Birds of the Giant LbNA #5849
Map
Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Sep 26, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Hamden |
| County: | New Haven |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | n98
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|---|---|
| Found by: | burning feet |
| Last found: | Mar 24, 2021 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Oct 24, 2015 |
Birds of the Giant Letterboxes (4)
Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden, CT
(06/05 - The three letterboxes on the Woodpecker/Cardinal/Hawk Loop are confirmed in tact. Concerned that the Raven letterbox may now be buried under rock rubble. Have not confirmed its accessibility.)
The stamps in these letterboxes are all of birds that call the Sleeping Giant their home, and have been placed in locations that we either saw or heard these particular birds. So keep your eyes and ears open for the real things as you are searching for these letterboxes.
Directions - Visit WWW.SGPA.org for driving directions and a GREAT new colored trail map. Print a map before you go (color helps)or pick one up at either trailhead. There is a trailhead at the West side of the park(main park entrance) and at the East side of the park (less traveled).
Difficulty
Woodpecker/Cardinal/Hawk Loop (3 Letterboxes) - Moderate -1.5 hours, some parts are flat and smooth, some rocky, and some very steep climbs, but no crawling or scrambling across rocks is required. After heavy rain or in the spring, parts of this trail are wet, but passable.
Raven Letterbox - Easy - 30-45 minute round trip. Easy gravel path the entire way. Mostly flat with one uphill climb. Great trail for all kinds of weather (except ice).
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Clues
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PILEATED WOODPECKER/CARDINAL/RED-TAILED HAWK LOOP (3 Letterboxes)
Park at the EAST Trailhead. Note - This is NOT the trailhead at the main park entrance - it is at the other end of the Sleeping Giant - see trail map at www.SGPA.ORG
Take a look at the large map at the trailhead, and begin your trek on the Horse trail at 15 degrees (trail is blazed with 'U'). You will want to follow the Horse trail to the first letterbox. This trail is often shared with the cross country ski trail (blazed with 'X'), but stay with the Horse trail if you need to make a choice. Beware of several sharp left turns in the trail which are obvious if you see the trail markings, but don't seem so obvious if you miss them. Follow the Horse trail (looking and listening for the elusive Pileated Woodpecker) until you come to a clearing on your right with a view to the northeast. (Note - except for the winter, the view is obstructed by new growth).As you are looking out over the apple farm (now obstructed by new growth), notice the old stone wall infront of you and tree to your left blazed with 'U'. The PILEATED WOODPECKER Letterbox can be found on the north side of the stone wall infront of this tree.
After stamping in, continue on the Horse trail until the trail intersects with the RED SQUARE trail. Now start your trek SSW up the Red Square trail. This is a steady climb. Shortly after you cross the Violet trail, look for a 5 foot tree stump standing on the left of the trail. The CARDINAL letterbox is nesting in the base of this stump.
Stamp in and continue up the Red Square until you come to the BLUE Trail intersection. Go left (SSW) on the blue. Your climb continues, crossing over the Green trail. Continue until you reach the top where the Blue trail intersects with the WHITE trail at Hezekiah's Knob. (If you are interested, there is another letterbox here - see SLEEPING GIANT - Hezekiah's Knob clues). Enjoy the views from here and take the WHITE trail at 60 degrees (NNE). You will cross a small bridge, walk along moss lined trails, and eventually exit the woods onto a cobbled rock clearing. Notice two double arrows on the rocks indicating a turn of the trail (about 6 feet apart). Standing on the southern most double marker, take 7 steps at 180 degrees. Then take 42 paces at 300 degrees to a second set of cobbled rocks. Find a cedar tree that initially looks like a dead curly driftwood stump on it's side. The RED-TAILED HAWK letterbox is nesting in this stump. Stamp in, enjoy the view, and look for a Red-tailed hawk (or two) soaring high above.
Find your way back to the White trail, and continue down the white trail until you reach the trailhead and your car.
