Avery Tract Series LbNA #4377
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 17, 2003 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Waterford |
| County: | New London |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 8 |
| Planted by: | Steve and Heidi  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Nairon |
| Last found: | Dec 30, 2020 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFaFFaaFFF |
| Last edited: | Jun 17, 2003 |
Note: Pretty much all the boxes in this series have disappeared. We need to re-carve and replace, however we will likely just completely overhaul the series in the springtime.
-Steve
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Avery Tract Series, Quaker Hill, CT
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8 Dog friendly boxes covering a moderate 3 miles; plan on 3 hours.
The Avery Tract is owned and maintained by the West Farms Land Trust of Waterford, CT. Totaling about 65 acres, the current landholding was pieced together as the land trust acquired the first 30 acres from Dr. George Avery and his wife Virginia in 1974. Dr. Avery was the first director of the Connecticut College Aboretum -- located less than two miles down Route 32. The second parcel was purchased in 2001 with funding assistance by the State of Connecticut as part of the open space preservation initiative. Dr. Avery's wishes for his property included preservation of the land in its natural state for the use by the general public for recreation, scientific studies & historical aspects.
Trail maps are available at the trailhead, bring your dogs on leash and please pick up after them. As always, respect the land and carry out what you carry in. The blazes are clear, the trails easy to follow, remember that this tract is at its infancy and will get much better with time.
Driving Directions: Route 32 to Scotch Cap Road (waterside). From New London this is a right turn; from Norwich area a left hand turn at the stoplight. Park on the left side of the road. The entry is across from the mailboxes marked "65-61-63"; trailhead marked with tan signs and is a couple tricky steps up - use caution.
Clues: From the roadway, procede up the stairs and follow the red trail past the mapboard, keeping the construction site on your right. A few minutes in, the red splits into two, turn right at this first intersection and right at the next one. Still on the red trail, it curves around a corner towards a third intersection, stop just before this 3rd turn and carefully scamper up the ledge to to the left and find a twin-sistered tree due north of you. Look carefully around the base of the tree to find the Drew's Avery Tract Letterbox. Carefully scurry back down the ledge to the trail. Take note of this intersection as you will be coming back here after we go fishing! Take the right (red) fork and head down hill towards the water and the train tracks.
Continue along the red trail to the bottom of the hill and enjoy views of the Thames River, train tracks, and the US Submarine Base. Feel free to step out of the woods by the tracks and check out the view. Please don't stay long and definately do not take pictures - the US Navy is not big on photography of military installations! Back on the trail, it sweeps left at the very bottom of the hill and follows the base of a large cliff. About 30 feet before the end of the ledge find a large white oak on the left side of the trail. From the rock at the base of this tree, look and see a glacial erratic bearing 175 and a tall, straight tree about 15 feet past that erratic. Check the base of that tree to find the Striped Bass Letterbox hiding beneath a large rock. Step carefully when climbing on these rocks and always look before you rech your hand in! Now head back up the hill (on red) to the 3rd intersection by the Drew's letterbox that you first found.
Arriving at the top of the hill, turn to the NE and follow the yellow trail. As you travel, note the upland scrub and low-bush blueberry. Step through the stone wall (across a neat "bridge" structure) and continue straight. Watch for a hard left that leads to a few erratics and follow this little trail; it makes a quick right and winds past some more rocks, making a hard right by a much larger eratic. Check under the flat stone on the SW side of this larger erratic and you will find the West Farms Land Trust letterbox. Continue on the yellow (now ENE of you) and trace the edge of the mountain laurel. As the trail curves left, step though another wall and continue straight. Shortly, turn left by small boulder resting on slickrock and up that ledge into an interesting cut though the dense mountain laurel.
A nicce stone wall lines ther left as you slope downhill, pass theough the laurel tunnel and cross a small stream using a crafty stone bridge. There are some HUGE beech trees worthy of Drew recognition on the right hand side (blue trail). Stop and take a breather by the trees if you wish, then procede up another long climb up the yellow/blue trail. Continue up, up, up the hill keeping the stone wall close and on your right. The blue loop again intersects this trail as you make the climb.
Take the second blue trail through the stone wall, past the large uprooted tree. A short way up, you will come out on an enormous ledge. Enjoy the view and continue through the woods to a second ledge. Sit down, relax, and stamp into the Red Fox letterbox (by BeeMan) hidden in the chasm at the far end of the ledge. After you have rested, return along the route you arrived by....past the first ledge...past the uprooted tree... through the stone wall...to the yellow/blue trail.Turn right and continue back up the large hill on the yellow trail (it's almost done!).
