Join the real-world treasure hunt by geocaching in Iron County

The Independent

Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt, and it’s happening right now. This summer, discover the hidden gems in Iron County on the Utah GeoTour. Geocaching is free and fun for all ages. The only requirement is a GPS unit or the ability to download the geocaching app to a smartphone.

The Cedar City Brian Head Tourism Bureau has partnered with the Utah Office of Tourism in their Life Elevated GeoTour of Utah to encourage additional visitation and exploration throughout the state.

“The Utah GeoTour is very much in line with our mission to increase visitation here in Iron County and opens up a whole new niche market for us,” said Maria Twitchell, Executive Director of the Cedar City Brian Head Tourism Bureau. “With an estimated six million geocachers worldwide, we are confident this program will draw many families and adventure enthusiasts to discover the hidden gems of our area, which should result in a nice economic boost for our community.”

A GeoTour is a collection of geocaches (hidden containers of all sizes and shapes) designed to guide geocachers on a tour of a specific area. A geocache can be found along a trail, through historic sites, in a park, and even in the middle of an urban area. Each location is easy to find and located within a short distance of parking, which means the entire family can join in on the adventure!

To play, register for a free membership at www.geocaching.com. From there, visit www.geocaching.com/play/geotours/visit-utah to see and learn about the geocaches in Utah and Iron County. To start the treasure hunt, choose a geocache, and use the coordinates and digital compass to find the cache. Sign the logbook inside, exchange the hidden trinket for one of your own, and mark it as “found” on the app. From there, share your stories and photos online and continue your hunt!

In order to receive a badge, you must collect or take a picture of the claim code at three of the five Iron County geocaches listed on the GeoTour. Bring the three codes into the Cedar City Brian Head Tourism Bureau, located at 581 North Main St. in Cedar City, to collect a unique Iron County patch. From there, you can extend the geocaching tour across the state and access adventure all summer.

For more information, contact the Cedar City Brian Head Tourism Bureau at (435) 586-5124, or visit www.geocaching.com/play/geotours/visit-utah.