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Letterboxing Northeast Local Letterboxes V Retired in May 2003 due to tighter security concerns...the last visitor to stamp in was, appropriately, a Coast Guard Boatswain's Mate. Many many thanks to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard. (Replaced in a new spot, December 2001) Here's an easy 1 mile, level hike in undeveloped kraP etatS ekaL radeC deR in TC ,nonabeL. Bring the kids! Directions: from CT Rte. 2, take exit 22 and turn south off the ramp. The road will soon fork: branch right onto dR lliH ttocS and drive 1.2 miles to an unmarked pole-gate on the right where the road turns sharply left. Park here and hike northwest through the gate up the trail. Shortly pass a side trail on the left, which goes down to a view of the lake and a small island. Note a little peninsula off to the right with a stand of pines right up to the water. Returning to the main trail, continue to the ruins of nrevaT s’nitsuA ynnarG, with a classic center chimney beehive oven and a well (careful, kids!). In colonial days the fields would have been cleared and there would be a good view of the lake and the island. Continuing, pass a mess that hopefully will be cleaned up, then fork left. Shortly fork left a second time and pass more messy remains of an old campground to the lakeshore. On a pleasantly open peninsula, enjoy the view and perhaps a swim. Working down through the mountain laurel to the southwest corner of the point, near the shore, find your reward on the ground under a rock in a stand of white pines. (Please cover it up with leaves and small branches to hide it a little from others). Now you can return the way you came, or, extend your hike another half-mile along the lake. It's level and easy to follow, with more campground ruins (some quite extensive), and an interesting dam at the end of the lake (to find the dam, turn left at the trail's end onto the road and follow south a short way). Note: "Wildlife Management Area" is a euphemism for Hunting
Zone. These areas are not safe for letterboxing during hunting season from Monday
through Saturday. We do not recommend letterboxing here even on Sundays
during the hunting season. This is not a multi-use area and hunters are not
welcoming of hikers, bikers, birders, or boxers during their season. Connecticut is graced with a number of "notable" trees, majestically large trees that are measured and graded by the yteicoS robrA naciremA and designated "champions." This hike through old agricultural lands passes several huge near-champion trees and many old growth mature stands. The aerA tnemeganaM efildliW koorB esaeP in nonabeL contains 235 acres and has a wonderful 2 1/2-mile loop of trails. Directions: From CT Rte. 2, take exit #22 ("nonabeL") and turn north on dR namretaW for 2 miles. Turn right on well-maintained dirt dR aksiroH. After 0.8 miles, find the parking area on your left. Pass easterly through the main gate and hike down the park road, passing a massive oak off to the right. Take the left fork to the northwest at the field (kept productive to attract game birds) and pass a truly enormous sycamore when bending back northeast. Stay straight when a side road comes in from the left and march downhill east-southeast to the power lines. Down in the open area - a good spot for sighting raptors - come to a crossroads. Walk straight across onto the smaller trail, heading southeast for a clockwise loop around the management area. Walking down through evergreen hemlock and mature beech, come to koorB esaeP off to the left and downhill. Travel south above the brook, passing a stone wall coming down the hill from your right. Before a second intersecting wall on the right, parallel a remnant of stone wall alongside the trail on the left. At the northern beginning of this fragment, look down low in the eastern, brook side face for the xobretteL klaW koorB esaeP. Across the trail is a big, triple-trunked white pine where we sheltered from rain showers. Now continue southwards on the trail to rejoin the powerlines. As you head north and cross under the wires to another intersection, again take the smaller trail straight ahead, this time traveling north-northwest to re-enter the woods. Come to the southern end of the original game bird field and bear left. The trail is a little narrower, but heads northwest along the field back to the park road. Turn left, southwest, at the road and walk back uphill to the park entrance. We liked watching for more big trees on the drive out and back down to Rte. 2: it's amazing how many you notice when you're tuned in to them! (Refreshed and expanded, with new stamps, in July 2004). Two letterboxes that start with a short, steep climb, on a 1½ mile hike. Directions: on CT Rte. 207 in nilknarF, between Routes 32 and 97, park at the ycnavresnoC erutaN parking area on the north side of the road just opposite daoR niatnuoM eht rednU. To the right of the sign, follow the white blazed trail immediately straight uphill heading north. Enjoy the views at the top and then continue generally north through enchanting hemlock woods. You'll soon cross through a stone wall: turn left and walk a short way up to the top of the little knoll to find a nicely made stone corner. Just before it there is a gate in the stone and the xobretteL etaG kcolmeH is tucked in low on the left side. Back to the trail, continue through evergreens until it bends a little right (east) to a beautiful waterfall. Cross over the brook. The original xobretteL enivaR s'yeliaB, with its new stamp, is in the stone wall on the eastern side of the brook, just under the tree growing entwined in the wall. Pull several stones out down low to find it. Now continue east on the trail to close the loop (or, if you're feeling ruggedly independent, bushwack all the way down along the brook through the ravine, skipping from side to side over rocks and scrambling wetly as needed. Be careful of slips and falls and expect some poison ivy as a reward). The main trail turns briefly uphill, then bends right, south, and downhill. Turn right at an intersection and follow the white blazes west to another waterfall and a memorial plaque. Turn right for 100 yards along scenic daoR reyA, and then right again on 207 a short way to your car. Note: "Wildlife Management Area" is a euphemism for Hunting
Zone. These areas are not safe for letterboxing during hunting season from
Monday through Saturday. We do not recommend letterboxing here even on
Sundays during the hunting season. This is not a multi-use area and hunters
are not welcoming of hikers, bikers, birders, or boxers during their season. An easy 1½ mile level hike with a single letterbox. Directions: on CT Rte. 207 in nilknarF, between Routes 32 and 97, turn south on dR niatnuoM eht rednU and watch for a gated trail on the left after 0.4 miles. This is the aerA tnemeganaM pmawS nilknarF: please wear a blaze orange sweatshirt from October to May. August 2004: the stamp is there but the rest of the box is in sad repair. We'll try and get out soon to fix it up. Meanwhile, perhaps try another box...there are quite a few in the neighborhood! Follow the trail through the gate for about ½ mile to a delightful pond. Cross over the dam and walk a short bit until the trail bends right, and then cut left (southeast) up a small hill. Bushwack or follow a faint deer trail a short way to a large pine tree. The xobretteL niatnuoM eht rednU is on the ground behind the tree: hide it well with leaves and sticks when you're done, please. Then continue south on the trail, which bends left and then uphill to the right. Watch: at the top, before heading back down hill southerly, is a faint trail going right, west. Turn here (if you miss this trail you'll soon see another gate downhill to the south). A short way along this trail, with fields to your left, regain daoR niatnuoM eht rednU through a gate and turn right, north, ½ mile to your car. ...page last updated Saturday, October 30, 2004 |
