Alaska
Alaska Reviewer: Greatland Reviewer
GeocacheAlaska's Advocacy Committee and individual cachers have worked with Alaskan Land Managers to identify the following land use policies. If an area is not covered below, adequate permission to place a geocache should not be assumed and proper permission should be obtained from the appropriate Land Manager before submitting your cache for review..
Alaska-wide
Terrific resources to determine land ownership that are available in many communities are web-based Global Information Systems (GIS). These online databases/applications provide means to identify land ownership and use designations using a combination of mapping tools and tax records. A non-comprehensive list of links to Alaskan GIS databases follows:
A high level tutorial on how to use these databases is provided in the February 2015 GeocacheAlaska! newsletter.
Alaska Railroad Right-of-Way
The Alaska Railroad has a legal 100' Right of Way (ROW) on both sides of the centerline of the tracks. Geocaches should not be placed inside this ROW for safety reasons with the following exceptions (per Jim Adams, Alaska Railroad Security Agent):
Land on the opposite side of the bicycle trail from the tracks where the bicycle trail falls within the 100' ROW.
Land within the vehicle transportation corridor including pull outs that falls within the 100' ROW. These areas are usually delineated by a fence or guardrail.
People are discouraged from crossing or walking along the tracks for safety reasons.
Note: Groundspeak imposes a 150' buffer between caches and tracks unless specific exemptions are identified such as those above.
Alaska State Parks
April 2026 Update!!!
The previous Alaska State Parks permit was effective 2021 through 2025 for specific geocaches within the Alaska State Parks lands under permit number 21-KA-4267. This permit has expired and is no longer valid for any cache placements within Alaska State Parks.
A new permit is in the final stages of approval between GeocacheAlaska! Inc. and Alaska State Parks. This permit comes with some significant additional restrictions on caching activities within all Alaska State Parks. GeocacheAlaska! will be rolling out an educational series on the new permit starting in mid-May 2026 when the finalized permit is received from the from Alaska State Parks.
In the interim, there will be No New Caches Published in any Alaska State Park. A stipulation of the new permit mandates that the total number of geocaches in all State Parks lands are reduced to a total of no more than 500 caches. There are currently over 1,000 caches published in all State Parks, so there will be a lot of caches that must be removed and archived. Cache reduction will be handled through Geocaching HQ via the Communitty Volunteer Reviewer for Alaska. This reduction process will be implemented throughout the summer of 2026 and must be completed prior to winter setting in. There will be an initial request to all cache owners to review the stipulations of the new permit and if they are unable to comply with the permit requirements, they should voluntarily remove and archive their own caches. Caches currently placed in non-cache areas listed below will be archived. Caches that do not comply with size requirements will be given notice to correct the problem before they are archived. And finally, caches that do not get a physical inspection with an Owner Maintenance log by the end of the summer of 2026 will also be subject to archival.
All caches in Chugach State Park must be micro-sized containers of approximately film canister size or smaller (e.g. small preform or bison tube). Caches larger than micro, including the popular “mega bison” must be removed. If the owner intends to replace a larger container with an appropriate micro-sized container, the cache listing must be edited to reflect the new size. The container size is subject to physical inspection by Alaska State Parks Rangers.
Additional Alaska State Park permit stipulations include:
All caches in State Parks outside of the Chugach State Park are limited to a regular sized ammo can or smaller.
A newly established Wilderness Area within Chugach State Park must have all caches removed immediately.
No caches may be placed within any State Historical Park (e.g. Totem Bight, Independence Mine, Big Delta, etc.)
No caches may be placed within any campground area of any Alaska State Park.
No caches may be placed on, in, or attached to any man-made structure in an Alaska State Park.
No cache containers that were formerly a food storage container (e.g. peanut butter jars, candy containers, etc.) may be used for a cache.
All caches published in a State Park must have a physical visit by the Cache Owner annually with an Owner Maintenance log posted online and a matching physical entry in the logbook in the cache container. (Logbook entries are subject to audit by park rangers.)
GeocacheAlaska! Inc. is required by the permit to provide education on the permit stipulations as well as good caching practices to the public. This education will be provided at Events, via social media channels, and on our website.
