Geocaching is part treasure hunt, part outdoor adventure and part excuse to explore a place more closely than most people do.

Using a smartphone or GPS device, participants search for hidden containers called geocaches. The caches are listed online, often with coordinates, clues, difficulty ratings and background information about the location.

For New Glarus resident Kris Laeser, the appeal is simple.

“Geocaching is a great way to get out into the community,” Laeser said. “It helps people explore and gets people active. It’s also a great way to learn more about the area one is caching in, as a lot of caches include historical information.”