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Aroostook State Park LbNA #1418 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Aug 19, 2001
Location:
City:Presqu' isle
County:Aroostook
State:Maine
Boxes:3
Found by: perryblue
Last found:Oct 14, 2006
Status:FFFFF
Last edited:Aug 19, 2001
This letterbox series began with the Echo Lake Letterbox, planted on August 19th, 2001. Two more letterboxes have been added on since August 20th, 2002.

Follow Rt. 1 South from center of Presqu'isle to Aroostock State Park. Follow signs. Stop at the entry gate and pay the park ranger a minimal entry fee and be sure to pick up a brochure and map of the park. This is a lovely park where for a mere dollar or two, you can enjoy a picnic area, swimming area (with lifeguard in season), and great hiking trails. There also is a campground and X-country trails for winter activities. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy some time in this great park.


CLUES

To get to what you're looking for, park in the parking lot by the swimming area, and head SW onto the Quaquahog Nature Trail. Take time to find out what "Quaquajo" means. At fork, head to North Peak, 1 mile. Be careful not to follow X-country ski trail. Follow the blue blaze up and up. This is a wonderful steep trail. Can you just imagine what this would be like in the winter? You would need ice picks attached to your shoes!!

At the T, head North (duh) up the trail to the North peak. When you almost at the end, look for an overlook opening on the left. Immediately after this opening, take a small path off to the right, 120'. Go 15 paces SE. On the left, spot a small grove of lovely white birch. Find what you seek hidden in the rocks to the left. Please stamp up and rehide carefully. Enjoy the view of Presqu'isle from the North peak and rest a moment. Go ahead and shout from the top and maybe you'll hear your echo. The day we were here, there was a whole family of kids shouting. It was funny actually because we could hear them all the way up the trail.

To get to the next letterbox, head towards the South peak. Follow the signs. You will go downhill and then uphill as you cross between peaks. This part of the trail is about a mile. As you near the end of this trail, you will see another set of signs ahead of you indicating the peaks and the campground. Look to the right for a pile of short logs against a tree. Look low for the Quaquajo Letterbox. You don't need to move any logs, reach under behind the rock. Stamp in and replace carefully. Go check out the South Peak.

Now, you'll have to make a decision about how to get down. This is where it gets like the Amazing Race where you have to decide between the long and safe way, or the short and risky way. Choice number 1 is to go down a 3/4 mile, extremely steep, slippery, rocky, and direct route to the camping area. Choice number 2 is to go back the way you came, and you know what that's like already. (Our family made it down choice #1, carefully picking our way, and sometimes going off the trail, holding onto anything we could grasp. Good shoes and strong knees and legs are a must.)

Now onto Box # 3. We made this one easy to make up for getting down from #2. Go to the boat launch. Facing the lake, look left to the white cedar by the boat launch driveway. Look low under a rock, under the boughs of this tree for the Aroostook State Park Letterbox. Cover carefully after stamping in.

We hope you enjoy your visit at Aroostock State Park as much as we did. Be sure to look for the James Schoolhouse Letterbox just up the road.

Comments or problems? E-mail us at pineknoll@snet.net.
Letterbox 1 planted August 19th, 2001. Letterbox 2 & 3 planted August 20th, 2002 by the Bonnie and Clyde Gang of Connecticut.