Discover Grafton: A Geocaching Adventure with the Grafton Land Trust
Join us for a fun, family-friendly outdoor adventure as the Grafton Public Library partners with the Grafton Land Trust to bring geocaching to our local trails! Whether you're brand new to geocaching or already love the thrill of the hunt, this program is a great way to explore nature, learn something new, and connect with the community.
What is Geocaching?
Geocaching is a real-world treasure hunt using GPS coordinates to find hidden containers—called caches—placed throughout parks, trails, and public spaces. Each cache holds small surprises or logbooks you can sign to mark your discovery. All you need is a smartphone or GPS device, a sense of adventure, and a willingness to explore!
Who is the Grafton Land Trust?
The Grafton Land Trust is a local nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving open space, protecting wildlife habitats, and maintaining trails throughout Grafton. Their stewardship of our natural areas makes outdoor programs like this possible, and we’re thrilled to collaborate with them to highlight these beautiful spaces.
How to Participate
- Visit the library to pick up your copy of the Geocache Passport. The passport includes the locations of and small hints to find the caches.
- Bring your phone or GPS device and head out to the trails maintained by the Grafton Land Trust. GLT recommends using the free Trailforks app for location services. See links below.
- Be sure to wear your blaze orange vests for safety! Vests will be available to borrow as part of the Library of Things.
- Follow the coordinates, search for the hidden caches, and enjoy discovering new parts of Grafton’s natural landscape.
- Make sure to check out the special messages from the Grafton Land Trust, posted somewhere near the caches, sharing information about a feature of the trail or an important environmental topic.
- Inside each cache, you'll find a Secret Codeword. Write the Codeword in the corresponding location box on your passport.
- Don’t forget to sign the logbook in each cache—and share your experience with us!
- Be sure to hide the cache exactly where you found it, so others can find it after you!
- When you find all 8 caches, visit the library for a small geocaching-themed prize.
This program is designed for explorers of all ages. We can’t wait to see you outside, discovering hidden treasures and celebrating the natural beauty of Grafton!
A Bit About Latitude and Longitude
Each location on Earth can be described with two numbers, called the latitude (X coordinate) and longitude (Y coordinate). For us in the Northern Hemisphere, the XY coordinate will look something like this "42.223219, -71.711768" or "42.223219N, 71.711768W". The XY coordinates are like an address. The positive number in the X coordinate space indicates we are north of the equator; the dash "-" in the Y coordinate space indicates that we are west of the Prime Meridian, which runs through Greenwich, England.
(You may also see latitude and longitude written as Degrees/Minutes/Seconds, such as 42 degrees, 31 minutes, 7 seconds. You won't have to worry about that for this activity. If you're interested in exploring and converting between the Decimal Degrees and Degrees/Minutes/Seconds, you can use this website: https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/dms-decimal)
To find a location, you can simply enter the coordinates, separated by a comma, into a mapping app or website such as Google Maps or Apple Maps. Then follow the trails to the cache location. Note: the GPS will get you close to the cache location, but you will have to use your eyes and the clues to find the box! The caches will be located within about 10 feet of a trail. It's OK to go off-trail a bit while you are looking; however, please be respectful of nature and avoid unnecessarily trampling vegetation or disturbing habitat. You will not have to move rocks in a historic stone wall to find a cache.
Fun activity: Find your house on a mapping app or website. What is the XY coordinate of your house? Where would your house be if you used a "-" before the X coordinate, or removed the "-" from the Y coordinate?)
Cache Locations: SPOILER ALERT!
There are eight (8) caches hidden at different trails throughout the town. Look at the list below for hints and photos in case you get stuck.
Brigham Hill Wildlife Area
Coordinates: 42.223219 x -71.711768
The cache is on the Founders Loop trail, near a tree by the highway. See a photo of the hiding spot.42.223219
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
Fletcher Island Reserve
Coordinates: 42.194816 x -71.65428
The cache is on the Fletcher Island Hopper trail, between fallen trees. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
Forbush Preserve
Coordinates: 42.2117 x -71.6750
The cache is about halfway into the the Forbush Preserve trail, in the jaws of a rock that looks like Pac Man. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
George Knowlton Preserve
Coordinates: 42.20541 x -71.72
The cache is on the Malfoy Manor trail, near the spooky old tree. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
Gummere Woods
Coordinates: 42.219868 x -71.701309
The cache is on the Lakeside trail, in the crook of a tree. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
Jeanne Johnson Preserve
Coordinates: 42.198333 x -71.662778
The cache is on the Upper Stream Crossing/Apple Orchard trail, in the corner of a stone wall. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Parker Preserve
Coordinates: 42.178333 x -71.665833
The cache is on the Royal Keith trail, under a boulder. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
Prescott Wildlife Sanctuary
Coordinates: 42.196667 x -71.6725
The cache is on the White Gate trail, near a tree stump. See a photo of the hiding spot.
Grafton Land Trust Map | Trailforks Link
For More Fun...
If you enjoyed hunting for geocache treasures, there is a whole world of geocaching to explore! Visit Geocaching.com, create your own account and use their tools to find many more formal geocaches, from Grafton to the other side of the world! You can also create your very own geocaches and submit them to be added to the website.
The library has a handful of books and other resources about geocaching. Check out our catalog and borrow one today.
Happy hunting!
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