Hiding: What They Don't Tell You on Geocaching.com

We've all read Geocaching.com's rules & regulations for hiding caches (wink - wink), but here's a few pieces of basic advice for painfree hiding from the Southeastern Michigan Geocaching Group.

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What they don't tell you on Geocaching.com:

Check your coordinates via Google Earth or Google Maps - satellite view before creating the cache page. Of the last 4 local caches published by new hiders: 1 was 2 miles off, 2 were 1/2 mile off, and today's was 500 ft off.  By taking that extra step, you can see if you're even in the ballpark! Such a simple step to save the FTF'ers time, gas money and good will!

Missed the ballpark completely!

Hide the cache BEFORE clicking Submit Cache - not 2 or 3 days later.  Once you click Submit, you will typically see the message "due to the busy season, your cache could take 7-10 days for review".  However, we've seen them published as quickly as 10 minutes! Hide first!

Don't disappoint Fiona!

Don't confuse the First-to-Finders! If your friends sign the log while helping you hide, please mark an obvious spot for the FTF'ers. Nothing is more confusing than showing up minutes after publication to find ink already on a log.

Signed and dated two weeks before cache submission?

Rubberbands as a hanging tool will not survive a Michigan winter. Or an Arizona summer.... a Florida spring... or a California fall....

Would you want to geocache there? Don't hide in a spot you wouldn't want to cache in. Bad ideas: trashy, broken glass, no parking, uncomfortably close to an office window, next to a very busy bus stop. Unless it's your property, stay off private property.

Nice spot for a turtle-shaped cache

At least 528 feet means at least 528 feet. If your hide is too close to another, don't fudge the numbers because you will get busted.

I'm sure with the next new cache notifications we'll discover new items to add to this list! Happy hiding!