Category Archives: General

General Announcements

Mystery/Unknown/Puzzle Caches???

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Article written by: Gary [USMA77] Which is it; why so many names; and what are they?  This ‘type’ of geocache (cache) has a much wider range of uses than the other more narrowly defined ‘types’ of caches, such as Traditionals, Multicaches, Virtuals, etc. The “Your Statistics” tab in Geocaching.com identifies this cache ‘type’ as UNKNOWN Caches.  Project-GC stats labels them as MYSTERY Caches.  Geocaching.com defines MYSTERY Caches as follows: “Also called a ‘puzzle cache’, players might need to solve a puzzle or bring a special tool to reveal the next waypoint or final coordinates.  Most often, the final container is not at the posted coordinates which is noted in the cache description.” But Mystery/Unknown/Puzzle Caches can be so much more.  Here are some of the ways this ‘type’ of cache is used along the geocaching trail. Puzzles solved at home: Some final coordinates can be solved from home with puzzles … Continue reading →

NoVAGO 2026 Fall Picnic and Silent Auction

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📅 Log your will attend!🍂🐾 Join us for the NoVAGO Fall Picnic & Auction—a fun-filled day with friends, community, and our annual auction event! 📍 Bluemont Park N Manchester St & 4th St N, Arlington, VA 22203 📅 October 18, 2026 🕚 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Published! NoVAGO’s 2026 Fall Picnic and Auction (GCBVB2M) The event page has been submitted and will published soon. Log Your Will Attend: Post your “Will Attend” log and mention what you’re planning to bring!🍁 Photography and Media Notice: By attending this event, you acknowledge that photographs, video recordings, and other media may be captured and used by NoVAGO for organizational, promotional, educational, historical, or archival purposes, including publication on websites, social media platforms, newsletters, and other communications. Silent Auction This is our biggest fundraiser of the year! To find out how to donate items, visit our other post on the topic: -> NoVAGO Fall Auction … Continue reading →

NoVAGO Fall Auction 2026

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October 12th is the date for NoVAGO’s Fall Auction at our annual picnic! From collectible geocoins to caching services or a day as your personal caching buddy, the possibilities are endless. Donations of items, services, or experiences from our members are essential to the auction’s success. Each bid directly supports our events, outreach, and resources for the geocaching community in Northern Virginia.

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NoVAGO Spring CITO – 2026

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🌱 NoVAGO Spring CITO – 2026 🌱 Join us on May 3 for an hour of giving back to the park we love to explore. 📍 Hal & Berni Hanson Regional Park Hanson Nature Center.⏰ 2:30–3:30 pm The log and bags will be available near the nature center. Bring your gloves, your geo‑crew, and your enthusiasm as we clean up the trails and help keep this beautiful space ready for future adventures. Every bit of effort makes a difference. Let’s show some NoVAGO pride and leave the park better than we found it. Log your will attend: NoVAGO Spring CITO – 2026 … Continue reading →

2026 Spring Picnic volunteer sign up is open

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We’d love your help to make it a fantastic day for everyone. If you enjoy supporting events, meeting fellow cachers, or just lending a hand to keep things running smoothly, we’d be thrilled to have you on the team. We’re looking for volunteers to assist with: Grill Masters:  A team of at least two, will set up and heat up the grill at the start and cook hot dogs and hamburgers. Photographer: A photographer is needed to capture the award presentation and the fun camaraderie during the event. Setup and Cleanup: We need folks available to setup and clean up the picnic. The board members will be setting up for the awards ceremony and other activities. Your time and energy make a huge difference in bringing our community together. If you’re interested in helping out, please let us know — we’d be grateful to have you join the crew. Join … Continue reading →

NoVAGO 2026 Spring Picnic and Cache Awards — Event GCBJVA7

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Join us for a day of food, fun, friendship, and celebrating the amazing accomplishments of our caching community on May 3, 2026 — our annual Spring Picnic & Cache Awards Ceremony event page has been published. Log your “Will Attend” to stay informed. Event page: NoVAGO’s 2026 Spring Picnic & Cache Awards (GCBJVA7) 📍 Hal and Berni Hanson Regional Park, Pavilion #3 22925 Hanson Park Dr, Stone Ridge 🎉 May 3, 2026 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Voting for the Cache Awards Select to Vote for your favorite caches and cachers: https://forms.gle/JapCjBTT1fqMztxbA Select to view the Nominees for NOVAGO’s 2025 Geocache Awards as it lists the categories and nominations. Volunteers We’d love your help to make it a fantastic day for everyone. If you enjoy supporting events, meeting fellow cachers, or just lending a hand to keep things running smoothly, we’d be thrilled to have you on the team. We’re … Continue reading →

Ballot is open for NOVAGO’s 2025 Geocache Awards

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Voting is Open! The ballot for the 2025 NoVAGO Awards is now available. Although the deadline is Sunday, April 19, feel free to cast your ballot earlier than later – but only once!  Please reach out to the Awards Committee (awards@novago.org) if you have questions or run into challenges. Select to Vote: https://forms.gle/JapCjBTT1fqMztxbA Winners will be announced at our NoVAGO’s 2026 Spring Picnic & Cache Awards Event on May 3rd at Hal and Berni Hanson Regional Park, Stone Ridge, Virginia. … Continue reading →

NoVAGO 2026 Spring Picnic and Cache Awards — Event GCBJVA7 published

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🌼 Event page is live – log your Will Attend! 🌼 Join us for a day of food, fun, friendship, and celebrating the amazing accomplishments of our caching community on May 3, 2026 — our annual Spring Picnic & Cache Awards Ceremony event page has been published. Log your “Will Attend” to stay informed. Event page: NoVAGO’s 2026 Spring Picnic & Cache Awards (GCBJVA7) 📍 Hal and Berni Hanson Regional Park, Pavilion #3 22925 Hanson Park Dr, Stone Ridge 🎉 May 3, 2026 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Don’t forget to submit your favorite caches published is 2025 —Nominations for the 2025 Awards are now Open! More information to follow – such as ways you can volunteer to help make this a memorable event! … Continue reading →

Nominations for the 2025 Awards are now Open!

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Nominations will be accepted until February 28th. Each year NoVAGO honors some of the best caches that were placed in Northern Virginia. This year, more than 570 caches qualified to be nominated – well done, hiders! Nominations are an opportunity for you to recognize the efforts of your fellow NoVAGO cachers who have placed hides that you have enjoyed. This list is meant to help you think of some of the best geocaches you found last year. Any questions about the 2025 awards should be sent to awards@novago.org Select to view a Geocaching.com list of eligible caches: https://coord.info/BMF7J5D Click here to submit nominations: CACHE AWARD NOMINATION FORM Further instructions are included on the form. The categories are listed below. For descriptions, refer to this post: 2025 NoVAGO Award Categories Cache Type: Best Traditional Cache Best Mystery/Puzzle Cache Best Multicache Best Letterbox Hybrid Cache Best Earthcache Best Virtual Best Wherigo Cache of … Continue reading →

NoVAGO 2026 Spring Picnic and Cache Awards

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🌼 Save the Date, NoVAGO! 🌼 Mark your calendars for May 3, 2026 — our annual Spring Picnic & Cache Awards Ceremony is headed your way, and you won’t want to miss it. 📍 Hal & Berni Hanson Park, Stone Ridge, VA🎉 A day of food, fun, friendship, and celebrating the amazing accomplishments of our caching community More details coming soon about the awards and the picnic — but for now, circle the date and get ready for a fantastic spring gathering! Let’s make this year’s celebration one to remember. 🌳✨ More information coming… … Continue reading →