Missouri
Greetings fellow geocachers,
This document is a work in progress and gets updated whenever a policy, guideline, or piece of information is modified. We’d be grateful if you could share any new or updated policy information you find with the reviewers.
Did you know that Volunteer Reviewers are real people? Read about them here. The Missouri Review Team consists of three members with over six (6) decades of experience between them as geocachers. We are here to help make your geocaching project a successful, positive one for all to enjoy for a long period of time. Please find below the specific area that each reviewer will be responsible for.
Table of Contents
- 1 The Help Center
- 2 Geocache Hiding Guidelines
- 3 General Policy Information
- 4 Federal Agencies
- 5 Missouri Agencies
- 6 Communities
- 7 Boy Scout Merit Badge Information
- 8 Bridges, Guardrails, and Right of Way (ROW)
- 9 Cemeteries
- 10 Event Stacking
- 11 Little Free Libraries
- 12 Miscellaneous areas regarding placing a geocache
- 13 Permission Information
- 14 Park Hours
- 15 Playgrounds
- 16 Railroad Property
- 17 School Grounds and Proximity
The Help Center
We do not list every requirement to get a geocache published on this page. Find additional guidance about hiding caches in our Help Center.
Geocache Hiding Guidelines
We encourage you to find twenty (20) geocaches before hiding one. The more variety of geocaches you find, the better you will understand how to create an enjoyable experience for other geocachers. For publication, geocaches must follow these guidelines and any applicable Regional Geocaching Policies located on this page.
General Policy Information
Local laws and guidelines for geocaching placement vary. Community reviewers can add geocache placement policies for a location here. This site may not be a complete or accurate list of land policies. If no policies are listed, they may still exist.
These policies are made by land owners or managers, not the reviewers or Geocaching HQ. This guide is for reference.
If you are a land manager with a geocaching policy which should be listed here please send a copy of your policy and contact information to Mongo.
Federal Agencies
Federal Agencies that ALLOW geocaching with permission
Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
ALLOWED with Permission from the area manager.
ALLOWED with Permission from the area Manager.
ALLOWED with Permission from the area Ranger.
Federal Agencies that DO NOT ALLOW geocaching
Fort Leonard Wood
Whiteman A.F.B.
Missouri Agencies
Missouri State Agencies that ALLOW Geocaching
Missouri Department of Conservation
ALLOWED with approval of a Special Use Permit good for one year.
Effective June 28, 2023, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has changed its permit process. Register to access their Special Use Permit (SUP) system. You will need to reapply each year to continue having your geocache placed on MDC land.
MDC offers a new online application for Special Use Permits
You do not need to have a Special Use Permit to search for caches in conservation areas, only to place them. Thanks for using and enjoying your Missouri Department of Conservation areas!
To start the process to obtain the Special Use Permit you will need to go to this link and register.
Welcome to Special Use Permits
Additional links you may find useful.
Missouri Department of Conservation Website
Geocaching and Letterbox placement on MDC land
ALLOWED with approval of a permit good for one year.
Missouri State Parks - Geocaching and Letterbox Permit Application
Failure to renew will result in the geocache being archived. Once you have received your approved permit take a photo of it and attach it to a note to the reviewer. All such notes are archived when the geocache is published.
Missouri Agencies that DO NOT ALLOW geocaching
Missouri Department of Conservation - NATURAL AREAS.
Missouri State Parks Natural Areas
Communities
This list does not contain every community in Missouri. These are the communities that we are aware of that do have a policy. If you have additional information please help your fellow geocacher out by forwarding that information to Mongo.
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE FORM that you can use to gather the information that is usually needed for getting permission. Look at the TOP RIGHT for the ARROW to DOWNLOAD the file.
Many agencies require geocache instructions for finders. This welcome note explains what to do with the cache and how to learn more about geocaching. GEOCACHE NOTE TO BE PLACED INSIDE THE CONTAINER
Boy Scout Merit Badge Information
For a geocache to be published in Missouri for the BSA Merit Badge for Geocaching the following will be required:
The name and email address of the person in charge of the Geocaching Merit Badge program for that troop should be in a note to the reviewer. Please do not place this into the description on the cache page. Such information is archived when the geocache is published.