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NORTHERN RAVEN Letterbox
06/05 - NOTE - There has been some rockfall from the cliffs and suspect that the letterbox may be buried in the rubble. I cannot confirm that this letterbox is still accessible. I intend to check on it soon.
08/04 - NOTE - The SGPA has been cutting some trees at the base of the quarry, some of the very trees that are in the clues above for the Raven. So, the trees are gone (stumps remain), but two people have reported that they were able to still find the letterbox.
This lovely little walk starts on Tuttle Avenue.
Directions to the start - From the main Park entrance - Turn right out of the Park parking lot onto Mt. Carmel Avenue. Make a right at the light onto Whitney Ave. Make your first right onto Tuttle Avenue (just past Wentworth's Ice Cream). Park just before/after the small bridge Mill River. The RED Hexagon/Diamond trail is on your right just on the other side of the river.
Follow the RED Hexagon/Diamond trail (wide level trail),until the Red Diamond eventually veers uphill and to the left. Follow the Red Diamond up the hill until you come to a clearing with the old quarry in front of you. Take at reading at 60 degrees and walk 60 paces on a path between two cedars, almost until you almost come to the boulders at the base of the cliffs. There will be a Cedar tree on your left and a Pine tree on your right. The NORTHERN RAVEN Letterbox is under a pile of rocks within 3 feet of the Cedar tree. Enjoy the nice sitting rock and lovely view of the quarry while you stamp in and look/listen for Ravens soaring above. The Northern Raven has only started visiting this area within the last 5 years.
Retrace your tracks to return to your car.
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Helpful hints for those new to the Sleeping Giant....
1) There are six trails that run East-West, from one trailhead to the other. They are Blue, White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Violet.
2) The are five trails that cross North-South - They are all RED - Diamond, Hexagon, Triangle, Circle and Square.
3) The other miscellaneous trails are the Tower Trail, the Nature Trail, the Horse trail, and various Cross country ski trails.
4) The trails are well blazed. A double blaze indicates a turn in the trail. The top blaze is offset in the direction of the turn.
Sleeping Giant State Park, Hamden, CT
(06/05 - The three letterboxes on the Woodpecker/Cardinal/Hawk Loop are confirmed in tact. Concerned that the Raven letterbox may now be buried under rock rubble. Have not confirmed its accessibility.)
The stamps in these letterboxes are all of birds that call the Sleeping Giant their home, and have been placed in locations that we either saw or heard these particular birds. So keep your eyes and ears open for the real things as you are searching for these letterboxes.
Directions - Visit WWW.SGPA.org for driving directions and a GREAT new colored trail map. Print a map before you go (color helps)or pick one up at either trailhead. There is a trailhead at the West side of the park(main park entrance) and at the East side of the park (less traveled).
Difficulty
Woodpecker/Cardinal/Hawk Loop (3 Letterboxes) - Moderate -1.5 hours, some parts are flat and smooth, some rocky, and some very steep climbs, but no crawling or scrambling across rocks is required. After heavy rain or in the spring, parts of this trail are wet, but passable.
Raven Letterbox - Easy - 30-45 minute round trip. Easy gravel path the entire way. Mostly flat with one uphill climb. Great trail for all kinds of weather (except ice).
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Clues
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PILEATED WOODPECKER/CARDINAL/RED-TAILED HAWK LOOP (3 Letterboxes)
Park at the EAST Trailhead. Note - This is NOT the trailhead at the main park entrance - it is at the other end of the Sleeping Giant - see trail map at www.SGPA.ORG
Take a look at the large map at the trailhead, and begin your trek on the Horse trail at 15 degrees (trail is blazed with 'U'). You will want to follow the Horse trail to the first letterbox. This trail is often shared with the cross country ski trail (blazed with 'X'), but stay with the Horse trail if you need to make a choice. Beware of several sharp left turns in the trail which are obvious if you see the trail markings, but don't seem so obvious if you miss them. Follow the Horse trail (looking and listening for the elusive Pileated Woodpecker) until you come to a clearing on your right with a view to the northeast. (Note - except for the winter, the view is obstructed by new growth).As you are looking out over the apple farm (now obstructed by new growth), notice the old stone wall infront of you and tree to your left blazed with 'U'. The PILEATED WOODPECKER Letterbox can be found on the north side of the stone wall infront of this tree.