Finally, GeocacheAlaska! Inc. will be paying the permit fees to the State of Alaska, which amounts to $1,350 for a 3-year term.
The State Parks land parcels that are covered by the permit are listed below (pending GeocacheAlaska! website update). You may click on the parcel name to download a gpx file of the parcel's boundaries to upload to your GPS or use with GoogleEarth, Garmin Basecamp, Garmin Mapsource, and many other mapping applications.
To download a file, click on the park name, choose "Save As," and select the desired location on your hard drive. Once the file is on your hard drive, double click on the file, click "Extract all files," keep the existing name or change the name, and click "extract." Now that the file is unzipped, it's ready to be used in any number of applications. Visit this thread in the GeocacheAlaska! Forums or reference the March 2015 newsletter for instructions for how to upload the file to your GPS or a map application.
Within Municipality of Anchorage
Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge (includes Potters Marsh)
Joe Meehan, Program Coordinator, Lands and Refuge Program, Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Caches are allowed in the Anchorage Coastal Wildlife Refuge with careful thought regarding placements that won't lead to the creation of new "social" trails or disturbing wildlife. Caches may be placed on the Potters Marsh Boardwalk, but not adjacent to it.
Joint Base Elmendorf AFB/Ft. Richardson (JBER)
All caches are to be disabled or archived effective immediately (April 12, 2009) and must be physically removed by May 1, 2009. Affected caches have had a "Needs Archived" note posted on their cache page. Download this map (7MB pdf) to view the extent of Ft. Richardson/Elmendorf AFB lands.
Update 5/21/12: Regulations prohibit the placement of geocaches on JBER.
Contact: Mark Sledge, Civ USAF PACAF 673 CES/CEANC, 384-1128.
Municipality of Anchorage Parks
Municipality of Anchorage (MOA) parklands are open to geocaching. GeocacheAlaska! and the MOA have a symbiotic relationship where we host CITO events and teach geocaching as part of MOA's activities schedule and we get to place caches in Anchorage's parks.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
Northern Field Office, 907-474-2369
White Mountain National Recreation Area, Randy Goodwin, randy_goodwin@blm.gov
Dalton Highway, Roger Delaney, Roger_Delaney@ak.blm.gov
Fortymile, Jeff Kowalczyk, Jeff_Kowalczyk@ak.blm.gov
Caches are allowed without permit in most locations except Mt. Prindle, Limestone Jags, Serpentine Slide, Big Windy Hot Springs, other Research Natural Areas, and Areas of Environmental Concern.
See additionally,
Anchorage Field Office, Campbell Tract/Far North Bicentennial Park
Contact: Jorjena Daly, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 907-267-1317, JDaly@blm.gov
Caches allowed without permit except for 50m/150' exclusion zone along streams/waterways to provide bear corridor and protect salmon spawning grounds. See the GeocacheAlaska! forums for details. A downloadable map of the exclusion zones is downloadable here
Chugach National Forest
The ranger staff of Glacier Ranger District (based in Girdwood) of the Chugach National Forest has visited many of the active caches on their part of the Forest, as part of their backcountry patrols. They welcome caching as an activity, as long as cachers keep their hides well-policed, don't create social trails, don't promote otherwise illegal activity, and continue to practice CITO.
The rangers remind cachers as well as well as the general public that "it is prohibited to possess or operate a motor vehicle on National Forest System lands on the CHUGACH NATIONAL FOREST other than in accordance with these designations (CFR 261.13). Violators of 36 CFR 261.13 are subject to a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to 6 months, or both (18 U.S.C. 3571(e)). This prohibition applies regardless of the presence or absence of signs."
So, know before you go by downloading Chugach National Forest Motor Vehicle Use Map 1 and Map 2 (~1.2 MB pdfs).
Caches are not allowed in designated Wilderness Areas of Chugach National Forest which is the designation given to much of western Prince William Sound (east of Whittier). There are also Alaska Native Lands inholdings throughout the Sound that need to be treated as private property. Download this map to identify the Wilderness areas and refer to the map on page 6 of this Chugach Visitor Guide to identify private lands.
