Final Cache of the 2007 Program To Be Placed at Logoly State Park

Jill M. Rohrbach, travel writer
Arkansas Tourism

MCNEIL, AR – The final cache in the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism "Cache in with The Natural State" program has been hidden at Logoly State Park.

Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunt, where people use Global Positioning Systems to pinpoint spots on the earth where caches are hidden. They are stashed all over the world in locations that range from deep in the woods to urban locales. Some caches contain only logbooks in small tins or film canisters, while others hold mini treasures inside containers such as ammo boxes.

The coordinates to the Logoly cache are N 33 20.718; W 093 11.030. It is posted under waypoint GC17PNE on www.geocaching.com. This official Web site provides information on caches in Arkansas and around the world.

Through the "Cache in with The Natural State" program, new caches in locations throughout the state are unveiled each month. Each contains a different range of items, most of which represent the region in which the cache is located. Geocachers are asked to observe standard protocol - taking only one item and leaving an item in trade, and signing the logbook.

Embracing the fast-growing hobby of geocaching, the department launched its program in January. Coordinates and more information are available at www.Arkansas.com.

The rewards for finding the cache are much more than the material goods found inside. There is the satisfaction of an accomplished quest as well as the joy of experiencing the locale.

At Logoly, Arkansas' first environmental education state park, interpreters present workshops on ecological and environmental topics. The park's natural resources provide a living laboratory for students and visitors. Most of Logoly's 368 acres comprise a State Natural Area that includes unique plant species and mineral springs.

Park facilities include six group tent sites (no hookups), a bathhouse with hot showers, standard pavilion (free to educational groups), picnic sites, playground, trails and a visitor center with exhibits and an indoor classroom.

"Our geocaching program is a fun way to entice people to discover the great outdoors of The Natural State," said Jana Greenbaum, communications manager for Arkansas Parks and Tourism. "Additionally, it provides a unique way to highlight the tourism offerings of Arkansas. We want people to travel the state in search of the caches and see areas they may not have visited before."

For more information on Logoly State park, phone 870-695-3561. Find out more about state parks at the Web site, www.ArkansasStateParks.com.

Geocaching is allowed in 40 of Arkansas’ 52 state parks. The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission lists caches on its Web site, www.agfc.com, leading enthusiasts to its nature trails, hatcheries and nature and education centers.

More than 2,700 geocaches are hidden in Arkansas steering people to some of The Natural State’s scenic and historic settings containing waterfalls, caves, wildlife, diamonds and trails amid diverse terrain and picturesque landscapes as well as urban areas.

For those new to geocaching, there is some etiquette to be observed:

• Don’t move a cache.
• Tread lightly. The sport never requires digging and cachers are mindful of the environment.
• CITO – “Cache In, Trash Out.”
• Don’t leave food, weapons, alcohol or anything harmful or inappropriate.
• Take something only if you leave something.
• Sign the logbook.