The First Conservationist LbNA #14897

Gifford Pinchot was the first trained forester in the United States. With the help of his friend, Theodore Roosevelt he saved millions of acres of US forests for scientific management and study. Many of these places became our national parks.

To reach Gifford Pinchot State Park take Lewisberry Exit of I83 South then PA 177 south or by US 15 to Dillsburg PA 74 south then 177. From York take the Newberrytown Exit then PA 382 west to PA 177 south. Your pets are allowed in the park and on the trails, but please pick up and keep them on a leash.

The first box is the easiest. Take Rt. 177 to the Quaker Race entrance to the park. Rt. 177 is called "The Pinchot Road" as it was the first road built when Pinchot was governor of PA. He built roads to "get the farmers out of the mud." Local legend has it that the Quaker Race entrance is so called because the local Quakers used to race their buggies on this road on the way home from meeting. Enter the park and drive down past the picnic and swimming areas. Keep going until you find Pavilion #3. Park as close as possible to the sign that tells you don't drive any further. Starting at this sign take 55 steps, male size, and you will see a very large tree off to the right off the grassy area, in the woods. Walk into the trees and behind this giant (for this area) you will find "The First Conservationist" box hidden at the base covered by leaves, wood and rocks. Hide carefully, please.

Jump in your car and leave this area getting on 177 again, heading north or east. Go to the old schoolhouse at the next corner and turn right. Drive down this road until you come to Boat Mooring Area #3. Park down by the lake and over towards the path that you will see to your left as you face the lake. Sometimes this area is a bit gushy but if you walk down closer to the lake it's better. You will now be on Lakeside Trail but the sign is missing. Start walking on this lovely trail keeping the lake to your right. You will shortly come to a "Y" in the trail. You will bear to the right and continue over the small runoff and the pipes, then past an old stone wall on your left. (Wonder when it was built?) Keep going until another trail goes off to the left. Take this trail until you meet another trail coming in from the right. Go down this trail until you come to a definite fork, just before the boulders. You are at Boulder Point. Standing at the fork head 030degrees to your right. There is a much smaller boulder. Only about four feet high and seven or eight feet across. Walk to this wonderful rock, then walk half way around it. There is some poison ivy at the bottom, but there was none at that spot. Look down at the bottom. You will see a nice little cave underneath. Suggest you use a walking stick or branch to reach under this, toward the left side. You'll find "Boulder Point LB" Take time to admire the awesome boulders and the lovely view.

For the next letterbox you can return to Lakeside Trail and continue on until you come to the parking area, but it is a walk of about one mile to the next letterbox.

Instead jump in your car again and drive further down the road past Forry's Ice Cream place, (good sundaes) and enter the park again at the Conestoga Day Use Area. Drive in as far as you can and turn left, parking all the way at the end of that section where you will see a Nature Center, or Visitor Center.

You follow the "Oak Trail" which passes to the left of the Nature Center. Start up the trail, after a stop at the center if it's open. At Pole #68 there is a bike path. Don't take this path, instead walk a little further until you come to sign for Toboggan Run. It really used to be a toboggan slide, and was still there in the early seventies, but not used in the winter. Our family would take waxed paper and slide down the rusty thing, enjoying it just as much as if it were iced.

Walk up this trail until you see a large flat rock that covers the trail side to side for about five or six feet. Don't be fooled by the smalled flat rock you come to first. Your rock is close to the top. About three steps before this rock, turn 90 degrees to your left. There are two three trunk trees there, but the one you want has a large rock "guard" on either side of it. You will find the box at the tree's base, covered with rocks and branches. Please hide carefully. Take the trail to the top to enjoy the rocks and return the way you came.

If you were lucky enough to find a trail map at any of the large signs about the park, you can enjoy many more walks around the 2,338 acres. In the summer there is swimming and boat rentals are available. Have fun

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