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Oriental Medicine LbNA #3046 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 7, 2002
Location:
City:East Lyme
County:New London
State:Connecticut
Boxes:5
Planted by:KrissyFur
Found by: Lauralei (4)
Last found:Jul 1, 2006
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Sep 7, 2002
UPDATE: 5/31/07 ~ These boxes have been collected and removed per my request as I moved to New Mexico and am unable to sustain them. Hope everyone that found them enjoyed their hike! :)

5 Boxes in Nehantic State Forest
Easy & very family friendly hike.
10-20 minute hike one way (quick adult pace) -- without stopping for boxes
Planted by Kristen and Sean 9-7-02

To Nehantic State Forest:
Off of either Route 95 or 395 take Route 85 North.
Follow 85 North to Grassy Hill Road on Left (Chesterfield is on
Right.)
Take a Left onto Grassy Hill. Follow for approximately 2 miles(?).
Take a right onto Upper Walnut Hill Road.
Follow to the end of this road and take a left onto Holmes Road.
Holmes Road goes straight into the Forest. Shortly after entering the forest you will see a 1/2 circle pull off on the left.
There is room here for at least 4-5 cars. This road continues south through this section of the forest. I highly recommend turning around and leaving the same way you came. The road is a dirt road that is only large enough for 1 car to pass through. While there are a few places to pull off so other cars can pass and it is a beautiful trip through the forest, it doesn't seem like the best option for everyone. If you do decide to continue down the road, you'll be ushered the correct way by a few closed gates.
The road eventually connects to Grassy Hill Road (where you'd take a left to head back the way you came).

Unfortunately the map for Nehantic State Forest that can be found online through the State site is for the other section of the forest(as of 9/02). This section is located in East Lyme. Please note that hunting IS allowed here. As always wear appropriate clothing.

There are several sections of the path that are covered with stones which are intermingled with sections that are simply dirt. When I refer to "the stony path" I am referring to that particular section of rock-covered path. Hence "the end of the stony path'" does not mean that the trail ends, simply that a section covered with rocks ends.

In each box you will find a baggie with an index card full of information about that particular element. Please take and keep an index card from each box and perhaps you can take a guess at which one you are after reading them all. If there are only 2-3 cards left, please e-mail me (fox412@ yahoo.com) and I will replenish! In one or two boxes there may be more than one card, please take one of each, they were meant to be kept for future reference and study. *Please note I moved out to New Mexico 3/06 and it is highly unlikely that there are any cards left.*

After parking look across the street for the yellow gate and follow the path behind it. Shortly down the path you will see a fork. Follow the path to the right.

Fire:
A stone wall on the left will end and the path is covered with rocks. From the end of the stone wall, walk 3/4 of the way to the bend in the trail and look to your right for a long rock with a smaller rock balanced on top. Go behind the large rock and look at its base under some small rocks for the Fire box.

Earth:
Further down the trail you will see 2 large rock "crops" , one on either side of the trail. Just after passing these look to your right for a cleared area that goes up a small hill. This path should be found prior to leaving the stony path.Go up to the top of this hill to the clearing. Directly to the north is a stone wall. Walk to the opening in the wall and turn left. On the far side of the wall from the clearing, walk approximately 9 steps along the back of the wall. If you turn and face the wall, there should be a tree in front of you on the other side of the wall. In a nook of the wall here you will find the Earth box.

Metal:
Go back to the center of the clearing. Directly to the East is another hill heading up to a "splinter" shaped rock. On the east side of this rock you will find the Metal box.

Head back down the hill(s) to the main trail and turn right to continue.

Water:
Continue down the trail to another section of stony path. It will only be about 20-30 feet long. Just ahead look for a 2-trunked tree on the left. On the North side of this tree look for the Water box under a pile of rocks.

Wood:
You will pass another small section of stony trail followed later by a longer one. At the end of this stony section the path will become very narrow and you will notice a large open section.There are two options for finding the last box. If you can't find it, a combination of these two clues should help:

1) Walk down the path until you are standing next to the solitary tree. At 270-280 degrees is the tree you are looking for.
2) Follow the path past the solitary tree until the trail JUST starts to head uphill and then stop. Turn around to face the trail and look South-West. There you should see a "double-tree" growing out of one trunk.

Under the wood at the base of this tree you will find the Wood box and also the clues to find the BONUS box. The bonus box isn't very far away from the Wood box. Please copy the clues if needed(extra blank cards are included) and then return the original to the box as found so that everyone who gets there can get to the bonus box. Please only take 1 per person!!!

Somehow you can get back to the trailhead if you continue on, but without a map we didn't dare venture further. This is a short, yet beautiful, hike that is the perfect length for families and is very flat (with the exception of the walk up and down a short hill for the Earth and Metal boxes.)

Update (3/12/07)
I'd love to know how this series is doing, and if it's time to be retired, would absolutely reimburse someone to ship the stamps and log books out to me!!

Please re-bag, seal the box tightly and re-hide as carefully as possible!
*Always leave things better than you find them.*

Enjoy the hunt and please let me know if you have problems or if boxes need some help!
Fox412@ yahoo.com