Grateful Letterbox: The Band LbNA #36468

Difficulty: 1
Terrain: 2
Time: 2 to 2.5 Hours
Distance: 2.5 to 3 miles round trip
Other Information: No ink. Bring your own ink. Logbook in the last box only.

Where it is: Ravenswood Park.
Western Avenue (Rte 127) Gloucester, MA.

For directions and more information about Ravenswood Park: The Trustees of the Reservation

Trail maps are usually available at the information board at the entrance to the reservation, but don't count on it. I highly recommend you print the trail map and bring it with you just in case. Trail Map.

Ravenswood Park also has a Quest called Hermit's Haven Quest. This series follows the same route as the quest so print out the quest and follow it at the same time you are searching out this series. It is very well done and is full of very interesting information.

11/24/2012 - The band box has been recarved and replaced. All boxes were checked and are alive and well.

Bobby

Head up the main road past the gate and kiosk. Follow for a short distance until you come upon Intersection Marker 1. Turn right at Intersection Marker 1 and follow Ledge Hill Trail. Follow this trail to Intersection Marker 3. From Intersection Marker 3 continue straight on Ledge Hill Trail for 20 steps. 8 - 10 feet off the trail to the left there will be a large flat rock on top of another rock. Bobby is hiding under the back corner of the flat rock near a tree.

Pig Pen

Continue on Ledge Hill Trail. At Intersection Marker 5 bear left and count 25 step along Ledge Hill Trail to where the rock-lined trail bends to the left. At this point there will be a medium-sized tree on your left. Pig Pen lies under the back side of a rock next to the tree. Be sure to rehide well because it could be visible from the trail if not properly rehidden.

Donna

Continue on Ledge Hill Trail toward Intersection Marker 6. Stay straight past Intersection Marker 6 and continue following Ledge Hill Trail through a very large field of rocks and boulders. Follow the trail as it winds its way uphill through the rocky field. When you feel you are at the top of the rocky field, start to look for a mustard colored Trustees trail marker on a tree on the right. (NOTE: 11/24/2012 - This section of the trail has been freshly blazed in flourescent orange. The mustard colored marker is still there, along with an orange blaze on this same tree.) Donna is hiding at the base of the trail-marked tree under a rock.

Keith

Continue on the trail past Intersection Marker 10 to the Scenic Overlook (unmarked but you will know it by the great view of the ocean and Eastern Point Lighthouse). Look at the view and turn around. You should see a two-trunked Birch tree about 7 or 8 steps away. Approximately 5 steps past the Birch tree you will see a rock. At the time I planted this box there was a dead log lying across the rock. Under the back of the rock is where you will find Keith.

Bill

Continue on the trail to Intersection Marker 9 and turn left to stay on Ledge Hill Trail. Follow to Intersection Marker 11 and bear left to stay on Ledge Hill Trail. From Intersection Marker 11 count 30 steps to a Pine Tree on the left. Behind the pine you should see a large rock with a small Pine Tree growing on top of it. Bill is hidden behind the back right corner of this rock, hidden from view by a smaller rock.

Tom

Continue on a short distance to Intersection Marker 12. Go left on Quarry Road and follow to Intersection Marker 18. Bear right at Intersection Marker 18 and follow to Intersection Marker 19. Go left onto Evergreen Road and follow to Intersection Marker 20. Once at Intersection Marker 20 turn right onto Old Salem Road. After a short walk, you will start to go slightly downhill. When the road levels off look to your right for a stone wall about 20 to 30 feet into the woods. You should see a very clear break in the stone wall. Go to the break and look to the left along the wall for a huge Pine Tree just a few feet away. Continue about 6 feet past the Pine tree along the wall and you will find Tom hidden between some rocks. Best access is from the back side of the wall.

Phil

Return to Old Salem Road and continue on the same direction to get to Hermit's Plaque. Continue past Hermit's Plaque to Intersection Marker 23 and turn left onto Fernwood Lake Trail. You will immediately pass through a stone wall with a very large stone on the right. Behind this stone is a smaller stone which conceals Phil.

Mickey

Return to Intersection Marker 23 and turn left towards Intersection Marker 22. When you get to Intersection Marker 22 turn right onto Ledge Hill Trail. Shortly, the trail will start a very short but fairly steep climb. At the top of this climb you will find a rock outcropping. The trail turns right off of the outcropping. A short ways down the trail you will come upon a very large boulder. The trail passes to the left of this boulder. Continue past the boulder and then you will pass a rock ledge on your left and then you will start to go downhill. At the bottom of the hill you will come to Intersection Marker 21. Follow Ledge Hill Trail across the boardwalk to continue. After you cross the boardwalk look up the trail to see a pile of boulders with a very tall leaning Pine Tree behind them. When you get to the Pine Tree start counting your steps. At approximately 30 steps you should be passing between two large rocks. At the base of the rock on the right you will find Mickey hiding behind a small rock and some leaves.

The Band Name

Continue up the rocky trail and you will soon find yourself back at Intersection Marker 12. Turn right onto Quarry Road and continue to Intersection Marker 18, where you will take a left onto Ridge Road. Pass Intersection Marker 17 on the right and enter the Hemlock grove. At the far end of the Hemlock grove look for a very large rock on the right that abuts a large Pine Tree. The Band Name letterbox is hidden in back where the rock and the tree meet, hidden by a small rock.

Jerry

Now that you know the name of the band you may have realized there is one very important member missing. Continue the way you were going. You will soon pass Intersection Marker 7 on your right. Stay straight and you will then pass Intersection Marker 2 also on your right. Then the trail will merge with Old Salem Road (unmarked but there is a dog waste disposal shed here). Turn left on old Salem Road and follow it to Intersection Marker 1. At Intersection Marker 1 turn right onto Magnolia Swamp Trail and follow this trail for 55 steps to a large Pine Tree on the right. Jerry and the logbook are behind this tree under a Birch log hidden by a rock.

Go back to Trail Marker 1 and turn right. This will bring you back to your car.

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Have a Grateful Day!!!