Geocaching

What is geocaching?

Geocaching is an outdoor-based, treasure hunt-style game that involves using a GPS app or device to locate hidden “geocaches” (i.e. containers of varying sizes). Participants navigate to a specific set of coordinates, find the associated geocache, and, upon finding it, sign the logbook inside. The geocache must then be returned to its original location to ensure future participants are able to find it as well.

For more information about geocaching, visit geocaching.com.

How to participate

You can use a geocaching app, Google Maps, or a GPS device and the geocache’s description on geocaching.com to find a geocache.

There are two geotrails at Duke Farms, a geotrail being a series of geocaches that share a common theme. The Duke Farms geotrail is composed of geocaches located at or around notable features on the property, while the TALON geotrail is composed of geocaches that were placed by participants in the TALON (Teen Action and Leadership Opportunities in Nature) program hosted at Duke Farms in 2015. Both geotrails consist of ten geocaches with published coordinates as well as an eleventh geocache, the coordinates for which can be found in two of the ten.

NOTE: All Duke Farms’ geocaches contain a laminated card of a specific letter of the alphabet. Participants must write down each letter in their brochure (see below) and uncover the secret word(s) to be eligible to receive a commemorative token from Duke Farms' Front Desk staff.

---

Puzzle geocaches

The Duke Farms geotrail includes three puzzle geocaches, meaning the coordinates provided lead to a landmark that is the subject of a multiple-choice quiz, the answers to which reveal the geocache’s location. These quizzes can be found below as well as on geocaching.com.

A brochure containing all necessary information about geocaching at Duke Farms can be obtained at the Front Desk in the Orientation Center of the Farm Barn, Duke Farms’ main building, located at 1112 Dukes Parkway West in Hillsborough, New Jersey. You can also download a pdf version here.

HAY BARN PUZZLE:

North coordinates | N 40 A.BC = N 40 ___.___ ___

A. In what year did a fire occur at the Hay Barn?

• 1905 = 30
• 1920 = 33
• 1915 = 32
• 1910= 31

B. How many layers thick are the walls of the Hay Barn?

• One = 7
• Three = 8
• Five = 6
• Two = 9

C. Which architectural firm was responsible for designing the Hay Barn?

• Barras & Smith = 48
• Sabatino de Angelis & Fils = 30
• McKim, Mead & White = 16
• Kendall, Taylor & Stevens = 37

West coordinates | W 74 D.EF = W 74 ___.___ ___

D. Which musical instrument is one of the statues holding?

• Drum = 40
• Lute = 37
• Pan flute = 38
• Trumpet = 39

E. Which fruit is one of the statues holding?

• Orange = 2
• Banana = 1
• Grapes = 3
• Pineapple = 4

F. There are two statues missing hands; which hand is missing from both statues?

• Left = 33
• Right = 25

FARNESE BULL PUZZLE:

North coordinates | N 40 A.BC = N 40 ___.___ ___

A. Which musical instrument is displayed at the base of the statue?

• Harmonica = 32
• Pan flute = 33
• Accordian = 30
• Drum = 31

B. How many lions are depicted preying on other animals?

• Two = 0
• Three = 2
• None = 1
• One = 3

C. How many trees are in the statue?

• None = 25
• Two = 40
• Twelve = 35
• Seven = 30

West coordinates | W 74 D.EF = W 74 ___.___ ___

D. Which part of the Farnese Bull's body is the man struggling with?

• Leg = 33
• Body = 39
• Head = 37
• Tail = 35

E. How many boars can be seen on the base of the statue?

• Two = 2
• None = 8
• Three = 5
• One = 4

F. How many of the Farnese Bull's legs are broken?

• All = 86
• One = 92
• Two = 79
• Three = 61

OLD FOUNDATION PUZZLE:

North coordinates | N 40 A.BC = N 40 ___.___ ___

A. How many floors was the proposed mansion going to have (including the basement)?

• Two = 31
• Four = 32
• Three = 30
• One = 33

B. In 1918, what was all of the steel from the project donated to?

• The surrounding community = 7
• Carnegie Steel Company = 8
• The U.S. war effort = 9
• A local railroad company = 6

C. How many levels is the foundation?

• Three = 77
• One = 78
• Two = 80
• Four = 79

West coordinates | W 74 D.EF = W 74 ___.___ ___

D. How many of the circular fountains around the Old Foundation have been converted to planters?

• Four = 37
• Three = 36
• One = 38
• Two = 35

E. Which lake do you see from the Old Foundation's southern viewpoint?

• Wood Duck Lake = 6
• Turtle Lake = 8
• Otter Lake = 7
• Vista Lake = 9

F. How many trees flank the steps leading from the Old Foundation to the Great Meadow?

• Fourteen = 36
• Forty-four = 34
• Thirty-four = 35
• Twenty-two = 33