When maintenance is needed this contact person will be notified of any issues with the geocache. It will be their responsibility to ensure that maintenance is provided to keep the geocache active for the required minimum time. (90 days)
Geocaching Merit Badge Information from the BSA
Boy Scout Merit Badge information
Bridges, Guardrails, and Right of Way (ROW)
Bridges
Geocaches may not be placed on, over, or under bridges located on federal roadways, interstate highways, U. S. highways and primary numbered Missouri highways.
Geocaches generally may be placed on municipal and county road bridges with the following exceptions:
· Over or under federal roads, interstates, U. S. routes and primary numbered Missouri highways.
· Over or under railroads.
· On bridges containing active drawbridges as listed by the Corps of Engineers.
· Bridges located over spillways or part of dams.
Geocaches may be placed on bridges designed for pedestrian use only or former railroad bridges converted to pedestrian trails that pass over interstate or U.S. highways with the following restrictions:
· The geocache must be accessible by a geocacher standing on the surface area designed for foot traffic.
· Ammo cans or PVC pipe containers are not allowed.
· Containers must be clearly labeled as being a geocache and designed so that they cannot be mistaken as an explosive device.
For bridge geocaches to be published, there must be a location available for a geocacher to park his vehicle completely clear of the roadway and the parking location shall not be in a curve or other visually obstructed area.
Geocachers should understand that all roadway bridges are inspected regularly by government inspectors and any geocache found attached to the bridge structure will probably be removed by the inspectors. GUIDELINES ON RESTRICTED
Guardrails
Geocaches are not allowed on interstate highways, controlled access highways, U.S. highways, primarily numbered Missouri highways, or as part of railroad signaling locations.
For guardrail geocaches to be published, there must be a location available for a geocacher to park his vehicle completely clear of the roadway and the parking location shall not be in a curve or other visually obstructed area.
Right of Ways
Geocaches are NOT allowed to be placed on any right of way (ROW) involving a Federal Interstate Highway, U.S. Highway or primary numbered Missouri highways. No exceptions.
*We were notified by Missouri DOT on 12/22/2022 that they will not allow any geocaching due to liability. All geocaches placed previously to this date are grandfathered at this time until further notice.
Cemeteries
Geocaches may be placed in cemeteries, but they must be positioned around the perimeter respectfully, maintaining a safe distance from any graves. They are prohibited from being placed within the interior of the cemetery or among the graves.
Since it is illegal to enter a cemetery after sunset in Missouri you must use the appropriate attributes on your cache page. Find the Attribute information here. I.e. not 24/7, not recommended at night. Note: Double-click on the icon to turn into a no function.
Event Stacking
Event stacking occurs when multiple events occur near each other in location and time, with the same audience attending.
If you submit an event and another is already published or awaiting review, and they appear to be stacking, follow these Missouri guidelines:
Events published within a similar time period must be more than 15 miles apart. (as the crow flies)
Events closer than 15 miles will only be published if the first event’s end time is more than 4 hours before the second’s start time.
A CITO event can precede or follow a regular event, but not both. The main activity should be the CITO event, and the regular event is for socializing before or after. CITO events can’t clean up after another event.
On the day before and after a Mega/Giga event, only Mega/Giga events within about 50 miles or a two-hour drive will be published.
On the day of a Mega/Giga event, no events will be published within about 100 miles or a three-hour drive, except for a single additional event hosted by the Mega/Giga committee.
Little Free Libraries
Little Free Libraries are growing in popularity and geocachers are increasingly wanting to use them for geocache placement.
They are publishable with the following considerations:
The libraries are privately owned and usually on private property so permission must be obtained from the library owner.
The cache page should not be promotional for the Little Free Library movement.
They can use the term Little Free Library on the cache page.
The http://www.littlefreelibrary.org/ website sells library boxes and solicits donations, so it should not be included on cache pages.
The logbook should be placed in a container within the library, and not just be paper "floating" around.
Miscellaneous areas regarding placing a geocache
All of the following locations will require permission in writing.
Cracker Barrel
Cracker Barrel restaurants per their national office, no longer want geocaches on their property. This occurred in September 2007.
Fire Hydrants
Hiding a cache on a fire hydrant could interfere with the hydrant's use in an emergency. A small cache container can become lodged in fire hose threads or fittings, for example. Second, law enforcement officers are watchful of persons who appear to be tampering with a fire hydrant. Third, since dogs do what they do at fire hydrants, expecting cachers to retrieve a cache that has been treated in that manner is a bad idea.