Interior Alaska
Creamer's Field Migratory Bird Refuge
Caches are allowed where hunting is allowed.
Maps available at Alaska Fish & Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks
Fairbanks North Star Borough Parks
As of April 11, 2011:"After a careful review of how other communities around the United States manage the placement of Geocaches in their park facilities I concluded that for the time being it seemed over reaching or an overreaction to regulate or restrict this rather benign activity in our park facilities.
With that said if a Geocache attracts garbage, damages trees or other park amenities, is placed in a dangerous location, or because of its popularity creates new unplanned trails or foot paths we will remove it. Additionally, Geocaches are probably not appropriate in the developed community parks such as Pioneer Park or neighborhood playgrounds.
I think it will be sometime before Fairbanks needs to implement a Geocaching policy like some of the lengthy ones I reviewed from parks near large metropolitan areas in the lower 48 states. For the time being the Parks and Recreation staff will not disturb the Geocaches that are responsibly placed.
Thanks,
John Haas
Parks Superintendent
FNSB Parks & Recreation
459-1198 or jhaas@co.fairbanks.ak.us"
If you wish to conduct a GPS or compass navigation training exercise please contact Matt Steffy at Chena Lakes Recreation Area at 488-1655 or Ricky Borland at Birch Hill at 457-4488. The Fairbanks Parks Superintendent is John Haas, 459-1198.
North Pole City Parks
Caches are allowed as long as "there is nothing destructive that will occur to city property or cause a health or safety issue to all park users," per Bill Butler, Director of City Services (488-8594 or bill@northpolealaska.com). City of North Pole managed parks are Terry Miller Park located at 5th and Santa Claus Lane, Hipple Park located at LaSalle Avenue. and Homestead Road, and North Pole Skate Board Park located at 5th and Old Richardson Highway. Bill Butler may be contacted at 488-8594 or bill@northpolealaska.com.
National Wildlife Refuges under USFWS administration
Physical cache containers are not allowed in any National Wildlife Refuge under USFWS jurisdiction within Alaska. Physical caches and EarthCaches may be placed on the Islands and Ocean Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge property in Homer by UFSWS staff members with USFWS chain of command approval.
The affected refuges in Alaska are:
Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge |
Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge |
Physical caches may be placed on the Islands and Ocean Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge property in Homer by UFSWS staff members with USFWS chain of command approval.
GPX files for boundaries of the hyperlinked refuges may be downloaded for personal use.
A kmz formatted file for all Alaska National Wildlife Refuges may be downloaded from the USFWS Geospacial Services webpage. This file may then be uploaded into GoogleEarth for viewing.
Alaska Native Corporation Lands
Caches of any kind may not be placed on Alaska Native Corporation Lands without explicit written permission from the appropriate Corporation. Examples of Alaska Native Corporation Lands include, but are not limited to, the 157,000 acres of Eklutna Native Corporation Lands lands between Chugiak and Knik Arm and in the Mat-Su Borough and the 1.528 million acres of Ahtna Native Regional Corporation land in the Copper River Basin.
A GPX file of the Eklutna Incorporated lands may be downloaded by clicking here. An exception to this geocache exclusion is on Eklutna lands administered by Alaska State Parks in Chugach State Park at Eklutna Lake, where caches may be placed under the Alaska State Parks blanket permit.
Trans Alaska Pipeline (Alyeska Pipeline) Right-of-Way
Geocaches cannot be placed in the pipeline Right-of-Way. Alyeska Security is extremely sensitive about objects not related to the pipeline within the ROW and conducts routine inspections.
Also, unless a person is currently badged for access to facilities of the TransAlaska Pipeline System (TAPS, aka Alyeska), one must obtain a RUG permit from Alyeska Security to use the TAPS Right of Way (ROW) to access other trails. Permits may be obtained at the following locations upon presentation of a photo ID:
Anchorage (3700 Centerpoint, 787-8971)
Fairbanks (701 Bidwell Ave., 787-5707)
Pump Station 11/Glennallen Response Base (787-5107)
Valdez (Valdez Marine Terminal, 787-6480)
Permits are free, good for the year issued, and apply to the entire pipeline ROW.