Friedsam Town Forest LbNA #10366 (ARCHIVED)
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 24, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Chesterfield |
| County: | Cheshire |
| State: | New Hampshire |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Found by: | El (3) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Sep 14, 2007 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Aug 24, 2004 |
Directions: Take RT9 in New Hampshire to RT63 South. (It is between Brattleboro, Vermont and Keene, New Hampshire) Then, take the first road on the right - Twin Brook Road. The pull off to the parking area is not far from this intersection on the right-hand side of the Twin Brook Road. It is small and might be missed easily. Please park in this parking area. One sign should say Friedsam Town Forest and another sign should say Upper Lot. There are three parking areas for this Forest. You will have passed one of them on your right while on RT63. This is a terrific 2 – 2 1/2 hour hike (about three miles) so make sure you have enough water with you.
Clues to Box # 1 – The Great Old Ash
Go to the mailbox and pick-up a trail map. The Great Ash is located at #1 on the trail map. Begin on the Doug Sargent Trail. You will start to go down a small hill and at the bottom you will cross a bridge to get over a small stream. After you cross the bridge, make sure that you take the trail to your right (The trail on your left is Audrey’s Meander).This part of the trail is usually a little swampy and muddy so be prepared. You will begin to go up a small hill and a cemetery will come into view on your right and the trail turns toward the left. Continue left. Soon the trail will meet up with Audrey’s Meander again and you will see a stone wall to the right of the trail with the Great Old Ash behind it. Just to the North of the Ash tree in the stone wall, you will find your treasure hidden between the rocks with broken limbs covering the crack. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place.
Clues to Box #2 – The Old Red Oak
Continue up the hill until you meet the Cemetery Loop and take the Cemetery Loop trail (on your right). You will be heading toward Friedsam Cemetery and as soon as you enter the cemetery lawn, follow the edge of the woods on your left until you get to the corner of the cemetery lawn and enter the woods again to continue the Cemetery Loop. The trail will make a turn to the right and begin to go down a hill. At the bottom of this hill you will meet up with the Ancient Oaks trail. Take this trail to the right. You will need to cross a very small stream shortly after you enter this trail. In the early spring and during real rainy seasons it may be harder to cross with small kids but it is not a problem if they wear waterproof boots during these times. Most of the time, you can cross without any problems. Soon you will meet up with the entrance of the trail from the RT63 parking area. Shortly after the parking area you will join with a snowmobile trail. Be sure to follow the arrow and take a left. As you continue you will pass a beaver pond on the left-hand side where you can see evidence of beavers at work. You will then begin to go up hill through an area of Conifers and at the top of the hill you will see a sign to the left that says, “Foot Trail.” The trails are narrow, but take it instead of going straight. The trail that goes straight is not on your map. It is actually a snowmobile trail and it does connect up with the trail again eventually. You will continue through Conifers and some beech trees and even hear vehicles from RT9. You will even go up and down a couple of small hills. Not too long you will meet up with the snowmobile trail again. Make sure that you take a left on this trail. Soon you will come to another bridge. Cross it and continue up the hill. If you want a quick snack take the trail to the right towards RT9 and cross the road to the country store (often snowmobile riders make this stop). When you continue up the hill on the Ancient Oaks trail, you will cross another small brook and the trail flattens out. You are very close to the second letter box now. Stop and read the sign – “Johnny Appleseed was here” - interesting history. Continue on the trail until you see a very large Ancient Red Oak tree on your right. There is another sign here with information. Take a moment to read. Along the stone wall south of the Ancient Red Oak you will see a dead tree with holes where the woodpeckers have pecked. Behind a very large stone covered by two smaller stones is the second treasure you seek. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place.
