Spring fever is officially here. Between glimpses of warm, sunny weather intertwined with moody, cooler days, most of us are itching to get back outdoors in some way or another.

After the winter weather has kept us all inside more than we like, it is time to get outside again. And Belmont County offers an activity that will do just that … geocaching!

What is Geocaching?

It is an outdoor scavenger hunt using GPS-enabled devices to locate hidden treasures in plain sight. Participants navigate to a specific set of GPS coordinates and then attempt to find the geocache hidden at that location. Geocaching is fun for everyone: families, retirees, sightseers, outdoor adventurers, tech-lovers and explorers.

You never know what you might discover, right here in friendly, beautiful, Belmont County!

Adventures awaits! From longhorn cattle to unique rock formations, from beautiful parks to historic scenery, geocache containers can be hidden anywhere and will have you exploring surroundings of our county that you might have never experienced before. The Belmont County Explore More GeoTour (BCGT) has a total of 35 geocaches just waiting for you to find them.

Want to play?

The first thing to do is visit geocaching.com or download the official Geocaching app and register for a free account to search for active caches that can be found near you.

Search by “GeoTour” and enter “GT496” to see all 35 geocaches hidden as part of the Belmont County Explore More GeoTour. Once you have decided which cache you want to find first, download the cache’s coordinates to your GPS or mobile device and navigate to the hidden treasure. A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and a pen or pencil. When you have found the cache, add your name in the logbook inside and copy the unique code. After signing the log, the cache must be placed back exactly where you found it.

If you find 30 of the 35 BCGT caches and submit the cache codes to Belmont County Tourism, you will be rewarded with a collectible Belmont County geocaching coin.

Now is the time to embrace the change of the seasons and to start exploring right here in our own backyard in friendly, beautiful, Belmont County. So, get outside, have some fun and happy hunting! Seek, search, and explore Belmont County while participating in the Explore More GeoTour.

To find out more about the Belmont County Explore More GeoTour and all upcoming events happening in Belmont County, go to our website at visitbelmontcounty.com. Also, if you are planning an event in 2023, please send our office the information so we can add it to our website event calendar and share on our social media channels. We are your community partner, and here to help promote all the upcoming events happening right here, in Friendly. Beautiful. Belmont County.

Each month this space will be devoted to a column written by Jackee Pugh, executive director of the Belmont County Tourism Council. She will provide information about the tourism office, local attractions, upcoming events, and other local finds in Belmont County. She will share information about the travel and tourism industry and how it impacts our local economy.