A big silver key, a box full of fake gold and trading cards are among the treasures the Rafacz family have found hidden in various locales after tracking them down.
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They’re stalwart geocache trackers, and while the kids enjoy exchanging items — commonly known as SWAG, or “stuff we all get” — in the hidden boxes, mom Christy Rafacz said surpassing 20 discovered caches is the real thrill for the family.
“They’re really proud of themselves when they hit milestones,” Rafacz said.
The Rafacz family joined a recent Geocaching Adventure program offered by the Forest Preserve District of Will County at Hickory Creek Preserve in Mokena. The event was geared toward teaching newcomers how to search for and place geocaches.
The Rafacz family, while experienced in geocaching, recently moved to Frankfort from Seattle. Christy said they hoped to meet some other local people interested in the sport and reconnect with the hobby.
“We haven’t done any geocaching since we moved here,” Rafacz said.
Jennifer Wikel, of Mokena, said her family enjoys hiking at the Hickory Creek Preserve and saw a social media post about the program. While she tried geocaching with her brother once before, Wikel said they never used the mobile app. She came to the program to learn how they could participate on their own.
“We are definitely beginners,” Wikel said.
Similarly, Michael Davidson, of New Lenox, came to the introductory programming hoping to kick-start a new family activity. The Davidsons participate in a lot of forest preserve events but are new to geocaching.
He said his son “really likes scavenger hunts, and we really like being out in nature. So, it just seemed like a nice combination of some of our interests.”
Jen Guest, a recreation coordinator for the Forest Preserve District, said that range, from hardcore geocache enthusiasts to relative newcomers, is representative of what she typically sees in the preserves. Will County gets positive feedback on the district-maintained geocaches in the preserves, she added, noting they have already had requests for more to be placed there.
“The sport of geocaching is still going strong,” Guest said. “The district created these special geocaches to help support this high-tech treasure hunting activity in our forest preserves. Our geocaches are great for beginners who are just starting this sport, and especially for people who are looking to enjoy the outdoors in a fun and interactive way.”
During the program, participants learned how to search for and place geocaches of various shapes and sizes. It is generally recommended that geocache enthusiasts find at least 20 of the containers before placing one of their own. And in the case of the Will County preserves, people have to obtain a permit before placing one on the grounds.
“They are only allowed in certain locations where the flora and fauna will not be impacted,” Guest said. “They are only allowed in forest preserves that are typically not designated nature preserves.”
In the Southland, Goodenow Grove Nature Preserve, Lambs Woods, Laughton Preserve, Runyon Preserve and Theodore Marsh are among the locations suitable for placing caches, with prior approval, according to the district. In addition to one at Hickory Creek — LaPorte Road Access, the Forest Preserve District sponsors another cache at Messenger Marsh in Homer Glen.
Guest said the district hopes to add more of its own caches around the county to get people out and exploring the preserves. Supporting the activity fits the district’s mission to connect people with nature. It also helps people focus on wellness. And while some geocaches are off trail, others can be found on accessible surfaces, Guest explained, allowing people different ways to engage with the outdoors.
“It’s a treasure hunt that gets you on an outdoor adventure,” Guest said. “Offering free geocaching allows another avenue for the public to experience nature.”
The district’s caches and many others can be found at geocaching.com. More information about searching for and placing geocaches in the Will County forest preserves, is at reconnectwithnature.org/activities/geocoaching.
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
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