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Peace Rose LbNA #16589

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Jul 4, 2005
Location:
City:Kansas City
County:Jackson
State:Missouri
Boxes:1
Planted by:Pond & Roses People
Found by: cfboxer25
Last found:Mar 18, 2012
Status:FFFFFFFF
Last edited:Jul 4, 2005
Please Note: Specific permission for letterboxing has been neither requested of nor granted by the area administrators, so discretion is appreciated.

William B Eddy and Richard O. Ballentine are the authors of Hiking In Kansas City, the one and only known complete guide to Kansas City hiking trails. To date, four editions have been published, the latest in 2001. The book contains information on over 100 hiking trails in the metro area and surrounding parts.

On July 3, 1999, Jackson County Parks and Recreation established a new trail named the Eddy-Ballentine Trail in honor of the authors and their contributions to the hiking community. Both recall many happy family vacations spent hiking in the mountains or along the beaches and started hiking near their homes as a remembrance of those fond times with family and friends.

Directions (taken almost verbatim from the book): The trail begins at Blue River Road, 0.5 mile south of Swope Park Blue River Golf Course. (Go there for another neat letterbox location also found on this site.) Enter Blue River Road on the north from Oldham Road or connect with it from 87th or 95th Street (Bannister Road) on the south. The trailhead is on the east side of the road. Look for a clearing separated form the road by large rocks and a sign. Park along the shoulder.

On the trail: Walk directly east from the parking area (we use that term loosely-it’s just a strip of gravel along the road) for about 50 feet. On the right (south) you will see a dirt road. Start up the road and in about 25 feet the trail diverges on the left side, marked by orange blazes. The trail progresses east, cuts uphill, swings east again, and follows the contour of the hillside above a valley with limestone bluffs. Stop and enjoy the view occasionally. It is a beautiful area with very few mosquitoes or poison ivy. In about 0.5 mile, the trial turns uphill and emerges at the edge of a meadow. Watch for bluebirds. Turn immediately left and follow and follow the trail along the edge of the open area for about 50 feet. It then drops back into the woods and leads up the valley where it swings left (east), crosses a stream, and starts back down the valley (north).

The trail runs through thick woods and along a rock crevice. Follow the trail between the rock outcroppings. You are following a backwards “Z”. Turn to the left, and before you turn back right on the trail notice the rock ledge on your right points to a tall, skinny tree. To the left of the tree hidden beneath the rock ledge and under several small flat rocks is the letterbox.

The trail then crosses the stream and follows it on the west side. In some places, the footing is rough with loose rocks. It is a bit more difficult when it has just rained. In about 0.4 mile, the trail leads uphill where it intersects with an old dirt road. To return to your car, follow this road west (left) for about 0.2 mile. If you choose to continue on the trial, turn right at the intersection and follow the blazes through a flat valley area, staying off the private property beyond the fence.

Have fun!