Utility Equipment
Attaching a geocache to utility equipment, such as a piece of power equipment, water or sewer equipment, etc. will need permission.
Walmart Property
Walmart parking lots. The corporate office of Walmart will not allow geocaches to be placed on their parking lot unless the MANAGER has given permission.
Wall Geocaches
Geocache containers placed on or inside of a wall will not be published unless there is written permission from the owner or manager. This is due to the destruction caused by such hiding techniques.
Permission Information
You must still obtain permission to place your geocache from the landowner or land manager, comply with all applicable laws, and follow the Geocaching Listing Requirements. In a reviewer note please provide the following as it will be needed from the person you received permission. Guidelines-Permission
A full name (first and last).
Title of that person.
An email address for that person giving permission.
The date that you received permission.
We ask for a title to ensure the person has the authority to give permission. We put that info in a hidden note with the cache. It's for any future issues. This information is not seen by the public.
Also, if you have not already done so why don't you include the following in your cache description? Geocachers like to know that permission has been given to be where they are looking.
Here is an example that you can cut and paste if you like.
*** Permission was received to place this cache at this location ***
Do not place the person's contact information in the description, only in the note to the reviewer.
If you have permission in an email, take a photo or screenshot of it. Save it to your desktop for easy access. Then attach it to a reviewer note and send it. HOW TO SUBMIT A PHOTO
Park Hours
If your cache is placed in any type of park we are now requiring the park hours in the description area of the cache page before publication.
Having the park hours in the description helps fellow geocachers plan their trips and eliminates any reason for being in a park when it is closed. If it does have restrictions would you also indicate with an attribute it is not a 24/7 geocache. To make an attribute NO just click on the icon twice with your left mouse button. Attributes on the Geocache Page
Playgrounds
The following information is for placing a geocache where playground equipment exists.
Geocaches should not be placed anywhere on playground equipment.
Geocaches should not be placed where it can be seen from the playground equipment.
Geocaches should be placed a minimum of 150 feet away from any type of playground equipment.
It is suggested that a picture from different viewing angles be sent along with a Note to the Reviewer when submitting a geocache where playground equipment exists. All pictures sent to a reviewer are deleted before the geocache is published. GUIDELINES ON RESTRICTED
Railroad Property
Geocaches placed within one hundred (100) feet on each side of the central line of said railroad, including spur lines, are considered to be on property belonging to a railroad. Explicit permission from the railroad company owning the line must be obtained before a geocache will be allowed within that area. Exceptions are generally allowed for geocaches placed in public parks, recreation areas, parking lots, etc., especially where man-made physical barriers are provided between the tracks and the geocache's hiding spot. However, exceptions are considered on a case-by-case basis for the given situation, and allowance of the placement should not be assumed by the cache owner. GUIDELINES ON RESTRICTED
Federal Definition of a Railroad Right of Way
Missouri Railroad Right of Way Defined
School Grounds and Proximity
Pre-K and K-12
We will not publish caches that are on Pre-K, and K-12 school grounds, or near a school.
The geocache container must not be closer than 150 feet from any school building, or property.
It should be placed where the finder cannot be seen by any person within the school. This keeps suspicion from becoming an issue so the police do not get called.
Again, near school grounds and with GPS accuracy only being so good on the best days, most likely a geocacher would end up on school grounds regardless. In many counties, it is against the law to even be on school grounds unless you have been checked in through the office and have a visitor pass. GUIDELINES ON RESTRICTED
College or University Grounds
Geocaches will only be published with written permission from the head of Campus Security.
The written permission should describe the following:
The location in detail along with the coordinates listed on the geocache page for all elements of the geocache.
A detailed description of what you have hidden, how it has been hidden and how does one locate the cache container.
Once you have the written permission take a photo of it and attach it to a note to the reviewer by clicking on **select photos** at the bottom of the note form. All such notes and photos are archived when the geocache is published.
"When you go to hide a geocache, think of the reason you are bringing people to that spot. If the only reason is for the geocache, then find a better spot."briansnat, Charter Member
"Thanks for contributing quality to geocaching!"
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