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Geocaching in Madison Parks

Geocaching is a popular outdoor adventure game reminiscent of a scavenger hunt. Geocachers hide containers all over the world and submit geocache listings with GPS coordinates to geocaching.com. Other players use their own GPS device to search for them. Their goal is to visit the posted location, find the cache, sign the logbook inside, and share their experience online. Caches can be hidden almost anywhere, from busy urban settings to the middle of the woods. Geocaching is an acceptable activity in Madison Parks when all guidelines are followed.

Basic Geocaching Guidelines

  • Follow all City of Madison Ordinances.
  • No digging or disturbing trees, plants or wildlife.
  • Be respectful of all public parkland.
  • Use only general parklands in the City of Madison.
  • Prohibited areas include: Forest Hill Cemetery, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, all conservations parks, all City of Madison golf courses and all areas around burial mounds.

Process for Permission

If you are interested in placing a cache in a City of Madison park, you may submit your geocache listing through geocaching.com. In addition to the Madison Parks’ guidelines, all listings are subject to the geocaching.com guidelines. Geocaching policies may vary in other areas of the state. For more information, see Wisconsin Geocaching Association (WGA).

The WGA is a group of geocachers dedicated to promoting and protecting geocaching within the State of Wisconsin. The WGA organizes geocaching events, works with land owners/managers on geocaching policies, educates the public at-large about geocaching, and facilitates communication between members. While the WGA does not have a direct relationship with geocaching.com and they are not responsible for deciding which geocaches get published, they do work with entities like Madison Parks to establish policies favorable to geocaching.

Email Carson Monroe with questions.