Geo Cachers to Gather at Griggstown Trail

The Franklin Township Griggstown Geo Cache Trail will have its inaugural event at 1 p.m. Oct. 27.

Between 50 and 75 “geo cachers” are expected at the event, to be held at the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve, 1091 Canal Road.

Members of the Northern NJ Geo Cachers Association will be at Griggstown to give GeoCache 101 tips and have GPS devices available for those new to geo chacing.

Geocaching is a global treasure hunt in which participants use Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers to find geocaches hidden throughout the world, according to an information sheet about the event. Caches can be as small as a dime or as large as a military ammo can.  When cachers find a cache, they usually log their visit in a log book found in the cache.  They may also trade trinkets, or swag, in the caches.  Currently, there are over 2 million caches and 6 million geo cachers, according to the sheet.

Geocaches are hidden on geotrails. The Griggstown Geotrail is a geocaching trail consisting of many different type geocaches placed around the Native Grassland Preserve, according to the information sheet. Geocachers should plan to spend enough time to explore the area while completing the geotrail; the trail area covers 376 acres, and will take a few hours to complete.

Following are some frequently asked questions about geo caching from the event’s information sheet:

What do I need to go Geocaching?

The only necessities are a GPS device or a GPS-enabled mobile phone so that you can navigate to the cache, and a free Geocaching.com membership. http://www.geocaching.com/

You may also want to bring along small trinkets or swag to leave in the cache for the next geo cacher to find and trade.

What are the rules of geocaching?

1. If you take something from the geocache (or “cache”), leave something of equal or greater value.  Also called Swag or a Trinket.
2. Write about your find in the cache logbook.
3. Log your experience at www.geocaching.com.
4. Follow the rules of the Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve.

Rules: http://www.franklintwpnj.org/detailed_trail_maps.html

Completing the Geotrail

To complete the Griggstown Geotrail, you must locate all the Griggstown Geotrail caches totaling 28 caches, locate the North and West coordinates which are hidden inside four of the caches, and locate the nine-letter secret phrase. The Griggstown Geotrail final cache will contain a 4 X 6 official certificate which you must obtain, complete the secret word to receive a completion token, pathtag, from the township of Franklin.

Secret Word

Inside nine of the Griggstown geocaches is a laminated clue card with a specific letter; cachers must collect all these nine letters to uncover the secret word to fill out on their official certificate located inside the final Griggstown Geotrail cache. Geocachers then bring their completed certificate for redemption and verification of completion as outlined on the certificate to receive a commemorative Franklin Township Commerative Pathtag Token.

The Griggstown Geotrail is designed to be very family friendly and accessible by the greatest number of people, but in the interest of hidden off the paved trail, they are not all wheelchair accessible.

The Griggstown Geotrail project is an exciting partnership between Franklin Township and The Northern New Jersey Cachers, NNJC.org who have partnered and volunteered their time, expertise and assistance and help develop and implement this geotrail.

The Griggstown Geotrail caches are placed with approval by Franklin Township, no new caches will be allowed at their Griggstown Native Grassland Preserve property without first obtaining written permission by Franklin Township.

For more information please contact the Franklin Twp. Land Preservation and Management Consultant at (732) 873.2500, ext. 6230 or at franklintrails@gmail.com.

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