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| NPS Photo | | Using your GPS unit, you can explore new places, such as Sandstone Peak at Circle X Ranch. |
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Welcome to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area’s GPS (Global Positioning System) activity page. Here you will find information on what a GPS is, what activities can you do with them, and even how your national parks are working to expand GPS based recreational activities.
A Brief Introduction to GPS
A GPS is a device, usually handheld, that tells you where you are in the world. The GPS unit (about the size of a cell phone) receives signals from over 20 satellites in space to center in on your position. This information is displayed on a computer type screen as coordinates such as Latitude and Longitude. The more satellite signals your GPS can receive the more accurate your location is shown.
Yet, your GPS can also be used to tell you how to get somewhere. Your GPS knows where you are, but you can tell it the location of somewhere else (as long as you have the coordinates) referred to a waypoint and the GPS will direct you to that location. An example would be from the top of a mountain peak back to your car.
What activities can you do with a GPS?
One of the fastest growing activities using a GPS is referred to a geocaching. Think of it like a treasure hunt where your GPS has the coordinates of the treasure and you have to hike, bike, climb, or even swim to get to it. These treasures are commonly known as caches. Because of all the different types of land owners in the Santa Monica Mountains, you can hunt for various types of caches. Types of caches include:
Traditional Cache – this is the most common type of cache. Known by most as a geocache this is where one hides an item (of various sizes and shapes) in a box and the cacher finds it.
Virtual Cache – this is the same as a traditional cache without the hidden item. Usually the cacher has to find an object already in place such as a sign name or manmade feature.
Earthcache– same as a virtual caches except that the cache is interesting or unique geological or geographical features such as a geyser, mountain peak, or ancient fossils.
Muti-cache – is a multiple of any type of cache listed above. In order to find the end cache you must complete multiple caches first. Think like a treasure hunt with multiple steps.
Letterbox Cache – is very similar to a traditional cache expect there are no items associated with the cache, just a box where you would write your name and the date you found it.
Travel Bugs – are very similar to traditional caches in that there is an item in a hidden location but that item is trying to get somewhere. An example would be if you had a bear stuffed animal and your goal was to get it to all the National Parks. Then every time a cacher found it, they would enter the code of the park they found it in and then take it with them to the next National Park they went to.
These are just a few of the types of caches that are out there. As the world of geocaching grows more and more popular, there will be different types of caches available for you to find and experience.
What do you need to look for a cache?
The most important thing you’ll need is a GPS unit. They range in price from $75 and up. The more expensive the system the more features it will have.
For a list of over 725,000 caches worldwide, you’ll have to create a FREE account with www.geocaching.com. Geocaching.com is where you can search for, log, and even hide your own caches.
Lastly, pick a place to start your cache adventure. A good place to begin is near your home or if you are visiting the Los Angeles Area, the Santa Monica Mountains has close to 500 caches.
GPS Activities in the Santa Monica Mountains
The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is made up of a multitude of land agencies from the National Park Service, California State Parks, Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority, Los Angeles and Ventura County parks, and even city parks. This provides for a one of a kind opportunity to experience different types of caches. The drawback for you as a visitor is that this can make it confusing to understand where you can do these activities and what types of caches can you find or hide.
The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area has created a park wide Earthcaching program to invite cachers to the park by providing approved and legal caches in the park. These earthcaches give you the experience of finding caches while also learning about your national park. A list of the park owned earthcaches are below:
Because earthcaches have no item to collect, we invite you to take a brief quiz on what you learned, and earn an official certificate from the National Park Service that you can print and even frame!
Currently, the National Park Service does not permit traditional caches, letterboxes, travel bugs or any other type of cache where an object is left behind on NPS property. Even though there is no rule prohibiting GPS activities in National Parks, there are a handful of different rules and regulations that these caches violate. This includes:
Violations:
36 CFR 2.22(a)(2) Property The following are prohibited: Leaving property unattended for longer than 24 hours, except in locations where longer time periods have been designated or in accordance with the conditions established by the superintendent.
These three are potential violations, depending on placement of the geocache:
36 CFR 2.1(a)(1)(ii) Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the following is prohibited: Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state: Plants or the parts or products thereof.
36 CFR 2.1(a)(1)(iii) Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the following is prohibited: Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state: Nonfossilized and fossilized paleontological specimens, cultural or archeaological resources, or the parts, thereof.
36 CFR 2.1(a)(1)(iv) Preservation of natural, cultural and archeological resources. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the following is prohibited: Possessing, destroying, injuring, defacing, removing, digging, or disturbing from its natural state: A mineral resource or the parts thereof.
36 CFR 2.31(a)(3) Trespassing, tampering and vandalism. The following are prohibited: Vandalism. Destroying, injuring, defacing, or damaging property or real property.
So what’s next?
Parks are working to create a uniform policy regarding all types of GPS activities. As the world of GPS based activities continues to develop and expand, visitors like you will be key in preservation and protection of our resources for future generations through programs such as Cache In Trash Out and leave no trace principles.
Additional Information
www.nps.gov/samo
www.geocaching.com
www.earthcache.org
Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations (“36 CFR”), Volume 1, Chapter 1, Parts 1-5,
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