Best Geocaching iPhone Apps
The iPhone is quickly becoming an indispensable travel tool, replacing the need to carry several gadgets every time you go on a trip. On the Travel Gear Blog we’re going to outline some of the ways you can turn your iPhone into the ideal piece of travel gear.
Geocaching has been growing in popularity in recent years, and with the advent of the iPhone it wouldn’t be surprising if it became even more commonplace. As it stands, people have to invest in a handheld GPS device in order to play – but with these geocaching iPhone apps people can download an app right onto the iPhone or iPod Touch they already have and they’re off and running. The apps cost less than a GPS device, so if you’d only be using it for geocaching anyway (and especially if you just want to try it out first) an app is the perfect place to start.
Geocaching Apps for the iPhone
Geocaching
$9.99
This is the official geocaching iPhone app from the Geocaching site – so it’s not surprising that it’s incredibly popular. This Groundspeak app gives you real-time access to Geocaching.com’s entire database of geocaches around the world – that’s more than 1.1 million caches. You can search the database by your current location, a particular address, or by keying in a geocache’s code. Note that some features only work with the iPhone 3G and 3GS.
>> Download Geocaching from the iTunes Store
Geocaching Intro
FREE
If you’re really just starting out and you want to try a few geocaches before you decide whether this pastime is really for you, then start with the Geocaching Intro app – it’s the free version of the official Geocaching.com app listed above. With the free version, you can access three geocaches near your current location – if after that you still like geocaching, then you can upgrade your experience by downloading the full app above.
>> Download Geocaching Intro from the iTunes Store
Geocaching with Geosphere
$7.99
For those who are a little more advanced in the world of geocaching, the Geocaching with Geosphere app may be more your style. The developers themselves say the app is “for those who are familiar with geocaching and know how to create GPX files.” The app lets you import geocache locations, and then organize them into custom categories. You can find caches close to you by manually entering your location, and if you’re online you can see satellite images of the cache’s location. As long as you don’t need to determine your current location using your device, however, this app can work on an iPod Touch or an iPhone without GPS.
>> Download Geocaching with Geosphere from the iTunes Store
Geocaching Buddy
$9.99
Another geocaching app that’s designed for the “serious geocacher” is Geocaching Buddy. In particular, this app is good if you’re solving multi-caches. It remembers all the clues you’ve found and “will calculate any derived clue or a new waypoint for you.” And for you forgetful types, it also lets you log where you parked your car so, after finding your cache, you can find your way out again. Isn’t that thoughtful?