After stamping in, continue on the Horse trail until the trail intersects with the RED SQUARE trail. Now start your trek SSW up the Red Square trail. This is a steady climb. Shortly after you cross the Violet trail, look for a 5 foot tree stump standing on the left of the trail. The CARDINAL letterbox is nesting in the base of this stump.
Stamp in and continue up the Red Square until you come to the BLUE Trail intersection. Go left (SSW) on the blue. Your climb continues, crossing over the Green trail. Continue until you reach the top where the Blue trail intersects with the WHITE trail at Hezekiah's Knob. (If you are interested, there is another letterbox here - see SLEEPING GIANT - Hezekiah's Knob clues). Enjoy the views from here and take the WHITE trail at 60 degrees (NNE). You will cross a small bridge, walk along moss lined trails, and eventually exit the woods onto a cobbled rock clearing. Notice two double arrows on the rocks indicating a turn of the trail (about 6 feet apart). Standing on the southern most double marker, take 7 steps at 180 degrees. Then take 42 paces at 300 degrees to a second set of cobbled rocks. Find a cedar tree that initially looks like a dead curly driftwood stump on it's side. The RED-TAILED HAWK letterbox is nesting in this stump. Stamp in, enjoy the view, and look for a Red-tailed hawk (or two) soaring high above.
Find your way back to the White trail, and continue down the white trail until you reach the trailhead and your car.
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NORTHERN RAVEN Letterbox
06/05 - NOTE - There has been some rockfall from the cliffs and suspect that the letterbox may be buried in the rubble. I cannot confirm that this letterbox is still accessible. I intend to check on it soon.
08/04 - NOTE - The SGPA has been cutting some trees at the base of the quarry, some of the very trees that are in the clues above for the Raven. So, the trees are gone (stumps remain), but two people have reported that they were able to still find the letterbox.
This lovely little walk starts on Tuttle Avenue.
Directions to the start - From the main Park entrance - Turn right out of the Park parking lot onto Mt. Carmel Avenue. Make a right at the light onto Whitney Ave. Make your first right onto Tuttle Avenue (just past Wentworth's Ice Cream). Park just before/after the small bridge Mill River. The RED Hexagon/Diamond trail is on your right just on the other side of the river.
Follow the RED Hexagon/Diamond trail (wide level trail),until the Red Diamond eventually veers uphill and to the left. Follow the Red Diamond up the hill until you come to a clearing with the old quarry in front of you. Take at reading at 60 degrees and walk 60 paces on a path between two cedars, almost until you almost come to the boulders at the base of the cliffs. There will be a Cedar tree on your left and a Pine tree on your right. The NORTHERN RAVEN Letterbox is under a pile of rocks within 3 feet of the Cedar tree. Enjoy the nice sitting rock and lovely view of the quarry while you stamp in and look/listen for Ravens soaring above. The Northern Raven has only started visiting this area within the last 5 years.
Retrace your tracks to return to your car.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Helpful hints for those new to the Sleeping Giant....
1) There are six trails that run East-West, from one trailhead to the other. They are Blue, White, Yellow, Orange, Green, Violet.
2) The are five trails that cross North-South - They are all RED - Diamond, Hexagon, Triangle, Circle and Square.
3) The other miscellaneous trails are the Tower Trail, the Nature Trail, the Horse trail, and various Cross country ski trails.
4) The trails are well blazed. A double blaze indicates a turn in the trail. The top blaze is offset in the direction of the turn.