Geocaching For Free
Geocaching is a lot of fun. But if you just like to go out once in a while and find a couple of treasures you don’t want to pay a monthly fee.
I’m a casual geocacher. If I’m out with the dogs and there’s one nearby we will look. We placed our first Geocache a few weeks ago called Fido’s Cache in West Warwick.
A few years ago I paid for the Geocaching Classic app which allowed you to see most of the caches that the free version did not. It wasn’t cheap either. The app cost 20 bucks. Groundspeak has since removed that app from the play store and your only choice is to pay a monthly subscription. They did however still allow you to use the paid app that I bought. I was able to see all the caches that the free version did not . ( You still couldn’t see the premium caches, but you could see all the advanced ones) Recently though they suspended the old app that works fine. Even though it gets the same data from their server and they don’t have to update the app they disabled it. So now you paid 20 dollars for an app that does absolutely nothing. It just opens and says “Try our new app” and closes. They want you to pay a monthly service fee for something you already paid for.
The new app they have for android and IOS doesn’t let you see hardly anything and is therefore pointless.
If your on your I-Phone there are no free apps that I know of, you can however get the coordinates from groundspeak’s website using your browser and enter them into an app.
If your on android though there is a solution. The app in my opinion functions better than the geocaching app anyways. If you like Locus map, buy the paid version.
Download Links
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1.) First Download Locus Map Free from the Play Store |
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2.) Download Geocaching4Locus Add on from the Play Store |
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3.) Optional Download Locus Map Tweak it will allow you to use the Google Maps and other Maps in Locus that aren’t provided by default. |
Instructions
The included maps in locus are pretty bad. However if you install the map tweak it is highly recommended. You will be able to use google maps and other maps.
After installing the 3 apps from the play store (or two if you skipped the third) open Locus Maps free and let the program initialize.
Next Go to Settings -> Miscellaneous and check off “Enable Periodic Updates for add-ons” (This will allow you to use the Live Map option in The Geocaching add on).
After you’ve done that Open the Locus map side menu and goto More Functions -> Geocaching4Locus.
Click on Preferences and login with your groundspeak account then click Back and enable the live map.
Now scroll the map around and the Geocaches should pop up all over the map.
When you find a cache you want to navigate to just click on the cache on the map, then click the arrow on the right and select “Compass” or “Guide On” and It will guide you to the cache. You can also click the details and view the listing from Groundspeak. You can see the last find and the hint and description etc.
To enable the google map tweak and other maps exit the app and open the Map Tweak app. Click the button that says “Tweak map” and that is it. Next time you open locus you can change the map source and select whatever map you want.