Reaching the top of the hill, behold the tree fort! A split to the blue loop lies to the right with more ledge. With the fort directly in front of you, note the stone wall that runs behind this playhouse. The wall makes an "L" behind the fort and continues up the hill. Walk to the left of the fort, around the back of it, to the corner of the "L"...looking low in the wall 5 steps uphill from this corner, find the Lantern letterbox. (Carving by RTRW, placed by Patrick, Amy & Ruth).
From the Lantern, continue on the yellow trail behind the tree fort. Yellow becomes red and goes through the open woods and low cat briar. Stop at the massive erratic dubbed "Avery Rock" after the property owner. Doesn't the large tree in the NW corner look suspicious? From Avery Rock, follow the red to a spruce grove and make a hard left just before the grove. At the next boundary marker, turn left. Keep an eye open for a twin trunked oak with a red blaze on each branch. Just past this tree, the trail intersects the yellow trail in an upside-down "y". For a quick excursion, take the yellow and look leftish for a portion of the stone wall that is toppled. Crossing through the wall, find the large turtle rock with a tree growing out of the top of it! Look around the base of the turtle for one more box (the original hiding spot for "For the Birds" (byBeeMan).
Once stamped in, head out the way you came in...towards the "Y" where red and yellow meet. Follow the red along the spruces to the grassy hairpin, which turns the trail left. Follow the ledges and at the red/red intersection turn right. As you hike out, watch for a group of scraggly hemlocks along the trail & the construction site is on the left. The trail makes a slow downhill with a short rise back up. At the top of the rise, look WNW to find a neat split rock. Check the backside of the sharply angled rock just right of the splitrock. A group of pals gathered here and one wrote: "New friends, old friends, shy friends, bold friends, count them all. For in life's journey all are welcome. Here are two that count as one...". Many thanks to Butterfly for the encouragement! Now, continue south on the path to your car.
Series last verified 10/12/04....please let us know these boxes are alive and well!
A special thanks to the West Farms Land Trust for allowing and promoting letterboxing on their property. In letterboxing utopia, all land trust groups would be this receptive to the desire to draw hikers and "Leave No Trace" land users such as letterboxers.
By reading these clues and setting out on your quest, you have accepted the disclaimer.....
www.geocities.com/stephenholyfield@sbcglobal.net/wtfd.html
-Steve
Home
Avery Tract Series, Quaker Hill, CT
8 Dog friendly boxes covering a moderate 3 miles; plan on 3 hours.
The Avery Tract is owned and maintained by the West Farms Land Trust of Waterford, CT. Totaling about 65 acres, the current landholding was pieced together as the land trust acquired the first 30 acres from Dr. George Avery and his wife Virginia in 1974. Dr. Avery was the first director of the Connecticut College Aboretum -- located less than two miles down Route 32. The second parcel was purchased in 2001 with funding assistance by the State of Connecticut as part of the open space preservation initiative. Dr. Avery's wishes for his property included preservation of the land in its natural state for the use by the general public for recreation, scientific studies & historical aspects.
Trail maps are available at the trailhead, bring your dogs on leash and please pick up after them. As always, respect the land and carry out what you carry in. The blazes are clear, the trails easy to follow, remember that this tract is at its infancy and will get much better with time.
Driving Directions: Route 32 to Scotch Cap Road (waterside). From New London this is a right turn; from Norwich area a left hand turn at the stoplight. Park on the left side of the road. The entry is across from the mailboxes marked "65-61-63"; trailhead marked with tan signs and is a couple tricky steps up - use caution.
Clues: From the roadway, procede up the stairs and follow the red trail past the mapboard, keeping the construction site on your right. A few minutes in, the red splits into two, turn right at this first intersection and right at the next one. Still on the red trail, it curves around a corner towards a third intersection, stop just before this 3rd turn and carefully scamper up the ledge to to the left and find a twin-sistered tree due north of you. Look carefully around the base of the tree to find the Drew's Avery Tract Letterbox. Carefully scurry back down the ledge to the trail. Take note of this intersection as you will be coming back here after we go fishing! Take the right (red) fork and head down hill towards the water and the train tracks.
