Cache Across Maryland 2016
The Maryland Geocaching Society and the National Park Service welcome you to the 2016 edition of Cache Across Maryland! In commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service, the MGS and the NPS have joined together in presenting CAM 2016 in ten National Park locations throughout the state of Maryland. From the mountains of Western Maryland to the Atlantic Ocean, Cache Across Maryland 2016 will demonstrate that Maryland truly is “America in Miniature”.
This is one of ten geocaches placed in National Parks for Cache Across Maryland 2016. Each geocache contains a code which you will use to determine the location of the CAM 2016 Picnic to be held on May 14th. The code can be found under the lid of the cache container and on the inside front cover of the logbook. Don't forget to record this code! Any geocacher who has completed all ten CAM geocaches and attends the CAM Picnic on May 14th will receive a Certificate of Completion and a Cache Across Maryland 2016 Geocoin. We hope you enjoy a very special CAM 2016!
National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park
Founded in 1957 to protect the view from Mount Vernon across the Potomac River, the Accokeek Foundation, an educational nonprofit, became one of the nation’s first land trusts. Today, the Foundation stewards 200 hundred acres of Piscataway National Park in Accokeek, MD, where visitors can hike a network of trails winding through wetlands, visit a native tree arboretum, and observe an award-wining forest restoration project. The newly reconstructed boat dock offers stunning views of Mount Vernon and allows visitors to arrive by passenger boat and kayakers to access the Potomac via newly installed kayak launches.
The Foundation also runs the National Colonial Farm, a living history museum that depicts a typical middle-class southern Maryland family farm on the eve of the American Revolution. Through heritage breed livestock and seed saving programs, nearly extinct heirloom crops and animals are preserved for future generations. Historic varieties of field crops – including Orinoco tobacco, Virginia Gourdseed corn, and Red May wheat – are grown seasonally and produce heirloom seed stock.
The Foundation’s organic Ecosystem Farm emphasizes the future of agriculture as farmers learn the tools of a new trade and practise sustainable use of natural resources. Local residents can purchase shares of the Ecosystem Farm’s organic produce. Costumed interpreters demonstrate Colonial-era sewing, cooking, spinning, dyeing, candlemaking, gardening, woodworking, and game playing. The park’s beautiful grounds, trails, and programs are open to the public year-round.
The National Park Service gained control of the park after Congress, acting upon a request from the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, mandated that the views from Mount Vernon had to be protected and returned to something resembling the days when George Washington sat on his colonnaded porch and looked across the Potomac. The term “historic viewshed” was coined for this act of preservation.
Piscataway Park is a unique combination of both private and public land. Please be respectful of the park’s neighbors and DO NOT DRIVE ON ANY PRIVATE ROADS. The park entrance is clearly marked, as is the right-turn into the ‘All Visitors’ road to the parking area. You should ONLY park in the lot indicated by the Parking waypoint (N38° 41.662, W077° 03.902). Any trespassing on private roads or private land will result in the removal of this geocache. Please don’t ruin this for others.
The Geocache
This geocache is now a four stage multi-cache. The cache container is not located at the listed coordinates. The listed coordinates are for Stage 1 where you will find an information sign. You will gather information on this sign to determine the coordinates to Stage 2.
Stage 1
- A = Museum Garden
- B = Education Building
- C = Visitor Center and Gift Shop
- D = Caretaker’s Private Residence
- E = Demo-kitchen
- F = Office, second digit
The coordinates for Stage 2 are N38° 41.ABC, W077° 03.DEF
The checksum of ABCDEF is
Walk to Stage 2 and look for a memorial plaque. Use this plaque to gather information to determine the coordinates to Stage 3.
Stage 2
- G = The third digit of the first year on the plaque
- H = The number of letters in the third word on the plaque
- J = (A+B)
- K = (D−E)
- L = The number of words in the eighth line of text on the plaque
- M = The number of times the word ‘Piscataway’ appears on the plaque
The coordinates for Stage 3 are N38° 41.GHJ, W077° 04.KLM
The checksum of GHJKLM is 21.
Continue along the trail to the Colonial Farm. When you reach the Bluebird Trail, turn right. Upon arrival at Stage 3, look for a dedication sign. You will gather information from this sign to determine the coordinates to the Final.
Stage 3
- N = The number of times the digit ‘8’ appears on the sign
- P = The number of letters in the last word on the sign
- Q = (G−C)
- R = The number of words on the first line of text on the sign
- S = The number of times the word ‘Accokeek’ appears on the sign
- T = (A−L)
- U = The second digit in the number of species
The geocache is located at N38° 41.NPQ, W077° 0R.STU
The checksum of NPQRSTU is 23.
The geocache is a lock-n-lock container. Inside another lock-n-lock container.
Piscataway Park grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk. From mid-March through mid-December, the National Colonial Farm is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am–4pm; from mid-December through mid-March, it is open on weekends only from 10am–4pm. Piscataway Park is open during daylight hours only.
The Maryland Geocaching Society extends its thanks to the National Park Service for participating in Cache Across Maryland 2016 and for allowing us to partake in its centennial celebrations. Geocaches may only be placed on National Park Property at the direction of National Park Service staff.
