FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 25, 2014
DISCOVER
GEOCACHING AT FLORIDA'S STATE PARKS AND TRAILS
~Join
the new outdoor geocaching craze at Florida State Parks~
TALLAHASSEE – Adding to the already dynamic recreational opportunities at Florida state parks, the availability of geocaching is now expanding at many locations around the state. The
Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida State Parks is excited to begin offering Operation
Recreation GeoTour,
hosted by Geocaching.com.
Geocaching
is an outdoor game using hand-held GPS devices or smartphones. The game is an
inexpensive, interactive high-tech treasure hunt that teaches geography and
outdoor recreation skills. Participants use location coordinates to find
caches. Some caches are easy to find; others are more difficult.
“Geocaching
is a popular activity at Florida’s state parks,” said Donald Forgione, director
of the Florida Park Service. “The biggest reward is not finding the cache. It’s
discovering a place where you’ve never been or seeing a familiar place in a new
way.”
The new
GeoTour stretches from Pensacola to Key West and includes 74 state parks and
state trails. With Operation Recreation GeoTour, visitors will be inspired by the recreation opportunities
and scenic beauty, which help strengthen families, educate children and foster
community pride. The first 75 cachers to visit 40 different caches will earn
the Official Operation Recreation Geocoin.
Cachers
can visit the GeoTours
webpage to view each one of the 70 caches and download the Official
Tracking Sheet
to begin the geocaching adventure. If you need help finding a cache, hiding a
cache or understanding some of the geocaching vocabulary, please visit the Florida
State Parks Geocaching webpage.
Geocaching
should have minimal impact to the environment and conscientious land-use ethics
should be followed when participating in the activity.
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