Highest Cache Density

[+Team Woods]

I am currently planning on taking a trip shortly and I would like to find out where to go. I would like to determine where to go by finding out where the cache density is highest. Any help would be great, either how to figure it out or where this information can be found.

 

Thanks

Team Woods

[fishiam]

The city of Seattle is very close to being completely booked up - there are roughly 550 caches within the city limits. I would say 80-90% of the city is closed to new caches due to the 0.1 mile proximity rule. So, we're pretty dense here. However, we also have a, perhaps disproportionately, large number of puzzle caches so you'd want to do homework ahead of time. I am happy to report that while we do have a number of bus stop hides, there are only two lamp post hides in the entire city! And just across the lake from Seattle, the eastside suburbs are also quite densely populated with caches. And to boot, the weather is just perfect - while most of the country bakes in 100 degree heat, we hover in the 70-75 degree range. cheers!

[+briansnat]

Does the quality of caches mean anything, or are loads of parking lot lamp post micros fine?

[+Team Woods]

Does the quality of caches mean anything, or are loads of parking lot lamp post micros fine?

 

We are all about the numbers now... (bad Geowoodstock III reference), but quality counts too.

 

I should mention that we would be driving out of Ontario, Canada so the closer the better.

Edited July 17, 2006 by Team Woods

[+briansnat]

Try the Erie PA area then. Its a numbers hound paradise. A cache in every parking lot and its not that long a drive for you (depending on where you are in Ontario). There are actually some pretty good caches there too if you pick way around.

 

Northern NJ is very cache dense (it once was the most densely cached state in the US, but I think Mass. passed us by), but outside a few pockets here and there, there are few parking lot micros and drive ups, so I wouldn't recommend it for numbers hounds. The variety here though is outstanding. Scenic hikes, rugged rocky terrain, outstanding views, lowland swamps, suburban parks and many historic sites ranging from the Revolutionary War era through the heyday of the iron mining industry and the industrial revoulution.

Edited July 18, 2006 by briansnat

[+The Leprechauns]

Coming from Ontario, why not have a look at the area of Erie Pennsylvania and Cleveland/Akron, Ohio? Take a look at this cache map:

 

 

The blob at the top right is Erie. A medium-sized city, but disproportionately active when it comes to geocaches. There are 1185 caches jam-packed within 50 miles of downtown -- and half of that radius is Lake Erie. There is everything from the geographically unique Presque Isle State Park, to the oldest cache in Pennsylvania in a State Gamelands, to evil micros lining the shopping districts. Then, travel westward to Cleveland: 1521 caches within 50 miles of downtown, and again, half of that radius is water. South of Cleveland is Akron, with 1702 caches within a 50 mile radius. You could cache in this area for a week and barely make a dent. For hiking and natural scenery, the superb Cleveland MetroParks system is first rate -- and this park system sets the worldwide standard for cooperation with geocachers. Out in the suburbs, there are hidden gems all over, like the Towners Woods park in Portage County that recently placed a cache onto my Top Five Percent list. The "evil quotient" of the urban caches in all three cities is on par with the more famous locations such as Nashville and Jacksonville. I know -- I've cached in those places too.

 

Ignore the blob at the lower right of the map. That is Pittsburgh -- with a mere 1116 caches within 50 miles of downtown, where I'm sitting right now. The caches are great, but the terrain and road network are not conducive to running up big numbers. Twenty caches is a darn good day around here.

[+briansnat]

Coming from Ontario, why not have a look at the area of Erie Pennsylvania

 

Good idea, wish I thought of that .

[+The Leprechauns]

Great minds think alike, and so do ours. I didn't see your post prior to posting mine, as it took me awhile to compose it -- saving and uploading the map, and measuring cache density at the centerpoint of each city. I suppose I could've said "there's lots of caches" and beat you to the punch!

[+Team Woods]

Try the Erie PA area then. Its a numbers hound paradise. A cache in every parking lot and its not that long a drive for you (depending on where you are in Ontario). There are actually some pretty good caches there too if you pick way around.

 

Northern NJ is very cache dense (it once was the most densely cached state in the US, but I think Mass. passed us by), but outside a few pockets here and there, there are few parking lot micros and drive ups, so I wouldn't recommend it for numbers hounds. The variety here though is outstanding.