Clues to Box #3 - Friedsam’s Forest Foliage
You will be at number 4 on your map while at the Ancient Oaks. Continue down the trail and at the bottom is the next parking area on Twin Brook Road (Lower Lot). Take the Doug Sargent Trail on the way back to your vehicle. This trail is very beautiful because it follows a couple of brooks and there are numerous areas where you may see evidence of ferns, beaver, salamanders, tiny fish, and mushrooms. There are so many different kinds of mushrooms along the trail during the late summer months (of course don’t touch or eat them). You will soon have to cross another bridge. This is a brand new bridge that crosses the glen. You will want to stop and take photographs here. The views are beautiful and you will discover the
“Glacier Pot Hole” marked on your map as you continue up the trail. Be careful on this section of the trail with small children because the trail narrows and the edge steep. I do not advice this section of the trail in the winter months. It can get very icy here. You will follow the stream to a flat area where the stream is moving slowly. Soon the trail will meet up with the Cemetery Loop again but continue on the Doug Sargent trail up the hill to the right. At the first stone wall that you come to, look for a large Beech tree to your left just a little past the stone wall. Right in Front of the Beech tree hidden behind a medium-sized standing flat rock in the stone wall is Box #3. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place. Continue up the hill on the trail towards the parking area where your vehicle awaits. Soon you will meet up with the Cemetery Loop once again where you first entered it. You will also pass the Great Old Ash tree again. If would like take Audrey’s Meaner on the way back to your vehicle, it will join up with the trail right before the first bridge that you crossed in the beginning of your hike. After the bridge, hike your way back up the hill to the parking lot. These trails are great to hike all year long! We often see skiers and we have snow-shoed theses trails during the winter months too. Hope you enjoyed the hike and the letterbox hunt. Please keep us posted on the trail conditions and the boxes.
For a shorter hike:
Follow the same clues in the longer hike to find letterbox #1. Then from there, continue up the hill on the Doug Sargent trail (do not take the Cemetery Loop). When you start to go down the hill begin to look for a stone wall that you will have to cross over. At that stone wall, look for a large Beech tree to your left just a little in front of the stone wall. Right behind the Beech tree hidden under a medium-sized standing flat rock in the stone wall is letterbox #3. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place. You can return the same way. When you leave the parking area make a right-hand turn onto Twin Brook Road and drive about a mile down the road until you get to the entrance to the lower lot parking area of Freidsam Town Forest on the right. Pull in, park your car and take the Ancient Oaks trail to the left. Go up the hill until the trail begins to level out. You will soon see an ancient oak on your right with a stone wall on either side of it. Pass this tree and continue to the next Ancient Red Oak tree on the right where you will see a sign explaining information about it. Take a moment to read it and then look for letterbox #2. Along the stone wall south of the Ancient Red Oak you will see a dead tree with holes where the woodpeckers have pecked. Behind a very large stone covered by two smaller stones is the second treasure you seek. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place.
Clues to Box # 1 – The Great Old Ash
Go to the mailbox and pick-up a trail map. The Great Ash is located at #1 on the trail map. Begin on the Doug Sargent Trail. You will start to go down a small hill and at the bottom you will cross a bridge to get over a small stream. After you cross the bridge, make sure that you take the trail to your right (The trail on your left is Audrey’s Meander).This part of the trail is usually a little swampy and muddy so be prepared. You will begin to go up a small hill and a cemetery will come into view on your right and the trail turns toward the left. Continue left. Soon the trail will meet up with Audrey’s Meander again and you will see a stone wall to the right of the trail with the Great Old Ash behind it. Just to the North of the Ash tree in the stone wall, you will find your treasure hidden between the rocks with broken limbs covering the crack. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place.
