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A hollow rock or hollow log serves to conceal your capsule for months – or years. When you feel confident about identifying a remote placement site where the surrounding terrain can camouflage your time capsule, this environmental shield is a good option. It also can be invisible to those who may come within feet of the cache. To purchase a hollow rock or log plus a capsule (vacuum jar, stainless or polyethylene container), total retail costs will be in the range of $75 to $150. (See our Time Capsule Retailers page. Remember, Timeinacapsule.com does not sell any products, and you will have to purchase items from different retailers.)
We have been testing time capsule alternatives since 1999. Over that period, we have studied and rejected many options. We now feel the hollow rock and hollow logs are your best above ground cover for this adventure. 
Hollow, structural polyurethane fake rock provides a perfect camouflage as well as a durable, long term shield for your time capsule. Its hard framework has a granular exterior, and its natural character makes it virtually indistinguishable from millions of other small surface boulders, whether viewed from close-up or far away. For this unique adventure, “indistinguishable” and “unremarkable” are words that define its splendid disguise.
Your choice of rock color should approximate that of your drop-site. A few regions have dominant earth tones like white sandstone or red rock in the southwest. In most areas, however, a mixed light brown tone is a universal color.
As camouflage neither spoils the environment nor attracts unwanted attention, the hollow-rock, and hollow log camouflage both succeed exceptionally well.
An above-ground choice confronts the most frequent opposition of those who have the heebie-jeebies about digging any hole in the ground, even if that activity is not prohibited. And it serves up an effortless opportunity to participate in a wilderness experience.
A larger artificial log housing will accept a longer (one foot long by three and a half inches in diameter) stainless steel capsule.
A simulated log is virtually identical to a real log. In fact, all the molds are exact duplications taken from life-molds of the real thing.
The exterior housing is only the first level of security for your capsule. Remember that you are not just disguising your cache; you need to add security levels to ensure the content’s survival for months or many years.
A stainless steel capsule is hidden underneath the artificial rock (or log) housing for complete camouflage. Stainless steel is a good protective container for your capsule items because it can be permanently sealed from oxygen and humidity intrusion. It will not rust; it is structurally sound and is well suited for this type of application.
Primary drawbacks to above-ground time capsule placements relate to a perceived risk of discovery or other environmental factors. These presumed risks are minimal if your preparation and placement are well-considered. See Choosing Your Drop Site for a broader consideration of these factors. 
If you want to preserve keep-sake items, you should probably lock them away in a safe, not in a wilderness time capsule. But if you minimize risks as detailed in these pages, your high hopes for secure delivery to a future generation will succeed. That’s what this adventure is all about.
For detail on what content items to put into your time capsule, see the Next Step: Time Capsule Content Ideas.
Next Page: Time Capsule Content Ideas