Continue along the red trail to the bottom of the hill and enjoy views of the Thames River, train tracks, and the US Submarine Base. Feel free to step out of the woods by the tracks and check out the view. Please don't stay long and definately do not take pictures - the US Navy is not big on photography of military installations! Back on the trail, it sweeps left at the very bottom of the hill and follows the base of a large cliff. About 30 feet before the end of the ledge find a large white oak on the left side of the trail. From the rock at the base of this tree, look and see a glacial erratic bearing 175 and a tall, straight tree about 15 feet past that erratic. Check the base of that tree to find the Striped Bass Letterbox hiding beneath a large rock. Step carefully when climbing on these rocks and always look before you rech your hand in! Now head back up the hill (on red) to the 3rd intersection by the Drew's letterbox that you first found.
Arriving at the top of the hill, turn to the NE and follow the yellow trail. As you travel, note the upland scrub and low-bush blueberry. Step through the stone wall (across a neat "bridge" structure) and continue straight. Watch for a hard left that leads to a few erratics and follow this little trail; it makes a quick right and winds past some more rocks, making a hard right by a much larger eratic. Check under the flat stone on the SW side of this larger erratic and you will find the West Farms Land Trust letterbox. Continue on the yellow (now ENE of you) and trace the edge of the mountain laurel. As the trail curves left, step though another wall and continue straight. Shortly, turn left by small boulder resting on slickrock and up that ledge into an interesting cut though the dense mountain laurel.
A nicce stone wall lines ther left as you slope downhill, pass theough the laurel tunnel and cross a small stream using a crafty stone bridge. There are some HUGE beech trees worthy of Drew recognition on the right hand side (blue trail). Stop and take a breather by the trees if you wish, then procede up another long climb up the yellow/blue trail. Continue up, up, up the hill keeping the stone wall close and on your right. The blue loop again intersects this trail as you make the climb.
Take the second blue trail through the stone wall, past the large uprooted tree. A short way up, you will come out on an enormous ledge. Enjoy the view and continue through the woods to a second ledge. Sit down, relax, and stamp into the Red Fox letterbox (by BeeMan) hidden in the chasm at the far end of the ledge. After you have rested, return along the route you arrived by....past the first ledge...past the uprooted tree... through the stone wall...to the yellow/blue trail.Turn right and continue back up the large hill on the yellow trail (it's almost done!).
Reaching the top of the hill, behold the tree fort! A split to the blue loop lies to the right with more ledge. With the fort directly in front of you, note the stone wall that runs behind this playhouse. The wall makes an "L" behind the fort and continues up the hill. Walk to the left of the fort, around the back of it, to the corner of the "L"...looking low in the wall 5 steps uphill from this corner, find the Lantern letterbox. (Carving by RTRW, placed by Patrick, Amy & Ruth).
From the Lantern, continue on the yellow trail behind the tree fort. Yellow becomes red and goes through the open woods and low cat briar. Stop at the massive erratic dubbed "Avery Rock" after the property owner. Doesn't the large tree in the NW corner look suspicious? From Avery Rock, follow the red to a spruce grove and make a hard left just before the grove. At the next boundary marker, turn left. Keep an eye open for a twin trunked oak with a red blaze on each branch. Just past this tree, the trail intersects the yellow trail in an upside-down "y". For a quick excursion, take the yellow and look leftish for a portion of the stone wall that is toppled. Crossing through the wall, find the large turtle rock with a tree growing out of the top of it! Look around the base of the turtle for one more box (the original hiding spot for "For the Birds" (byBeeMan).
Once stamped in, head out the way you came in...towards the "Y" where red and yellow meet. Follow the red along the spruces to the grassy hairpin, which turns the trail left. Follow the ledges and at the red/red intersection turn right. As you hike out, watch for a group of scraggly hemlocks along the trail & the construction site is on the left. The trail makes a slow downhill with a short rise back up. At the top of the rise, look WNW to find a neat split rock. Check the backside of the sharply angled rock just right of the splitrock. A group of pals gathered here and one wrote: "New friends, old friends, shy friends, bold friends, count them all. For in life's journey all are welcome. Here are two that count as one...". Many thanks to Butterfly for the encouragement! Now, continue south on the path to your car.
Series last verified 10/12/04....please let us know these boxes are alive and well!
A special thanks to the West Farms Land Trust for allowing and promoting letterboxing on their property. In letterboxing utopia, all land trust groups would be this receptive to the desire to draw hikers and "Leave No Trace" land users such as letterboxers.
By reading these clues and setting out on your quest, you have accepted the disclaimer.....
www.geocities.com/stephenholyfield@sbcglobal.net/wtfd.html