BLM Oregon’s First GeoTour Attracts More Than 300 People to Kickoff Event
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CHRISTMAS VALLEY, Ore. — The Christmas Valley Back Country Byway GeoTour officially launched June 30, 2022. Over the fourth of July weekend, approximately 300 people, both experienced and new geocachers traveled to North Lake County, Oregon, to try and complete the 28 cache GeoTour. Some dedicated geocachers, traveled from as far away as Sacramento, CA, to complete the 26 required caches.
The Christmas Valley Back Country Byway Geotour is designed to attract people interested in exploring Oregon's Outback, a place often overlooked by highway motorists on their way to well-known attractions. The 93-mile-long Christmas Valley Back Country Byway (BCBW) provides access to breathtaking high desert landscapes and unique geological features for those with the time and desire to turn off the beaten track onto a country road. Designated a BCBW on June 29, 1989, Christmas Valley provides the best of nature. From off-highway vehicle use on the Christmas Valley Sand Dunes composed largely of ash and pumice that blew into the area 7,000 years ago when Mt. Mazama erupted to hiking in the remains of an eroded volcano, this area provides something for everyone.
"Geocaching is supposed to take you to places of interest, and too often it has devolved into placing a cache, well... just because. This is not that GeoTour!” said geocacher GoldenStateBoy. “This GeoTour took us to see places and experiences I hadn't really paid attention to and taught me something along the way."
Geocaching is an everyday event that can occur at any time of the day. To play, one must download the geocaching app or visit geocaching.com/play/search and sign up for a free account. Players can then select a geocache they would like to find. Next, use the app or GPS to navigate to the cache. Once found, players are encouraged to sign the logbook, exchange a trinket or souvenir, and place the cache back where they found it for the next person to locate.
With over 3 million geocaches worldwide in 191 different countries and all seven continents, there is sure to be a geocache near you right now. For more information on visiting lands managed by the BLM, visit www.blm.gov/visit.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.