If you haven’t caught on to the geocaching craze yet, give it a try! More and more people around the globe are participating in these fun outdoor ‘treasure hunts,’ which challenge your sleuthing skills while letting you explore the wilderness – and all on your schedule.   

The Allegheny River Wilderness Island Geo Trail is a great chance to earn a cool-looking coin (pictured right, below), while exploring one of America’s Wild and Scenic Rivers and several river islands along the Allegheny.

Here’s how it works:

We have placed 20 geocaches on Wilderness Islands along the Allegheny River. All the caches are between Kinzua Dam and Tionesta – a 45-mile stretch that can be covered in as little as three days in a canoe or kayak. All the caches are registered with www.geocaching.com.

STEP ONE
In order to participate, you will need to register with www.geocaching.com (registration is free). That site will give you the coordinates of all the caches in the Allegheny River Wilderness Island Geo Trail.

STEP TWO
Before setting out to find the caches, you will need an official passport booklet. Passports are free and can be obtained at Allegheny Outfitters or Indian Waters Canoe & Kayak Rentals.

STEP THREE
Find the caches! Don’t forget to carry your passport booklet with you!

STEP FOUR
Inside each cache you will find a unique ink stamp. Use it to stamp your passport as proof that you found the cache. Return the ink stamp to the cache container and leave it at the site. Do NOT take it with you – the next person who finds the cache is going to need it!

STEP FIVE
Once you successfully find six caches on the islands bring your stamped passport back to Allegheny Outfitters or Indian Waters and we’ll give you your geocoin! Your passport will also be returned to you to retain as a keepsake.

Good luck and happy hunting!

* Limit one coin per cacher.  

Encompassing ten northwestern Pennsylvania counties, the Allegheny GeoTrail will take geocachers through the beautiful wilds of Allegheny National Forest and its gateway regions. The ten participating counties are: Cameron, Clarion, Crawford, Elk, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Potter, Venango, and Warren. Each county features between 10 and 20 official AGT caches. Find out more here.