Geocaching enthusiasts celebrate 25 years of the Oregon-born hobby episode artwork

EPISODE · May 2, 2025 · 15 MIN

Geocaching enthusiasts celebrate 25 years of the Oregon-born hobby

from Think Out Loud

On May 2, 2000, the U.S. government lifted restrictions that made GPS technology more accurate and accessible to the general public. This day became known as Blue Switch Day, and this decision inadvertently created a new outdoor hobby. Geocaching is an activity where participants use GPS and coordinates to hunt down hidden containers, known as geocaches or caches, often located in parks, forests and cities around the world. The first cache was hidden just outside of Estacada, Oregon, only one day after Blue Switch Day. Twenty-five years later, there are now more than 3.3 million caches hidden around the world. PJ Hubbard is the treasurer for GEOregon, a nonprofit dedicated to creating a community for geocachers in Oregon. The group is holding a Block Party event in September at Champoeg State Park to celebrate this anniversary. Hubbard joins us to share more about the past, present and future of geocaching.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published May 2, 2025

Embed this episode

NOW PLAYING

Geocaching enthusiasts celebrate 25 years of the Oregon-born hobby

0:00 15:01

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

No similar podcasts found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Think Out Loud?

This episode is 15 minutes long.

When was this Think Out Loud episode published?

This episode was published on May 2, 2025.

Can I download this Think Out Loud episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!