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EarthCache
The Geological Society of America ®

Portland EarthCache Sites

While you’re in Portland, take advantage of the chance to visit
EarthCache sites in the area.
EarthCaching, a 17-year collaboration between GSA and
Geocaching Headquarters, is a GPS-based outdoor activity that
brings people to sites of geological interest. The program is
designed primarily for the general public, and GSA encourages
geoscience professionals and students to get involved as well by
visiting EarthCache sites and by developing additional sites.
To find relevant sites in Portland, create a free account at
geocaching.com and consider this list of EarthCaches (bit.ly/
earthcaches_portland). You can also search via the GC-code
associated with a specific EarthCache. Below you’ll find some
information on the EarthCache sites closest to the Oregon
Convention Center, including their GC-codes and comments from
people who have visited and “logged” these sites at Geocaching.com.
More details are online at https://www.earthcache.org. Core sample and geologic timeline permanently displayed along the wall
of the eastbound platform of the Washington Park station of the MAX light
rail system, in Portland, Oregon. Credit: Ulmanor at en.wikipedia, https://
“ANCIENT WALLS” (GC38GYB) creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en.
Enjoy the first part of a walking tour that explores the building
stones in downtown Portland. It starts at Pioneer Place and ends at “TUALATIN MOUNTAINS GEOLOGIC HISTORY”
First Congregational Church. (GC3W7G0)
From the logs: “The fossils at Pioneer Place are the reason this Travel west from downtown Portland to Washington Park, home
gets a favorite. We had several shoppers ask us what we were doing; to the deepest underground transit station in North America, to
there were four of us on the floor with magnifying glasses and tak- see an interpretive exhibit with a core sample that illustrates the
ing measurements, so we had the opportunity to explain geocach- geologic history of the Tualatin Mountains, including the ca. 16
ing. Thanks again for a fun EarthCache.” —middleagespread Ma Grande Ronde Basalt formation.
From the logs: “As someone who thought that they were going to
“ANCIENT WALLS II” (GC3E2HB) become a geologist one day, this is super cool!! I love that there's a
Continue a walking tour that explores downtown Portland’s core here, and that there's interpretation around it!” —ohkpond
building stones. This segment begins at the PacWest Center and
ends near Nordstrom. “WILLAMETTE RIVER SEDIMENTATION
From the logs: “This may have been the best time I have had EARTHCACHE” (GC23BW6)
geocaching! I have always loved old brick buildings and carved Take in a view of the Willamette River from the Eastbank
stone, but now I have a huge appreciation and newfound love for Esplanade and learn about the river’s geological history and
stones!!! Thank you so much for putting this together—truly relationship with humans.
awesome, informative and FUN!!” —WindyMatters From the logs: “Thanks for the information and the time to
ponder our surroundings in a way that we don’t normally. Looking
into the past, and at what the area would be like without human
interventions.” —mudder91

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