The Curious Grove LbNA #14809
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Add Location| Owner: | RisingSunHorseWoman  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | May 1, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Torrington |
| County: | Litchfield |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Found by: | Nairon |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Apr 19, 2021 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | May 28, 2019 |
First found by Rubaduc
and Fantom 5-8-05
I'VE UPDATED THESE CLUES ON 5-27-19 ON ATLASQUEST.COM. I NEED TO UPDATE THEM HERE SOON.
The Curious Grove is located on the John Muir trail, marked in blue. We went in from the Guerdat Rd entrance, (although if you know your way around Torrington, you'll know other ways to get there. I will explain how to get here from Sunnybrook Park also). Find your way to Winsted Rd from Rt 8. It is the Winsted Rd exit from one direction, and the Kennedy Drive Exit from the other. Head south on Winsted Rd, past Big Y and Burger King, almost a mile to Neufield Rd on your right. There is the Evangelical Baptist church with a daycare center on the same corner. Follow Neufield Rd maybe 1/2 a mile to Guerdat Rd on the right. There are also signs for the Elk's Pond. Follow this for about a mile, to the fork in the road. Take a right, past 3 houses. Please respect the residents. There are children, dogs and horses in this area. Follow the road to where it changes to dirt, and park at the the intersection of the three roads. From here, walk down the left hand road. The John Muir trail crosses this dirt road about a 1/2 mile down. Take the left hand trail over the stone wall. Shortly you will cross another stone wall. When you come to a white trail, stay on the blue, down a short steep hill. Cross a couple of small brooks. Eventually the trail will parallel the brook. The Curious Grove is a grove of assorted trees growing together, about 8 feet around. There is a large, mossy rock in front of them. There is a black birch, an oak, a hemlock, a shagbark hickory, a beech, and an ash tree. There are blue blazes on the beech tree and the oak. Stand with your back to the Grove, facing the brook. Cross the brook heading east. Look for a hemlock growing out of a pile of rocks, with a ledge below and another brook coming from beneath. Between two large rocks just behind, you will find the Curious Grove letterbox. Five Paws and I planted this box.
This is a fairly short, easy hike, although the return trip is mostly all uphill. If you continue down the trail you will cross Neufield Rd, and can get into Sunnybrook Park. There are letterboxes there as well, and it is a very nice place to hike. If you return the way you came, you can follow the John Muir trail across the dirt road, and eventually come to Burr Pond. There are letterboxes this way too, but be prepared for a long hike. Having a car waiting at the other end might be a good idea.
Now, to get here from Sunnybrook Park, follow the directions to the Park from my Fyler Pond and Dino Boulder Letterbox clues. While you are in the parking lot, look for the blue trail to the south east, which is on 'this' side of the yellow gate. At the top of the trail, cross the road, cross the cement bridge, and follow the blue, John Muir Trail down the steep rock steps. Follow the trail along the brook, past the memorial plaque to Jerome Bacca, and continue uphill. The trail leaves the brook, goes over a flat wooden bridge, and becomes rocky. You'll cross over a stream (in the wet season), and will come to the Curious Grove. It is located on the east side of the trail. Look above for the description and letterbox directions.
After you finish, you can continue to The Rock Garden. Continue up the trail that follows this stream. You will cross over various steams in the wet time of year, but there are stepping stones. The trail goes steeply uphill, past a large rocky area to the south. At the top of this hill, look for a white arrow on a tree, it maybe easy to miss. Take that north east trail marked in grey and blue rectangles. You will come to a beautiful, rocky ledge. Cut up northeast so you are between the ledge and the rock wall. The Rock Garden is located in the low area of the rock wall.
When you have finished, you can continue on the blue and white trail, which loops around back to the blue trail, or just go back the way you came. This took me about 1/2 hour altogether, less on the way back, as it is downhill. I hope you enjoyed the hike!
and Fantom 5-8-05
I'VE UPDATED THESE CLUES ON 5-27-19 ON ATLASQUEST.COM. I NEED TO UPDATE THEM HERE SOON.
The Curious Grove is located on the John Muir trail, marked in blue. We went in from the Guerdat Rd entrance, (although if you know your way around Torrington, you'll know other ways to get there. I will explain how to get here from Sunnybrook Park also). Find your way to Winsted Rd from Rt 8. It is the Winsted Rd exit from one direction, and the Kennedy Drive Exit from the other. Head south on Winsted Rd, past Big Y and Burger King, almost a mile to Neufield Rd on your right. There is the Evangelical Baptist church with a daycare center on the same corner. Follow Neufield Rd maybe 1/2 a mile to Guerdat Rd on the right. There are also signs for the Elk's Pond. Follow this for about a mile, to the fork in the road. Take a right, past 3 houses. Please respect the residents. There are children, dogs and horses in this area. Follow the road to where it changes to dirt, and park at the the intersection of the three roads. From here, walk down the left hand road. The John Muir trail crosses this dirt road about a 1/2 mile down. Take the left hand trail over the stone wall. Shortly you will cross another stone wall. When you come to a white trail, stay on the blue, down a short steep hill. Cross a couple of small brooks. Eventually the trail will parallel the brook. The Curious Grove is a grove of assorted trees growing together, about 8 feet around. There is a large, mossy rock in front of them. There is a black birch, an oak, a hemlock, a shagbark hickory, a beech, and an ash tree. There are blue blazes on the beech tree and the oak. Stand with your back to the Grove, facing the brook. Cross the brook heading east. Look for a hemlock growing out of a pile of rocks, with a ledge below and another brook coming from beneath. Between two large rocks just behind, you will find the Curious Grove letterbox. Five Paws and I planted this box.
This is a fairly short, easy hike, although the return trip is mostly all uphill. If you continue down the trail you will cross Neufield Rd, and can get into Sunnybrook Park. There are letterboxes there as well, and it is a very nice place to hike. If you return the way you came, you can follow the John Muir trail across the dirt road, and eventually come to Burr Pond. There are letterboxes this way too, but be prepared for a long hike. Having a car waiting at the other end might be a good idea.
Now, to get here from Sunnybrook Park, follow the directions to the Park from my Fyler Pond and Dino Boulder Letterbox clues. While you are in the parking lot, look for the blue trail to the south east, which is on 'this' side of the yellow gate. At the top of the trail, cross the road, cross the cement bridge, and follow the blue, John Muir Trail down the steep rock steps. Follow the trail along the brook, past the memorial plaque to Jerome Bacca, and continue uphill. The trail leaves the brook, goes over a flat wooden bridge, and becomes rocky. You'll cross over a stream (in the wet season), and will come to the Curious Grove. It is located on the east side of the trail. Look above for the description and letterbox directions.
After you finish, you can continue to The Rock Garden. Continue up the trail that follows this stream. You will cross over various steams in the wet time of year, but there are stepping stones. The trail goes steeply uphill, past a large rocky area to the south. At the top of this hill, look for a white arrow on a tree, it maybe easy to miss. Take that north east trail marked in grey and blue rectangles. You will come to a beautiful, rocky ledge. Cut up northeast so you are between the ledge and the rock wall. The Rock Garden is located in the low area of the rock wall.
When you have finished, you can continue on the blue and white trail, which loops around back to the blue trail, or just go back the way you came. This took me about 1/2 hour altogether, less on the way back, as it is downhill. I hope you enjoyed the hike!