· Cache containers need to be weather-sealed, animal proof (never used for food storage) and suitable for all weather conditions.

· Caches should be placed near to officially designated trails (as per trail map for the site, example Fish Creek Provincial Park) or, for less used sites, near to established trails; new trails should not be created to place a cache.

· Caches should not be buried, nailed to trees or placed in restrictive areas, environmentally sensitive areas or dangerous places to access such as cliffs, etc. that would create a public safety risk.

Also, one sentence describing what the container is, what is in it, and where it is placed is required for all submissions.

Caches Placed In A National Park:

Caches Placed in a  National Park.
Permission and a permit are required.

Link to the guidelines set out by Parks Canada for geocaches  placed in the parks. http://www.pc.gc.ca/docs/pc/guide/geocache/index_e.asp

Contact Info: No main contact. Players are to contact each Park Superintendent on their own.

• Banff National Park Geocaching Guidelines:

• Updated November, 2014

• All geocaches placed in Banff National Park will require the approval of Parks Canada.

  Approval to place a cache on leasehold property in Banff National Park must be obtained from both ParksCanada and the leaseholder.

  Trade items are not permitted in caches. Instead, a message or story about the cache’s specific location or
  about the national park in general should be included. Removing trade items will also help prevent a cache
  from containing items that may attract wildlife.
  All caches must be accessible from marked and maintained trails or in publicly accessibly areas (e.g. picnic
  areas).
  Caches must be placed so that they do not disturb natural (e.g. vegetation, soil) and/or cultural resources.
  Cache containers will:
  o Be watertight;
  o Be made of material that will withstand wind, rain, frost and other natural elements;
  o Be as small as possible;
  o Be neutral-coloured so they blend in to the natural environment;
  o Never have been used for storage of food or other scented items.
  Geocachers must pay all applicable park fees (list available at www.pc.gc.ca).
  Geocachers must also comply with international rules and standards for geocaching. Both English and
  French can be found at http://www.geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx.
  Geocachers are required to meet with Parks Canada staff to discuss the proposed location of their cache and
  to obtain authorization prior to placing the cache.
  Lake Louise and Icefields Parkway area:
  Kyna Daley
  kyna.daley@pc.gc.ca
  (403) 522-4226
  For all other areas in Banff National Park:
  Justine Hunse
  justine.hunse@pc.gc.ca
  (403) 760-1397

Fire Lookout Towers:

As of March 2012:  A new security policy is in place that prohibits the publishing of tower locations.

All requests within 1 kilometer of a Fire Lookout Tower, or that mention Lookout towers are to be denied.

Contact Info: For questions or concerns 

Alberta Sustainable Resources and Development
(403) 297 8800
Office Building, Main Floor
8660 Bearspaw Dam Road N.W.
Calgary, Alberta
T3L 1S4                                                                                                                                                          

Calgary City Parks:

Geocaching has quickly become a fun family event. To encourage low impact, healthy activities in parks, The City encourages seeking and placing geocaches in parks, natural areas and public greenspaces, if it is done in conjunction with related bylaws, policies, regulations, and protected area management direction.

Placement of Caches

Caches should be placed in areas publicly accessible from designated trails or along approved travel routes. Caches must be situated so that they can be found with minimal disturbance to the environment.

To protect our environment, please do not:

• Damage or disturb soil, wildlife, vegetation, or any natural or cultural heritage elements. For example, do not step on, or clear away a space; do not nail anything to a tree.
• Place caches in animal burrows, tree cavities; and special features such as amongst limestone rock within Waterfall Valley, Bowmont Park. Please leave holes in the ground or in trees alone.
• Dig holes of any size in any public space. For example, do not hide objects under moss, break branches or dig out rocks to place a cache.
• Disturb nesting birds or their nests. Migratory birds are federally protected.
• Place caches in Special Protection Natural Environment Parks except along the regional pathway.
• Place caches in riparian zones or within watercourses or water bodies as per the Water Act, Public Lands Act and the Federal Fisheries Act if fish bearing. Riparian zones are the vegetated area on both sides of a water body that separate the water from the rest of the landscape.
• Place geocaches within 10 metres of the top  bank of any water body.
• Place caches in any facility, including buildings, playgrounds and park infrastructure such as sports field back stops and goal posts.

The City of Calgary Parks retains the right to remove any caches located inappropriately.

Please do:

• Stay on designated trails.
  Official designated trails are established paths or formal trails that may be made of trail mix or shale. Designated trails are regularly maintained and can be found on a City of Calgary area map or brochure. An undesignated trail is any trail not recognized or maintained by The City of Calgary. Trail maps are available online or are present within the park.
• Place caches within one metre of the pathway within Special Protection Natural Environment Parks. Wildlife using areas adjacent to pathways and within Community Parks are habituated to people and human-related disturbances.
• Include in the cache either a concise hint and/or a small (no more than 10 cm) length of naturally coloured flagging in close proximity to the cache. Natural coloured flagging will not distract from the park environment, nor will it interfere with flagging used for designated purposes.

Cache lifespan

Caches must be removed once they are no longer being maintained. Parks will remove caches if they have a detrimental environmental impact, are impacting the use and enjoyment of the park by other park visitors, or have an impact on operation and maintenance.

Cache identification and contents

All caches in Calgary parks must be labelled “Geocache” on the outside of the container with the owner’s name and contact information inside. Caches cannot contain any prohibited items such as explosives, weapons or illegal substances, no food or beverage items or any other material that may attract wildlife, and must be suitable for all ages. No caches for commercial gain are permitted. Any caches without proper identification and owner information or deemed inappropriate may be removed by Parks staff.  Removed caches will be held at the nearest Parks Divisional Office. Police will be notified regarding caches that contain illegal material. Removal of a cache may occur without prior notification to the owner. Caches can be retrieved by contacting 3-1-1.

Permits not required

Permits or prior authorization is not required for cache placement providing the cache is placed in an area open to public use and consistent with the direction of this guideline.  Cache placement must be consistent with protected area management direction and placed in areas normally accessed by the public.

Cache placement in City of Calgary Cemeteries

Please do not place caches among these items in municipal cemeteries:

1. Memorial trees
2. Memorial vases
3. Memorial benches
4. Memorial rocks
5. Memorial bronze plaques
6. Upright monuments
7. Flat markers
8. Pillow markers

Geocaching events

Geocaching events may be allowed in Calgary parks with a special event permit providing the event is non-commercial in nature and has been approved by the permitting process. Please contact 3-1-1 or for more information or apply online.

Related recreation and park management

Geocaching or cache placement within Calgary parks may not occur anywhere that may interfere with other approved recreational activities or management activities (rehabilitation zones, maintenance areas etc.)

For further information, please contact Calgary.Geocachers@gmail.com or call 3-1-1, 403-268-CITY (2489) if calling from outside Calgary.