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Huckleberry Letterbox LbNA #1096

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 5, 2002
Location:
City:Lacey
County:Thurston
State:Washington
Boxes:1
Planted by:The Nail Family
Found by: Seekers Two
Last found:Aug 19, 2013
Status:FFFFFFF
Last edited:Sep 5, 2002
Huckelberry
Here is a new letterbox in Tolmie State Park in Lacey, WA, Thurston County.

***Clues updated 6/26/10*******

To get to Tolmie, take Exit #111 off I-5 and head North on Marvin Rd. Drive appx 4 miles to the stop sign and turn right. Follow for appx 1 mile and turn left onto the park entrance road. Park in the upper parking lot (lower parking lot has been closed since an earthquake in Feb, 2001 damaged much of the park) and walk down the road or trail to the lower parking lot under reconstruction.

Tolmie is a saltwater park with a nice Puget Sound beach. The tidelands are home to many shellfish, crustaceans, fish, and birds. A small creek flows from the hillside thru the park and into the bay. A gravel spit has formed here where the creek enters the saltwater and there is abundant wildlife abound.

Spend some time on the beach and tidelands when you visit. If you have a Washington State Shellfish license you may harvest clams, oysters, and crab on the beach when in season. (low tide is the best time to visit despite the saltwater odor). There are a couple of very nice trails thru the hilsides. Much of the area was damaged in the earthquake that was centered only 1/2 mile out in the bay. The covered kitchen area and the concrete bridge over the creek that leads from the kitchen suffered especially. Reconstruction is underway and parking is limited but that only serves to limit the crowds. There may be some seasonal closures, have to check the Washington State Parks website to see.

Clues to the Letterbox:
Start at the lower parking lot. Head to the back end where an information sign sits at the trail head. At the bench the trail splits. Follow 150 deg. Another bench will sit at the roots of a leaning cedar. Continue past 3 bridges. Trail drops sharp and takes several turns. Just before a sharp turn to right and downhill will be a large stump on the right. Several berry bushes grow from its top (or used to according to recent reports 06/10). If in season, you can sample the sweetness of huckleberries, very common in these woods. Huckleberries are bright pink to red and grow on bushes growing out of conifer stumps. The leaves of the bush are rounded at the tip unlike the other berry bushes that grow from this same stump. Those other berries are purple in color and should not be eaten. Eat the pink ones only, not the purple ones. Continue down the trail to the bottom of the gulley ahead and the next small bridge. You are almost there. Turn around and find the tall slender alder tree on the right back up the trail from the bridge. The box is at the base of the alder tree in a hole facing the trail. Stamp up and please email us when you find the box to let us know of its condition. Replace the box, take care to hide it from hikers coming up the trail.

Continue along the trail across the next bridge and one more that is under repair (or newly repaired if you get there long after the box is planted). A trail sign will direct you to exit the trail on the right or continue on the loop on the left. If you choose to exit then you can start again at the picnic shelter and find the other letterboxes that are in the park.

Enjoy your time in this beautiful park but be respectful of the plants and animals. Try not to disturb the habitat with too much walking off the trail and try to take some garbage out with you. Our family makes a contest to see who can find the most or largest piece of litter to take out. Winner gets whatever change is in our pockets.

Email comments or news about this box to the7nails@yahoo.com