Carver County Parks and Recreation Geocaching Guidelines

Geocaching (pronounced geo-cash-ing), is a new sport allowing people to utilize today’s technology while experiencing the beauty and recreational opportunities within our park systems. Geocaching is the use of a Global Positioning System (GPS) to locate a cache or treasure, hidden around the world.

A cache is normally a waterproof container, bag, or small can hidden in a hollow tree, stump or in a wooded area. Caches are listed on the internet at www.geocaching.com by people who choose to place them at a specific location, allowing other to track down that cache taking a treasure and often times replacing it with something new and signing the log book.

Carver County Parks permits the use of its park system for Geocaching and has created the following guidelines:

1. Caches are to be registered and permitted through the Carver County Parks Office.
2. Caches are not allowed in campgrounds, beaches, picnic areas, playgrounds and in areas that are environmentally sensitive which would cause soil erosion or damage to wetlands.
3. Caches are not to be buried or otherwise harm vegetation and park facilities.
4. Access to caches will be subject to Carver County Ordinances including: hours of operation and daily parking fees.
5. Caches are not to contain items which are offensive to others, illegal or dangerous.
6. No more than 3 caches are allowed at Baylor and Lake Minnewashta Regional Parks. One cache is allowed at Lake Waconia Regional Park. No caches are allowed on the Dakota Rail Line.
7. Individuals are limited to no more than 2 caches in the entire park system.
8. Attempt to minimize impact by keeping caches within 30’ of existing trails.
9. Caches will be permitted for one year. At the end of permitted time period the cache is to be removed by the person who placed the cache or the Parks Division can remove the cache.
10. Carver County retains the right to check up on and have any cache removed by the person who placed it, or remove it themselves if the person is not able to be reached.

To Register a Cache within the Carver County Park System please contact Lenny Klevan Schmitz in the Parks office at 952-466-5250 or by email at lschmitz@co.carver.mn.us.

Please note: MnGCA has posted these these guidelines as a service to Carver County. Please contact Carver County officals with any questions regarding this policy.