A Brief History of Geocaching

The history of geocaching is a fascinating tale of innovation, adventure, and the power of technology. Here’s an overview of how geocaching came to be:

1. The Birth of GPS:

The story of geocaching begins with the development and availability of the Global Positioning System (GPS), a satellite-based navigation system. In the 1970s and 1980s, the U.S. Department of Defense created GPS primarily for military use. It became fully operational and accessible to civilians in the 1990s.

2. Selective Availability (SA):

In the early days of civilian GPS, a feature called Selective Availability (SA) intentionally reduced the accuracy of GPS signals for non-military users. This limited the precision of civilian GPS devices, with typical errors of up to 100 meters or more.

3. Dave Ulmer’s “Great American GPS Stash Hunt” – May 3, 2000:

The concept of geocaching as we know it today began with a single act of creativity and adventure. On May 3, 2000, Dave Ulmer, a computer consultant from Oregon, placed a bucket containing a logbook, pencil, and various items in the woods near Portland. He shared the coordinates online and challenged others to find the container using their GPS devices. This event, known as the “Great American GPS Stash Hunt,” is often considered the first geocache.

4. The First Geocacher:

The very next day, Mike Teague became the first person to find Dave Ulmer’s hidden stash. He documented his find online, and this marked the beginning of geocaching as a community-driven hobby.

5. “GPS Stash” Becomes “Geocaching”:

The term “geocaching” was coined shortly after the first stash hunt. It was a combination of “geo” (meaning Earth) and “cache” (a hidden item). This new name better represented the essence of the activity and emphasized the use of GPS technology.

6. The Geocaching Website – September 2000:

The geocaching community quickly grew, prompting the creation of the first geocaching website by Jeremy Irish and Elias Alvord in September 2000. This website, now known as Geocaching.com, became the central hub for geocachers to list, find, and log caches.

7. The Groundspeak Era:

In 2002, Jeremy Irish and Bryan Roth founded Groundspeak, Inc., which became the official steward of Geocaching.com. Groundspeak’s involvement played a pivotal role in expanding and promoting geocaching on a global scale.

8. The Geocaching Community Grows:

Over the years, geocaching gained worldwide popularity. Geocachers placed caches in diverse locations, from urban parks to remote mountain peaks, fostering a sense of exploration and adventure.

9. The Removal of Selective Availability (SA):

In 2000, the U.S. government discontinued Selective Availability (SA), allowing civilian GPS devices to achieve much greater accuracy. This significantly improved the precision of geocaching.

10. Geocaching Evolves:

Geocaching has continued to evolve with the integration of smartphones, the development of geocaching apps, and the creation of new cache types, such as puzzle caches, multi-caches, and virtual caches.

Today, geocaching is a global phenomenon, with millions of active geocachers worldwide and millions of caches hidden in nearly every corner of the Earth. It has grown into a diverse and inclusive community that celebrates outdoor exploration, problem-solving, and the thrill of the hunt. Geocaching’s history is a testament to the power of technology to connect people and inspire them to explore the world around them in exciting new ways.