
Map courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Activities:
The park is located between Harbor Springs and Petoskey, both known for their shopping districts, local arts and crafts shops, shows and restaurants. There are no boat launch facilities in the park, but Harbor Springs and Petoskey each have several launches that provide access to Little Traverse Bay. Many nearby inland lakes also have boat launches. Fishing, jet-skiing and water-skiing are popular activities in the area.
Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Stream in Petoskey State Park
The Oden Fish Hatchery is a short drive from the park and one of the most advanced facilities of its kind. For anyone interested in how brook and brown trout are raised, this is the premier destination. For more information visit: Oden State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center
Information:
For more information, reservations and a calendar of events, follow this link to
Petoskey State Park.
Special thanks to
Monkeyman & Lulu
for help with this geocache.
Special thanks to Are You Geocacher Enough? Road Rally for the Northern Lower regional prize.
Resources: