Signs of Spring LbNA #23205 (ARCHIVED)

Planted at last! Ironically, Signs of Spring was planted on the first day of summer.

This box is in the Davey Dogwood Park in Palestine. To get there, take Loop 256 around Palestine until you get to Link Street, which is also 3309. Turn north on Link/3309 and continue until you see signs pointing left for Davey Dogwood Park. Turn left into the park and drive, drive, drive.

Now I ask you two favors: 1) Don't ask me how to get to the starting point for the box, and 2) Don't ask me how to get out of the park. I don't know the answer to either of these. In fact, I'm still stuck in the park and I'm transmitting clues by cell phone. If you see me, be kind enough to stop and exchange with me, even if you can't help me find my way out. Maybe, if you get lost too, we can just become a colony of letterboxers stuck in this wilderness park.

Okay, so anyway, I'm really not going to tell you how to get to the starting point. There are several beautiful roads to drive through the park, and I drove every one of them. If the road says "No buses and no large vehicles", believe them and forego that road in your hummer. Drive around until you spot the monument for the park. It's in the low area, not on the high roads - I can tell you that. Once you find the monument, go to it, read it, and face it. Look right (east) and proceed to the end of the turnaround area you see and park. Get out of your car and walk toward the two upright sign holders. They have nothing on them. Walk between them and onto the trail. You will immediately go up a steep hill and step over or go around a large tree across the trail. Continue along the trail, noting the sign posts in the forest with information on them. Continue walking, and you will reach a 90 degree turn. Go on around that. Soon you will reach another tree across the trail, this one with a path beaten down to go around it. You will go through a dry creek bed and onward. Remember to read the signs. When you find the Yaupon sign, turn your head to your left and you will see a fallen tree with the end pointing toward the yaupon sign. Walk beside that tree until another fallen tree crosses it. At the cross is Signs of Spring.

After you've logged in, continue on along the trail. Shorter to continue than to turn back. It will become very jungly and you can dream up some cool game to play I'm sure. When the path deadends, go right. Continue along and when it's time for your next decision, go left and cross the creek on a couple of wide boards put there for that purpose. By then you can see your car.

Get in the car and roam around until you begin to see exit signs. Truthfully, it won't be that far, but I couldn't begin to tell you how to get there.

This is a good path to take a garbage bag on. Unfortunately this path is apparently well traveled by the uninformed and unintelligent, because there is more than average trash around.

Note that this forest is unusual in the East Texas area because there are virtually no pine trees in it. It also has a huge variety of tree species, not the least of which is dogwood. I saw several different types of hickory. Beautiful to walk through.

And if you come to find my box, don't come empty handed. This park is screaming for more boxes!

Let me know if you find it and tell me how it's doing - barefootlucy@yahoo.com

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