 

Any votes for Mass.?

[+Team Woods]

Great minds think alike, and so do ours. I didn't see your post prior to posting mine, as it took me awhile to compose it -- saving and uploading the map, and measuring cache density at the centerpoint of each city. I suppose I could've said "there's lots of caches" and beat you to the punch!

 

Your Argument is quite persuasive, the map really helped out!

[+briansnat]

Try the Erie PA area then. Its a numbers hound paradise. A cache in every parking lot and its not that long a drive for you (depending on where you are in Ontario). There are actually some pretty good caches there too if you pick way around.

 

Northern NJ is very cache dense (it once was the most densely cached state in the US, but I think Mass. passed us by), but outside a few pockets here and there, there are few parking lot micros and drive ups, so I wouldn't recommend it for numbers hounds. The variety here though is outstanding.

 

Any votes for Mass.?

 

I just did some quick calcs. NJ has slipped to 3rd and Mass to second. Ct is now number 1 at .129 caches per square mile. Mass has .125 per sq mile and NJ has .118 per sq mile.

 

Here is what a cache map of NJ (about center) and CT (upper right) look like:

 

 

And here is Mass:

Edited July 18, 2006 by briansnat

[+Jhwk]

OMG!

 

I mean ZOMG!

 

I wish I knew how to post a picture - then I could show you the empty 30 mile circle around my house.

 

[k_statealan]

You could always try the area northeast of Liberal, KS and in Satanta, KS

 

About 5 miles NE of Liberal in the SW corner of the state--very sparsely populated area mind you--there are about 28 caches within less than 1 sq mile.

 

In the town of Satanta (pop. 1000 about 20 miles NW of Liberal) there are 16 within the city limits of less than 1 sq mile.

 

Of course there's really no reason to go there other than that but that's another issue entirely.

[+IV_Warrior]

So, we're pretty dense here.

 

Man, now that's a setup just waiting to get quoted out of context.

 

For the OP as others mentioned Erie has pretty good cache density, but if you're up for a longer drive, there's also a lot of caches in the Mechanicsburg/Harrisburg/Hershey/Lancaster PA region as well. You'll also hit a good bit of diversity there, with everything from parking lot micros to ammo boxes after a long hike in the woods. I've never cached up in Erie, so I don't know what the cache mix is like up there.

[bogleman]

If you decide to pass through Erie PA, drop me a line I have several favorites and can direct you to some good ones. It all depends on what you want to find, your route of travel and how much time you want to spend.

[+Team MTJ]

And here is Mass:

 

All those TBs makes it look like a beehive haha

Edited July 19, 2006 by Team MTJ

[+Jhwk]

And here is Mass:

 

All those TBs makes it look like a beehive haha

 

And now I understand the whole microspew problem...

 

Crap, I just thought you all were just a bunch of whining babies

 

resetting compassion level

 

all better now, and more friendly too.

 

Jhwk ver 1.0000001

[+Rich the Bushwhacker]

If you look at the statistics, Massachusetts and Rhode Island are fairly free of micro litter. We just have a lot of fairly good caches. From my best recollection, RI only has ten or so of it's 400 active caches in parking lots.

[+The Leprechauns]

When I make cache maps to illustrate a point in the forums, I always uncheck the box that displays the travel bugs. The tags are huge, and tend to cover up the cache icons. If you want to see whether the area has any letterbox hybrids, or a large proportion of multicaches, that's tough to do if they are all hiding behind TB tags.

 

To post a cache map in the forums, save your map as an image (it will default to .bmp) and then upload it as an image file that you can link to.

[+briansnat]

When I make cache maps to illustrate a point in the forums, I always uncheck the box that displays the travel bugs. The tags are huge, and tend to cover up the cache icons. If you want to see whether the area has any letterbox hybrids, or a large proportion of multicaches, that's tough to do if they are all hiding behind TB tags.

 

To post a cache map in the forums, save your map as an image (it will default to .bmp) and then upload it as an image file that you can link to.

 

Good idea about the TBs. Here they are without them.

 

CT

 

NJ

 

MA

[ImpalaBob]

Nashville, TN ImpalaBob

[+Team Woods]

Thanks to all who replied to my question, everyone had great input as usual. We have decided to head to Erie, PA.

 

Thanks again

Team Woods