Before May 2, 2000, GPS wasn’t excellent. It wasn’t because of primitive technology, however, it was because the US government artificially limited the accuracy of GPS. They did this for the sake of national security, fearing that enemies could use an accurate GPS to target their weapons accurately. These limitations meant that GPS coordinates were generally off by more than 300 feet. However, they eventually reconsidered the issue and, on May 2, 2000, they removed these limitations.

The very next day, on May 3, 2000, a computer consultant in Oregon decided to test the accuracy of the new GPS. So, he put some books, videos, computer software, and other prizes in a bucket and left it out in the woods near Beaver Creek, Oregon. He then went online and announced the commencement of “The Great American GPS Stash Hunt.” He posted the GPS coordinates of the bucket and told the world that anyone who wanted to find it could claim the prizes inside.

It took less than three days for someone to do just that. They posted about the fun of the treasure hunt on social media. Word spread, and many people thought this sounded fun, so others started posting their treasure hunts. The first person to find the first treasure stash started collecting these challenges and documenting them online, calling the game “The GPS Stash Hunt.” However, the shorter, more convenient term “geocaching” soon replaced that name. Today, geocaching is an incredibly popular activity worldwide, with many variations of the game.

What started as a single hidden bucket in Oregon turned into a worldwide movement.

Today:

• Millions of geocaches are hidden across every continent, including Antarctica.
• Players, known as geocachers, use apps and GPS devices to track them down.
• The game has morphed into countless variations—urban caches, puzzle caches, multi-step hunts.

It’s part sport, part treasure hunt, part tech adventure.