Geocaching — A Treasure Hunt With GPS — Comes To West Bend This Weekend

Around 2,000 people will travel to West Bend, the geocaching capital of the Midwest, this weekend for the sixth annual Cache Ba$h.

Geocaching is an outdoor sport where players use a GPS device to locate hidden containers, or caches. The sport has grown in popularity worldwide and in Wisconsin.

This weekend, West Bend will host its annual geocaching event. Craig Farrell, the executive director of the West Bend Chamber of Commerce, says the Cache Ba$h has continued to grow larger every year. Both it and the sport are all-ages opportunities for people who like to treasure hunt and who enjoy the outdoors.

“The thing about this sport is it is continuing to grow, and we keep getting new folks coming in,” says Farrell. “Once they see how much fun it is, they do get addicted to it.”

Farrell says the event brings in a number of seasoned geocachers, but experience isn’t required to participate. On Saturday, there will be a class for those who are new to the sport, or, in geocaching lingo, muggles. The event will also include opportunities to socialize, caches to locate, and geocaching vendors.

Chris Walker is member of the board of directors at the Wisconsin Geocaching Association. He says the Cache Ba$h brings people from around the United States and the world to Wisconsin and shows off the state. He says he thinks popularity has exploded in the sport thanks to smartphones.

“It’s just a great way to get out and explore the area that you’re in,” says Walker.

People from more than 30 states and six countries will be a part of the event.