What is Geocaching?
Geocaching has become a very popular activity for individuals and families to participate
in. Geocaching is an entertaining adventure game for GPS users. The basic idea is
to have individuals and organizations set up caches all over the world and share
the locations of these caches on the internet. GPS users can then use the location
coordinates to find the caches. Once found, a cache may provide the visitor with
a wide variety of rewards. All the visitor is asked to do is if they take something
they should try to leave something in return for the cache. Visit
www.geocaching.com for more details.
Polk County Conservation permits geocaching in keeping
with its mission to provide opportunities for safe recreational activities. Geocachers
are welcome to place a cache in PCC lands as long as they comply with the requirements
of the permit.
Polk County Conservation Geocache Placement Site Guidelines
At this time, PCC managed areas have been placed into 2 categories. However, terrain
type, sensitivity, management practices such as burning, and human impact may result
in changes to category description, placement of areas in those categories, and
the number of caches allowed.
Category 1 - Caches not allowed.
Beaver Creek Greenbelt (71 acres)
Carney Marsh (40 acres)
Engeldinger Marsh (214 acres)
Category 2 - Physical caches may be placed
in these areas. Contact Polk County Conservation prior to development in order to
inquire about any designated and/or "off limit" areas and to learn interesting facts
that may enhance the educational value of your cache.
Brown’s Woods (484 acres)
Chichaqua Bottom Greenbelt (6,800 acres)
Chichaqua Valley Trail (20 miles)
Easter Lake Park (464 acres)
Fort Des Moines Park (island is off limits) (116 acres)
Four Mile Creek Greenbelt (102 acres)
Gay Lea Wilson Trail (4 miles)
Great Western Trail (17 miles)
High Trestle Trail (25 miles)
Jester Park (1,834 acres)
Mally’s Weh-Weh-Neh-Kee Park (37 acres)
Sycamore Trail (6.5 miles)
Thomas Mitchell Park (175 acres)
Trestle to Trestle Trail (3.75 miles)
Yellow Banks Park (517 acres)
The following specific conditions and provisions shall
apply to those placing a geocache in an area managed by Polk County Conservation.
1. A Geocache Placement Permit Application must be filed with and approved by Polk
County Conservation (SCC) before posting the cache on a geocaching web site.
2. At a minimum, Cache Listing Requirements/Guidelines developed by Groundspeak
and posted at geocaching.com must be followed when developing a cache.
3. All local and state laws apply.
4. The cache container must be clearly marked on the outside with Geocaching.com
and the name of the cache.
5. Permit is good from date issued to March 31 of the next year. After that date,
the cache must be re-permitted or removed. If the cache owner removes the cache
before the March 31 expiration date, he/she will notify PCC.
6. PCC, through its director or designee, reserves the right to terminate this approval
for placement of a geocache on PCC land for any reason at any time. Caches not in
compliance with the terms of this permit will be removed from the property and this
permit voided for failure to comply.
7. We request that you monitor this cache every two months and you maintain it to
be family friendly. This means the cache should contain no food, alcohol, firearms,
drugs, dangerous items or adult items.
8. We also request that you direct people seeking your cache to follow established
trails most of the way to your cache. We discourage off trail hiking as it negatively
impacts the environment.
9. Each geocache placed in Polk County Parks will be given a permit number. Please
include the permit number in your online description of the geocache.
Click here for a copy of the Geocache Placement Permit.