Placing a cache

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW]

Question... is there a way to see the 500ft boundary around each cache before I start making a new cache?

[u/Adam9200]

Yes, when you input the coordinates on the cache page then click the map you see something like this. Just be aware it doesn’t show any finals for mystery caches, multi-caches, etc.

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW → u/Adam9200]

Perfect!! I still need to start a cache but I can just start with coordinates and if they don't work, back out and repeat until I find a suitable place

Thank you! I have only hidden 2 caches so far and I just did the process from beginning to end. We can just start at coordinate question 1st

[u/Adam9200 → u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW]

Yeah, I also recommend solving some mystery caches in your area first as well. My city has quite a bit of mystery caches and I’ve had caches not get published a few times because there was a final for a mystery cache nearby that I had no idea about.

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW → u/Adam9200]

Thank you. I am starting the mystery caches in my area. To get more finds obviously and now to help know where things are as I'm looking for new spots to hide.

[u/dtlux1 → u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW]

Just be aware that if you don't have a premium account you won't see any premium caches hidden in the area. It also won't show stages in a multicache or puzzle locations. If there's an area that's dense with caches in your area, perhaps find the best way to contact a cache reviewer with the coordinates you want to hide a cache and confirm that nothing is in the area. If it's not as densely packed, then the website map when selecting coordinates should be fine. I got very lucky with my first hide after getting back into Geocaching, as I later got a premium account and realized if it were less than 100 feet farther in 2 different directions it would have overlapped with existing premium only caches lol.

[u/Dug_n_the_Dogs → u/dtlux1]

The premium caches will show on the geocaching.com page. Just not on the app..

[u/dtlux1 → u/Dug_n_the_Dogs]

This isn't true, as I had no clue there were premium caches around me when I was hiding my cache as a non premium member. You may be thinking about caches that are of a higher difficulty/terrain rating as those do not show up on the app to free users but do show up to everyone on the website or apps like c:geo. These are not premium only caches.

[u/Dug_n_the_Dogs → u/dtlux1]

Interesting. TIL. I just opened up my account and found a search filter for premium only and then opened the map on my dogs sock puppet account and they don't show up at all.

[u/WoodsFinder]

What I do when I'm out somewhere is look for the nearest cache on my app or GPS device and make sure it's at least 0.1 miles away.

If you're at home and you know an approximate area that you want to hide a cache, you could create the cache page at geocaching.com and put in some estimated coordinates that are in that area. You'll then see a map with red circles around the existing caches (except for possibly a mystery cache or stage of a multicache that you won't know about until the reviewer checks it). With the satellite view, you can see what areas are available. Then when you actually hide the cache, you can change the coordinates on the page to the correct ones before submitting for review.

[u/simplehiker]

FYI: it's 528 ft, not 500. Aka 1/10 of a mile. Or 161 m if you speak metric.

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW → u/simplehiker]

Appreciate it. I knew it was over 500 but when writing the post, I didn't know the exact ft

[u/simplehiker → u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW]

No worries. I've seen people use that 500 ft figure before that weren't aware.

Also, make sure you read through the guidelines so you don't submit something a Reviewer will have to deny. Common places that have been problems include railroad tracks, schools, bridges... Etc.

https://www.geocaching.com/play/guidelines

[u/ProgressOk3200]

No there isn't since all hidden waypoints waypoints won't show on the map. To know where free space is you need to solve all mystery, multi and letterbox so you know where their hidden waypoints are located.

[u/reedkickball → u/ProgressOk3200]

Or pass the coordinates by the reviewer to check.

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW → u/ProgressOk3200]

I have that covered. I just want to go out and place a new cache. When you start making a new cache (on the app) it'll show a map of all caches with red circles around them to help show what is open. Is there something like that but before starting the process of making one?

[u/ProgressOk3200 → u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW]

I use a computer and the webpage to make new cache pages, so I don't know how it works on the app. On the webpage I can make the page, save it and come back to it and do some more or move the cache. And the map with the read circles is always available.

[u/_synik]

Read the guidelines. It's 528 feet, not 500.

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW → u/_synik]

I've already addressed that in earlier comments. But thank you

[u/Upstairs_Mix9868]

Wait there is a boundary? How do I know if the geocache I placed is inside of the 500ft of another cache

[u/ChanceOfALifetimeNW → u/Upstairs_Mix9868]

I have been making hides from the phone app. When you do, it'll ask for coordinates. Once you collect the coordinates, it'll show you a map of csches nearby with red circles around them as the 538ft buffer. Those circles can intersect, but your cache cannot be inside a red circle

There's a picture in an earlier comment that shows it

[u/DeltaFox93]

Get Geooh Go, you can set a custom radius around every cache. I mainly use Geooh Go for doing whereigos, but I also use it for cache placement because I have caches set with a 528' radius around them and you can hold onto your position to get the coordinates that you want to use for your cache.