Welcome to Virginia's first official Hall of Fame Cache. (I was unable to find another one, in fact, within 500 miles. Doesn't mean there isn't one out there, but I couldn't locate it.) A Hall of Fame cache is an alternative to a challenge cache where the "challenge" doesn't meet the Groundspeak guidelines. Here is an example. There are a number of these out west. Here's the deal with this Hall of Fame cache:
In 2011, a Virginia State Parks challenge cache was placed in Sky Meadows State Park. The CO retired from geocaching in 2019, however, and archived that cache. I found the cache in July 2014, but it took me until November 2021 to actually complete the challenge by finding a cache in all of the Virginia state parks--including the five that opened after I initially began the challenge. As I found this to be a very enjoyable challenge which took me to parks I would not likely have seen, and which I enjoyed, I decided to revive the challenge. Since the rules change a few years back, state parks cannot be used as the geographic basis for a challenge cache, however, so this cache includes an optional challenge. This cache is located at the posted coordinates, and you can log the cache as a find if you sign the log.
However: to be added to the Hall of Fame, you must meet the requirements of the optional challenge. Here are the conditions of the challenge:
1. Find one cache in each of the state parks. As of publication of this cache, there are 41 Virginia State Parks. The list is here. Virginia state parks have parking fees which are required at all times. You will need to pay for parking at each individual state park or buy a state parks pass to ensure that you are in compliance with all park rules. You can find out more about parking, camping, and other fees at Virginia state parks here. NOTE: This cache DOES count as your find in Bear Creek Lake State Park. You may find a different cache in this park if you wish, but you do not have to.
2. Create a bookmark list showing just one cache you found in each park. As of publication of this cache, that would be a list of 41 caches only. Please rename each of the items on your bookmark list so that it begins with the name of the park. The parks will then show in alphabetical order. See my list here as an example.
3. Caveat: If there is no cache in the park, you may submit a photo of yourself at the park sign; however, if there is a cache in the park, a photo will NOT stand in for a find. As of publication of this cache, the only two parks which do not have caches in them are Machicomoco and Clinch River. These are the newest parks, however, and I expect there will be caches placed very soon!
4. Any previous finds you have made in state parks count, even if they have been archived. Just add the cache to your bookmark list.
5. You may also hide a cache in a state park and count that. Include a link to the listing on your bookmark list. Note that before you can place a cache in a state park, you must complete an application and submit it to the park for approval. Contact the park you are interested in directly for the application.
6. If a new park is added to the system before you finish, you must log a find in that park as well.
7. You may sign the log for this cache and log a find online; however, you will not be added to the Hall of Fame on this page (see below) until you can add to your log a link to your bookmark list showing that you have found a cache in each of the state parks which exists at the time of your claiming to have completed the challlenge. (Would be a good idea to message me that you have completed the challenge in case I don't get a notification about the edit to your log.) I will verify your list against the existing state parks and add your name to the Hall of Fame. Note that your list must include a find from every park which has an active cache at the time you submit the list. I will verify that any park for which you have submitted a photo has no active cache in it.
8. There is no time limit for completing this challenge. It took me seven and a half years. (I've seen it done in as little as two weeks by some very determined state park travelers!) If this cache has to be archived before you are done, you can still add your list to your log at any point and contact me to let me know that you have completed the challenge. I recommend that you bookmark this listing in your browser bookmark list so that you can easily find it again if for some reason it has to be archived.
Note: As of October 10, 2023, there are two more Virginia State Parks in the pipeline: Middle Peninsula State Park along the York River, and Mayo River State Park along the Mayo River at the Virginia/North Carolina state line. Both of these parks are in the developmental stage as of now, and not open to the public, so they are definitely NOT on the list of parks you have to cache in to qualify for the optional challenge. They will be coming on line in the next few years, though, and if you are still working on the challenge when one or more does open, you will have to add it/them to your list!
Virginia State Parks Geocaching Hall of Fame
Gold Medal Award goes to Cute2021! Congratulations!
Silver Medal Award to vabreeze and NPGlenn--job well done!
Bronze medal award to brdaveb--bonus points for perseverance!
Congratulations to harpo55 for a huge push at the end to add the final 11 parks to his resume!
Kudos to stumphunter for exceeding the minimum requirement and his entry to the hall of fame!
Congraulations to Shonda181 for above and beyond effort for finishing off all the parks only to have Sweet Run be added, then going back to get that one, too!
The first 50 cachers inducted into the Virginia State Parks Geocaching Hall of Fame will also be sent this special commemorative geocoin (not trackable):
This cache is located in Bear Creek Lake State Park, and is placed with permission of park staff. The challenge, however, is NOT a state park initiative, and you do not have to find any particular cache or any official state-park sponsored cache in the parks--any cache in each park will do. As of publication of this cache, parking is $7 for a regular passenger vehicle. The park is open 8 a.m. to dusk, and the office is open most days from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please adhere to all park regulations. The cache container is a small ammo can hidden in a typical way. Feel free to message me through geocaching.com if you need help at any time with this challenge. Later addendum: the ammo can was stolen; the cache is now a reagular lock-and-lock.
Note: The cache is actually located just outside the technical boundary of the park; however, it is in an area which is co-administered by Bear Creek Lake State Park and Cumberland State Forest. The geocaching is overseen by Bear Creek Lake park staff and permission to place a cache here was granted by state park staff, so this cache does count as your cache for Bear Creek Lake State Park. The shortest round-trip walk from the parking coordinates to this cache is about 7/10 of a mile. I recommend, however that you take the time to walk the whole Lost Barr Loop Trail, which is a nice walk, much of which is right along the lakeshore. The whole loop is approximately 2 miles. You may also wish to take the Lost Barr Loop Trail to the Lakeside Trail (shows as Lakeside Connector on some maps) to the Channel Cat trail and around the dam on the road back to the Lost Barr Loop Trail. That loop is about 3.5 miles and will take you completely around the lake--a very nice hike!
The Avenza Map app (free) has excellent free trail maps for many (possibly all) Virginia State Parks, including Bear Creek Lake State Park.
Virginia State Parks as of January 26, 2024
CHANGES TO THE PARKS LIST since publication of the cache:
- Shot Tower State Park is now officially part of New River Trail State Park, and does not, therefore, have to be logged separately. Once you have a cache from New River Trail SP, you have accounted for Shot Tower.
- Tabb Monument is also now no longer listed as a separate park; once you have a cache from Sailor's Creek, you have accounted for Tabb Monument.
- Breaks Interstate is listed as not being managed by the state parks, so you do not have to have a cache from there.
- Clinch River is marked as "under development" does NOT have to be included on your list of finds.
- Sweet Run is now officially open.
- There are 40 active parks to be included on your list as of 1/26/2024.
- The only parks without a cache at this time are Sailor's Creek and the Southwest Virginia Historical Museum.
At time of publication: the cache has a good variety of swag in it. If you take any swag, please leave something of equal quality in exchange. There is an unregistered TB for first to find. No need to exchange something for that. I'm dropping three active TBs--please take one and move it along. Drop one in exchange if you can. Finally, there are some prize trackable tags in the cache from my Firefly series; you may take one (please one per registered screen name) without leaving anything in return. Enjoy!
A final note: you may not be aware of the state parks program for hikers. Once you have hiked in all the state parks (and you have completed that requirement by meeting this geocaching optional challenge, you can receive from the State Parks services an award as master hiker. You can get more information and log your Master Hiker status here.
A final final note: Please return the cache as found, with cover. Otherwise it can be easily seen on approach from the trail and is at risk of being muggled!
Congratulations to Cute2021 for a first-day FTF!