Orienteering Course Guides

Welcome to the Pecan Grove Park Search & Find, Geocache and Orienteering page! Enjoy outdoor adventure exploring our park and discovering exciting finds along the way (Geocaches).

Use your GPS or compass to find out-of-the-way marked points, uncover a secret message, and even a couple of geocaches. These gems are hidden around the park in our Search & Find Adventures.

We provide maps, GPS data and compass headings on this website. Begin at a designated starting point, then follow directions and clever clues to guide you from point to point around the park.

What is Orienteering?

In short, it’s finding your way from one point to another using navigation tools (map, compass or GPS. You can even use a GPS app on your smartphone. Our Search & Find Adventure / Orienteering course is like an Easter egg hunt finding small brass markers and hidden geocaches.

Are you a beginner? No problem. Start with an easier adventure.

Are you a Boy Scout / Scout BSA looking to fulfill your First Class Requirement 4A and 4B? We’ve got you covered right here at Pecan Grove Park.

Courses

There are currently 7 versions of the course of differing skill levels using various navigation tools. To date, those courses are (in order of difficulty):

Shorter Versions: (Under 600 yards)

1) Abbreviated Map Quest (Map-only)

2) Abbreviated GPS Adventure

3) Abbreviated Compass Expedition (Headings, Distances, & Map Provided)

Longer Versions: (1.0 – 1.2 miles)

4) Full-Length Map Quest (Map-only)

5) Full-Length GPS Adventure

6) Full-Length Compass Expedition – Recreational Version (Headings, Distances, & Map Provided)

7) Full-Length Compass / Map Course (Scouts BSA Version – Technical)

8) “Treasure Hunt” *FUTURE ADDITION (a small Kiddie version for pre-school age children). If you know of a Scout who would like to build this addition for their Eagle Scout Project, contact PG Park / PG MUD Park Committee for information or PGMUDReservations@yahoo.com and J2Alias@icloud.com for project details / information.

How to Use a Compass

Click HERE to watch a video on how to use a compass.

Course Summaries

1) Abbreviated Map Quest (Map-only) (0.3 miles, 6 points)

Using only a supplied map and a list of clues, it is your mission to locate a handful of marked points within this park. You must visit each and every waypoint shown on the map, because near one of them is a hidden geocache!

Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out. Don’t forget to sign the Visitor Log book. Good luck and have fun!!!

Click HERE for Abbreviated Map Quest Course Guide (Course 1).

2) Abbreviated GPS Adventure (0.3 miles, 6 points)

Using your GPS or GPS app on your smart phone and the list of provided GPS coordinates, take a crack at locating a handful of marked waypoints. Keep your eyes open for a hidden geocache!

Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out. Don’t forget to sign the Visitor Log book.

This course fulfills Boy Scout / Scouts BSA First Class requirement 4B.

Click HERE for Abbreviated GPS Adventure Course Guide (Course 2).

3) Abbreviated Compass Expedition (Headings, Distances, & Map Provided) (0.3 miles, 6 points)

This is an intermediate course for navigating with a compass.

As with the longer course, most points will be marked, but not all. Helpful hints will be provided along the way to help keep you on course. If done correctly, you will be rewarded with a geocache discovery.

Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out. Don’t forget to sign the Visitor Log book.

Click HERE for Abbreviated Compass Expedition Course Guide (Course 3).

4) Full-Length Map Quest (Map-only) (1.0 miles, 14 points)

This Map Quest takes you on the same path as the Full-Length GPS course, but you’ll only have a map and a list of clues. Aside from your eyeballs and your brain, this map will be the only tool you have.

As with other courses, helpful hints will be provided along the way to guide you to most points as you search for brass monuments, find a code, and pass a geocache treasure box along the way.

Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out. Good luck and HAVE FUN!!!

Click HERE for Full-Length Map Quest Course Guide (Course 4).

5) Full-Length GPS Adventure (1.0 miles, 14 points)

All you need is a GPS or a GPS app on your phone. It is much the same as Course #6, but is slightly shorter and relies upon GPS coordinates. All waypoints are marked in this Adventure.

You will use a GPS or GPS app on your phone to find your way from point to point until completion. Many helpful hints will be provided along the way to help guide you to most points.

Along the way, you will be searching for brass monuments, finding a code, and pass a geocache treasure box along the way. Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out.

This course fulfills Boy Scout / Scouts BSA First Class requirement 4B. Good luck and HAVE FUN!!!

Click HERE for Full-Length GPS Adventure Course Guide (Course 5).