Clues to Box #2 – The Old Red Oak
Continue up the hill until you meet the Cemetery Loop and take the Cemetery Loop trail (on your right). You will be heading toward Friedsam Cemetery and as soon as you enter the cemetery lawn, follow the edge of the woods on your left until you get to the corner of the cemetery lawn and enter the woods again to continue the Cemetery Loop. The trail will make a turn to the right and begin to go down a hill. At the bottom of this hill you will meet up with the Ancient Oaks trail. Take this trail to the right. You will need to cross a very small stream shortly after you enter this trail. In the early spring and during real rainy seasons it may be harder to cross with small kids but it is not a problem if they wear waterproof boots during these times. Most of the time, you can cross without any problems. Soon you will meet up with the entrance of the trail from the RT63 parking area. Shortly after the parking area you will join with a snowmobile trail. Be sure to follow the arrow and take a left. As you continue you will pass a beaver pond on the left-hand side where you can see evidence of beavers at work. You will then begin to go up hill through an area of Conifers and at the top of the hill you will see a sign to the left that says, “Foot Trail.” The trails are narrow, but take it instead of going straight. The trail that goes straight is not on your map. It is actually a snowmobile trail and it does connect up with the trail again eventually. You will continue through Conifers and some beech trees and even hear vehicles from RT9. You will even go up and down a couple of small hills. Not too long you will meet up with the snowmobile trail again. Make sure that you take a left on this trail. Soon you will come to another bridge. Cross it and continue up the hill. If you want a quick snack take the trail to the right towards RT9 and cross the road to the country store (often snowmobile riders make this stop). When you continue up the hill on the Ancient Oaks trail, you will cross another small brook and the trail flattens out. You are very close to the second letter box now. Stop and read the sign – “Johnny Appleseed was here” - interesting history. Continue on the trail until you see a very large Ancient Red Oak tree on your right. There is another sign here with information. Take a moment to read. Along the stone wall south of the Ancient Red Oak you will see a dead tree with holes where the woodpeckers have pecked. Behind a very large stone covered by two smaller stones is the second treasure you seek. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place.
Clues to Box #3 - Friedsam’s Forest Foliage
You will be at number 4 on your map while at the Ancient Oaks. Continue down the trail and at the bottom is the next parking area on Twin Brook Road (Lower Lot). Take the Doug Sargent Trail on the way back to your vehicle. This trail is very beautiful because it follows a couple of brooks and there are numerous areas where you may see evidence of ferns, beaver, salamanders, tiny fish, and mushrooms. There are so many different kinds of mushrooms along the trail during the late summer months (of course don’t touch or eat them). You will soon have to cross another bridge. This is a brand new bridge that crosses the glen. You will want to stop and take photographs here. The views are beautiful and you will discover the
“Glacier Pot Hole” marked on your map as you continue up the trail. Be careful on this section of the trail with small children because the trail narrows and the edge steep. I do not advice this section of the trail in the winter months. It can get very icy here. You will follow the stream to a flat area where the stream is moving slowly. Soon the trail will meet up with the Cemetery Loop again but continue on the Doug Sargent trail up the hill to the right. At the first stone wall that you come to, look for a large Beech tree to your left just a little past the stone wall. Right in Front of the Beech tree hidden behind a medium-sized standing flat rock in the stone wall is Box #3. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place. Continue up the hill on the trail towards the parking area where your vehicle awaits. Soon you will meet up with the Cemetery Loop once again where you first entered it. You will also pass the Great Old Ash tree again. If would like take Audrey’s Meaner on the way back to your vehicle, it will join up with the trail right before the first bridge that you crossed in the beginning of your hike. After the bridge, hike your way back up the hill to the parking lot. These trails are great to hike all year long! We often see skiers and we have snow-shoed theses trails during the winter months too. Hope you enjoyed the hike and the letterbox hunt. Please keep us posted on the trail conditions and the boxes.
For a shorter hike:
Follow the same clues in the longer hike to find letterbox #1. Then from there, continue up the hill on the Doug Sargent trail (do not take the Cemetery Loop). When you start to go down the hill begin to look for a stone wall that you will have to cross over. At that stone wall, look for a large Beech tree to your left just a little in front of the stone wall. Right behind the Beech tree hidden under a medium-sized standing flat rock in the stone wall is letterbox #3. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place. You can return the same way. When you leave the parking area make a right-hand turn onto Twin Brook Road and drive about a mile down the road until you get to the entrance to the lower lot parking area of Freidsam Town Forest on the right. Pull in, park your car and take the Ancient Oaks trail to the left. Go up the hill until the trail begins to level out. You will soon see an ancient oak on your right with a stone wall on either side of it. Pass this tree and continue to the next Ancient Red Oak tree on the right where you will see a sign explaining information about it. Take a moment to read it and then look for letterbox #2. Along the stone wall south of the Ancient Red Oak you will see a dead tree with holes where the woodpeckers have pecked. Behind a very large stone covered by two smaller stones is the second treasure you seek. Make sure that you hide it well in the same place.