Are you ready for an adventure, Asheville? There are hundreds of hidden treasures waiting to be discovered right here in our city. Here’s how you can venture out and find them.
Enter Geocaching, the world’s largest scavenger hunt. Participants use GPS coordinates to locate caches — think hidden containers filled with small, tradeable knick-knacks that can be found in outdoor public spaces. Geocaches come in all sorts of shapes and sizes + vary in how difficult they are to find.
But who creates the geocaches? People like you. The hunt is created by and for the community, so anyone is able to find or hide a cache.
📱 Getting started
- Step 1 | Download the official Geocaching app.
- Step 2 | Create your free account.
- Step 3 | Select a cache to find.
- Step 4 | Follow the clues and navigate your way to its location.
- Step 5 | Log your cache once you’ve found it.
There’s plenty of treasure to go around with over 700 caches in Asheville.
Screenshot from Geocaching.com
Pro tip: Make sure to bring a pen so you can sign the log to let other geocachers know you were there.
📍 On the hunt
Ready to get out and search? We’ve rounded up a couple of beginner-friendly caches for you.
- Welcome to Asheville | N 35° 35.824 W 082° 33.710 | This is a quick and easy find at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce.
- We the People | N 35° 35.815 W 082° 32.910 | This geocache is hidden near the Charters of Freedom monument downtown.
Remember that it’s important to respect the game. After celebrating your victories, make sure to return the cache to its home so others can find it for years to come. Plus, make an effort not to disturb the surrounding nature on your journey — just like with any outdoor activity, you should leave no trace. Happy hunting.
