how to get to the cache area by car

[team.moo]

Me and my young son have found a few caches local to us where I know the area well. I now what to go out and find some further a field.

 

My question is how do people know where to start looking for them? We are ok once we get in the general area using the gps but how do I know where to drive to that point? My GPS does not give driving directions and my sat nav will not reconise coordinates! I can see with two adults or an older child this would be easier as one person can look and decipher the GPS and navigate to the driver, but trying to read the GPS whilst driving in a strange location is not a good idea.

 

Plenty of people cache on their own, how do you find the starting area via car?

 

Thanks

[Keystone]

1. On each cache listing, there's a link to "Driving Directions" from your home coordinates to the cache coordinates. It's useful for getting you to the right area, but only works for the first cache, of course. Also, beware of false routings -- the cache could be at the back of the park, bordering houses on a residential street. The routing may take you to the residential street, and you can't trespass through someone's yard. The correct parking could be a half mile away at the park's entrance.

 

2. Do you have a smartphone? If so, consider installing a geocaching app and a standalone mapping application.

[+niraD]

Sometimes, I view maps in advance and plan my route. Sometimes, I just open the cache description and then open Google Navigation on my phone.

 

Google Navigation is pretty reliable when I'm using parking coordinates provided by the cache owner, but it can be hit-or-miss if I'm using the cache coordinates. Sometimes, it takes me to the back side of a park (where there is no access), or to the wrong side of a lake/slough/freeway/whatever.

[+Chief301]

Depends which device/app you're using. I usually cache with my Garmin Oregon GPS (handheld)...with the proper routable maps installed I can toggle back and forth between On-road and Off-road navigation. The Oregon doesn't speak directions like most car sat nav devices, but will beep when you have a turn coming up. Or it can give me written instructions and beeps and again beeps when the next turn is coming up.

 

Now, if I'm using an app on my iPhone, I have a couple of options. When I use the official Groundspeak geocaching app, there are no options for driving directions. The best I can do is study the map before heading off to the next cache and get a general idea of what turns I have to make to get there. That usually works OK, if it's not more than 3 or 4 turns.

 

For this reason I sometimes prefer to use Geosphere. It gives you the option to either Set As Target, which is a straight line to the cache, or to get driving directions, in which case it will open the Maps app and give me spoken turn-by-turn directions.

[+Graculus]

What GPS are you using and what sat nav (make/model). There are excellent free maps of the UK for Garmin GPS's (if they support maps) and it is possible to load caches into a satnav so you can drive to them or parking locations. Using a satnav like this does require some additional software by the way.

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

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[+TriciaG]

I pre-plan online first - look at the maps on the cache page, figure out likely parking spots if there are none on the cache listing, and direct myself there.

 

Kinda like how I direct myself anywhere, since I don't have a car navigation system.

 

Pretend you're living in the 1990's. How did you get places without the car nav?

[+kunarion]

how do you find the starting area via car?

As Keystone said, each cache page has links to driving directions. See if there's a parking area listed. Many caches may be in forested areas, or residential areas, and have no particular info about where to park or how to approach. If it could be a long walk from any chosen parking place, you'll need more info before you hunt those.

 

One thing to try is to look at the map on a cache page, and find caches in and around parks. Get directions to a parking lot central to some caches in a park. Or, if you have a lot of caches loaded for your area, go visit a park, then check the GPSr for nearby caches when you arrive.

Edited August 20, 2014 by kunarion

[+NanCycle]

I pre-plan online first - look at the maps on the cache page, figure out likely parking spots if there are none on the cache listing, and direct myself there.

 

Kinda like how I direct myself anywhere, since I don't have a car navigation system.

 

Pretend you're living in the 1990's. How did you get places without the car nav?

 

Ditto. Maps are very useful devices. They can even be printed.

 

I also use the maps to write cue sheets--like L on Hwy 24, R on Main, R on 4th, etc.

[+Harry Dolphin]

 

Okay. Try these! In the Meadowlands Environmental Center. (Part of the old Kearny Landfill. That's why the road is listed as Disposal Road.) Very nicely restored.

Please do not park on the New Jersey Turnpike, climb the fence and swim across the marsh. The trails are from the Meadowlands Environmental Center!

I have one that I had to work very hard to get good parking coords. Or your GPS would tell you to park in a tunnel 70' underground!

 

Yes. The GPS will take you to the nearest road, not necessarily to the proper access point. I've had that happen a number of times. Sometimes it's tough to find the right access point.