April Box Series LbNA #13542 (ARCHIVED)

Difficulty: Moderate; 1 stream crossing; several steep inclines; roughly 1/1.5 mile round trip; get an early start; print Tempus Fugit: Birder Series and Yachty Girl: Presidential boxes, and make a day of it. (bring water)

Trail: Natural surface, hiking/mountain biking/horses; great for birding; lots of deer (For trail map, see http://www.mc-mncppc.org/trails/black_hill.shtm)

Driving Directions: From Interstate 270, take exit 18 towards Boyds (Rte. 121). After about 2 mi., you will see the brown sign indicating a left turn on W. Old Baltimore Rd. to get to the main entrance of Black Hill Regional Park. Do not turn left. Instead, make a sharp RIGHT turn to head west on W. Old Baltimore Rd. (You are going to a remote section of the park with a 3-loop trail.) Proceed about a half-mile and turn left on Ten Mile Creek Rd. (gravel). Obey the signs and park only on the right and before the private drive.

Alternate Directions: From Milestone-drive toward Black Hills Regional Park. Drive past the main park entrance. When you reach a stop sign, continue straight across 121 on to W. Old Baltimore Road. Approximately 1/2 mile down the road, take a left on to Ten Mile Creek Road. This is a gravel road and there are many signs about parking, watch them carefully.

APRIL BOX SERIES

Follow the road to the gate and continue on to and across the bridge. Continue until you reach the first trail, the Turkey Hill Loop. Take a right and go up the hill. As you reach the top, begin looking to your right for a bird house. When you reach the bird house look right and you will notice, hidden off the path, a very large pine tree. Retrace your steps and find the very defined deer path that leads you into the woods and behind the tree. From the back side of the tree, looking in to the woods, take a reading of 280 degrees and walk 15 paces to a large fallen branch of a tree. At the broken end of that branch you will find APRIL FOOLS! (All Fools Day/April 1st) *Alive and well 3/29/2007

Return to the trail and continue on. Box 2 was removed so this is now box 2. At this point you will be heading down the hill and around toward the lake. As you approach the lake you should notice on your left the back side of the sign indicating the Turkey Hill Loop. Continue until you reach the lake. There are trails that intersect at this point. Take the Turkey Hill Loop to your left that takes you past the lake (the lake should be on your right). Continue walking, past the sign to Ten Mill Creek Road and up the hill with the lake disappearing below. When you reach the top, begin looking left for a 7 in 1 tree, From this tree walk 30-33 steps to a cluster of five trees. Walk up the embankment to the ridge above the path and retrace your steps, on the ridge back to the 7 in 1 tree. Behind the tree, under some rocks you will find TAX DAY! Ready or not! (April 15th)*Alive and well 3/29/2007


Return to the trail and continue on. Just ahead you will notice the place where you began your journey on the Turkey Hill Loop. Go straight, over the bridge and back to your car.