The Charter Township of Ypsilanti Park Commission and Recreation Department are pleased to support the activities of Geocaching and Letterboxing. We also recognize the need to maintain a safe and aesthetically pleasing park system while protecting the township's natural resources for the communities' enjoyment. If you desire to place a cache/letterbox, or have already done so, in an Ypsilanti Township park, or township owned lands, please note that Ypsilanti Township has developed guidelines for placement and maintenance of such. The purpose of the guidelines is to protect natural areas, the safety of all park users, and provide for the future use of township owned lands by everyone. Permits, obtained at no cost, are required to place a cache/letterbox on township owned land, including all township public parks

Process for Placing a Cache/Letterbox

1. File permit and obtain permission from the Recreation Director, or their designee, for the location of the cache. All geocaches/letterboxes must be registered with the township prior to registration and publication with the geocache/letterbox organizations.
2. Place the cache/letterbox according to the permit and the appropriate organizations guidelines. All caches/letterboxes, larger than micro size, must have visible attachment affixed to the outside of the container indicating the container is a geocache/letterbox. Micro sized containers must indicate inside, on the contents, that it is a part of the geocache/letterbox game.
3. Register your cache/letterbox on geocaching.com and have it approved.

General Information

• Participants will comply with all guidelines for both the Geocaching and Michigan Geocaching organizations. To review these guidelines visit http://www.geocaching.com and http://www.mi-geocaching.org.
• Participants will comply with all Ypsilanti Township park rules and township ordinances. Rules and ordinances may be viewed at www.ytown.org or the office of the Recreation Director may be contacted.
• The township reserves the right to remove any cache/letterbox, registered or unregistered, without notification.
• Please help maintain our parks by "Cache In, Trash Out" (CITO), and enjoy your geocache experience within the township park system.

Geocache/Letterbox Seeking Guidelines

• Please do not disturb the surrounding environment in any way.
• Caches/letterboxes must be placed within 30 feet on either side of an existing trail. Pathways that lead to open grass areas are not included in this restriction.
• Respect existing trails and do not create new ones. Bushwhacking should seldom be required, and if required should be very limited.
• To place a cache/letterbox on any township owned land, a person must obtain a permit.
• Permits may be obtained in person, at no cost, at the Recreation Department office located in the Community Center, 2025 East Clark Road, Ypsilanti, MI 48198, or via the township website (http://www.ytown.org) under the section pertaining to parks.
• Containers and hiding locations should be chosen wisely to avoid citizen alarm. The use of all pipe, PVC and metal, is forbidden.
• When placing a cache/letterbox, do not disturb the surrounding environment in any way. This includes digging holes, cutting vegetation, or attaching; in a detrimental way; the cache/letterbox to live trees. Example, no nails in live trees.
• Cache/letterbox must be placed within 30 feet on either side of an existing trail. Pathways that lead to open grass areas are not included in this restriction.
• Respect the existing trails and do not create any new ones.
• Think safety! Place your cache/letterbox in a safe area, thinking about the safety of the people who will be searching.
• Maintain your cache/letterbox in a family friendly manner. Offensive, illegal or dangerous items are not permitted.
• No fee, purchase, solicitation, promotion of political, religious or other social agendas is permitted in caches/letterboxes. This does not apply to fees or passes that may be required, at some parks, to enter with a car.
• During the months of March through November it is required that the owner of a cache check their cache/letterbox a minimum of every 30 days. This requirement is in addition to any "first aid" requests received through geocaching.com.
• A new permit must be filed upon moving a cache/letterbox within an area.
• The Recreation Director, or their designee, must be notified when a cache/letterbox is being removed.
• Please note: Ypsilanti Township has the right to limit the number of caches/letterboxes allowed in any given area.

Sources
Ypsilanti Township Geocaching/Letterboxing Policy
Geocaching/Letterboxing Application (PDF)

Yes, letterboxing is allowed, but you must fill out an application and have your box approved.

Application for Geocache/Letterbox (Word document)

The foreman of this cemetery would like everyone to know that it is against the law for any recreational activities to take place on this hallowed ground where loved ones are paying their respects to their loved ones. That is posted at the front gate. Official "floral/grounds policy" stipulates that "to maintain the dignity of the cemetery, commemorative items, balloons, pinwheels, glass items, votive lights, statues, shepherd’s hooks and permanent plantings, among other items, are not allowed."