How Do I Get Coordinates In My GPS Or Smartphone?

So, you’ve created your free account on a Geocaching website and you’ve searched for easy caches in your area.  Now you’re wondering how to get coordinates (Latitude/Longitude) into your GPS or smartphone.

There are a few methods and all of them will work.  You pick the best solution for you!

For your GPS receiver (click a method for the how to):

  • Manually – You might hear other Geocachers refer to this as “hand-jamming” or “hand-cramming” and your GPSr device might refer to it as creating a waypoint.
  • To Send to Garmin Units from a cache page
  • LOC/GPX Files – Download a file with the cache information.  Note:  GPX files require Premium Membership to Geocaching.com
  • Pocket Query (Premium Membership required) –  Download up to 1000 caches with their coordinates (up to 5 queries in a 24 hour period).

For your smartphone:

  • Install an App – Cachly, or the one from Geocaching.com
  • Now just search for a Geocache in your area and go find it.  The coordinates are “automagically” there when you need them.