6) Full-Length Compass Expedition – Recreational version (Headings, Distances, & Map Provided) (1.2 miles, 24 points)

This is a less technical version of the Scout BSA Technical Course below. For instance, there is

  • No calibrating your paces,
  • Distances are in yards instead of in feet, and
  • A helpful map is provided (just in case).

You will use a compass to find your way from point to point to completion. A map is also provided to assist in this particular course, but don’t worry, many helpful hints will be provided along the way to help guide you to most points.

You will be searching for the same brass monuments found in the Scouts BSA Technical version. You will find a code and pass a geocache treasure box along the way. Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out.

Click HERE for Full-Length Compass Expedition Recreational Course Guide (Course 6).

7) Full-Length Compass / Map Course (Scouts BSA Version – Technical) (1.2 miles, 24 points)

This is a classical orienteering course. It is for teens, adults, and Scouts relying solely upon the use a compass and map to plot a path, calculate headings and distance to find your way from point to point until completion. Scouts should not use any pre-provided headings or distances in this particular course. But don’t worry, many helpful hints will be provided along the way to help guide you to most control points.

You will be finding circular brass monuments with letters stamped on them to validate your achievement.

Also, keep your eye out for a geocache that is stashed next to a monument somewhere in this course. To get into the geocache, you MUST know the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. Once opened, sign the guest book inside! Bring a little token goodie to leave inside the geocache if you want to take something out.

This course fulfills Boy Scout / Scouts BSA First Class requirement 4A.

Click HERE for Full-Length Compass/Map Course Guide (Course 7).

History of the Pecan Grove Park Orienteering Course (Search & Find)

A local orienteering course had been long needed by many local Boy Scouts / Scouts BSA members. The nearest courses were at Stephen F. Austin and Brazos Bend State Parks. Unfortunately, these two venues were often flooded, an admission charge was required, and the drive too long for a quick trip after school.

In 2017, Boy Scout and Pecan Grove resident Jonah Haven identified this problem. The Pecan Grove Municipal Utility District was approached about constructing an Orienteering Course for Jonah’s Eagle Scout project. Assistant Vice President Charles Bertrand, Vice President Stephen Crow and Park Manager Marcus Campbell saw the merits and presented it to the Board of Directors, who subsequently approved it.

PGMUD’s Charles Bertrand suggested making this new park feature attractive not just to Scouts, but so ANYONE could take a quick trip to the park for some afternoon outdoor fun. This was accomplished by creating overlying “Search & Find” courses for people of various ages and skill levels, including beginners.

BGE Inc. sponsored the project, supplying materials and professional surveying services to provide extremely accurate course data. BGE Inc. has a long history with Pecan Grove. When formerly called Brown & Gay Engineers, BGE was the firm that worked with Developer Bruce Belin to build the original Pecan Grove levee in 1978-1979.

Furthermore, BGE Inc. has long recognized a shortage of people with technical skills in land measurement. BGE’s Director of Land Surveying, Mr. Nick Vann (RPLS), saw the proposed orienteering course not only as an opportunity to support the community at-large, but to also promote interest in the geomatics field.

BGE’s Mr. Ian Pietz (who is also a Scout Leader) is credited with the idea of including geocaches to add an additional level of interest and to attract geocaching enthusiasts.

The project took over a year to plan, design, review, modify, then execute, but the persistence and synergy between Pecan Grove MUD, BGE Inc., and hundreds of volunteer hours by Jonah Haven and Scout Troop 732 led to the successful completion of this professional-grade park feature for the Pecan Grove Community to enjoy.

Charles Bertrand (PGMUD Asst. VP), Jordan Haven (BGE Inc. Senior Party Chief), Jonah Haven (Eagle Scout Troop TX-732)

Charles Bertrand (PGMUD Asst. VP), Jordan Haven (BGE Inc. Senior Party Chief), Jonah Haven (Eagle Scout Troop TX-732)

Boy Scout Troop 732 hard at work mixing / pouring concrete for surveyed control point.

Boy Scout Troop 732 hard at work mixing / pouring concrete for surveyed control point.

(L-to-R) Marcus Campbell (Pecan Grove Park Manager), Nick Vann (BGE Inc.), Chuck Bertrand (Pecan Grove MUD Assistant Vice President), Jonah Haven (Eagle Scout, Troop TX-732), Ian Pietz (BGE Inc. & Scout Leader), and Stephen Crow (Pecan Grove MUD Vice President).

(L-to-R) Marcus Campbell (Pecan Grove Park Manager), Nick Vann (BGE Inc.), Chuck Bertrand (Pecan Grove MUD Assistant Vice President), Jonah Haven (Eagle Scout, Troop TX-732), Ian Pietz (BGE Inc. & Scout Leader), and Stephen Crow (Pecan Grove MUD Vice President).