May 22–25, join geocachers from around the world in a city- and region-wide scavenger hunt.
More than 5,000 locals and out-of-towners alike will be scouring the nooks and crannies of north-central West Virginia for treasure this weekend. They’re not pirates—they’re geocachers, and they’re participating in the country’s largest geocaching event: Wild and Wonderful GeoWoodstock XXI.
Geocaching isn’t unlike treasure hunting. After downloading the Geocaching app, players use coordinates, clues, and old-fashioned curiosity to track down hidden containers: geocaches. A cache can be anything from a film canister to a bucket, usually concealing a logbook filled with signatures of previous seekers.
Since the first geocache was hidden in 2000, the activity has grown into a global game of hide-and-seek, with more than two million caches active today. Here in Morgantown, there are hundreds hidden right under our noses.
Doing some downtown shopping? That unremarkable lamppost may be hiding a cache. Hiking the trails? A false rock cache might be camouflaged in the stream you just hopped over. Caches are designed by everyday players, so someone might hide a cache at the best viewpoint on their weekend stroll or outside of their favorite shop—the possibilities are endless.
Wild and Wonderful GeoWoodstock XXI is only the second “giga” event ever held in the United States, a rare designation reserved for geocaching events of 5,000 people or more. Better yet: it’s free to attend and participate. In exchange, you’ll receive more than just a great time—find 10 new caches placed throughout Morgantown, conquer a maze, or explore Prickett’s Fort for exclusive digital badges.
On Saturday, the main event takes place at the Hazel & J.W. Ruby Community Center at Mylan Park. Expect presentations, exhibits, vendors, and plenty of mingling with fellow geocachers. Throughout the weekend, catch some caching events across the region—from Coopers Rock and Mason–Dixon Historical Park to the Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater and the Mountainlair.
Whether you’ve never heard of geocaching before today or you’re a seasoned pro, this event is a multifaceted opportunity: get outside, meet new people, and discover Morgantown’s hidden wonders. Think you might be a geocacher in the making? There’s no better place to hone your “geosense” than on your home turf.
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