Geocaching HQ Updates

HQ’s response to COVID-19

As the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) situation rapidly evolves around the world, the geocaching community has many questions about how the game will be impacted. Geocaching HQ will update this page with information as it becomes available. For timely updates, please also monitor our social media channels: Facebook / Twitter.

We strongly encourage geocachers to follow the most current guidance from public health authorities when choosing how to participate in activities such as geocaching. Read the Geocaching Blog for tips about how to stay connected with geocaching during these challenging times, especially if you cannot go out right now. Your health and safety are the top priority!

Mega- and Giga-Events

We are actively working with Mega- and Giga-Event organizers, who will be able to reschedule their events in cooperation with HQ.

Mega/Giga-Events must comply with health and safety guidelines, as well as all local laws. Mega/Giga-Event cache owners are responsible for ensuring the number of people in attendance is in accordance with any local restrictions on gatherings. Read this Help Center article for procedures which must be followed if local laws and health and safety guidelines require Event hosts to collect personal information from Event attendees.

Local laws and guidance from local government health authorities must allow a gathering where the event will be held that meets or exceeds the number of Will Attends or 500 * people (whichever is greater) at one location at the same time. At least thirty (30) days but no more than forty-five (45) days, before the event, organizers must provide written confirmation that this requirement has been met. If you have reason to believe at any time within the 30 days of the event that actual attendance at any point during the event will exceed the maximum allowable for the location (including if authorities have reduced the maximum), we respectfully request that the organizers postpone or cancel the event. Please note that, as we hold the health of the community as the highest priority, Geocaching HQ reserves the right to retract publication of the event at any time if we believe in our sole discretion that local laws and guidance from local government health authorities does not allow for the event.

(* 5,000 for Giga-Events)

Regular Events and CITOs

In some regions, community volunteer reviewers may suspend publishing Events and/or may disable, retract, or archive already published Events, in accordance with guidance from health authorities.

We advise hosts to consult their regional health authorities to understand the guidance regarding gatherings of people. Generally, Geocaching HQ leaves the decision to Event hosts on whether to continue hosting the Event and to attendees on whether they will participate.

Events must comply with health and safety guidelines, as well as all local laws. Event cache owners are responsible for ensuring the number of people in attendance is in accordance with any local restrictions on gatherings. Read this Help Center article for procedures which must be followed if local laws and health and safety guidelines require Event hosts to collect personal information from Event attendees.

We understand it can be very disappointing to miss the connections that are made at Events. But please remember that geocaching is a location-based game, and locationless Events or virtual logging of Events are not permitted by the Geocaching guidelines. HQ appreciates that the community is so strong that players want to keep in touch virtually and we encourage doing so using other online platforms.

Hiding and maintaining geocaches

In some regions, community volunteer reviewers may suspend publishing new geocaches, in accordance with guidance from health authorities. More information may be found in the Regional Geocaching Policies Wiki.

In addition, reviewers will provide extra time for addressing maintenance issues on existing caches. HQ has temporarily suspended the automated emails to cache owners with low Health Score caches.

Adventure Lab

Updates to the Adventure Lab® credit distribution process

We have removed the deadline to create an Adventure Lab. Several updates to the credit distribution process are detailed in this forum post. Those with Adventure Lab credits do not need to write in to request an extension.