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Island Creek Hideaway LbNA #45489

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Feb 1, 2009
Location: SR 1004
City:New Bern
County:Jones
State:North Carolina
Boxes:1
Planted by:Roscoe
Found by: Bear Town Dweller
Last found:Aug 4, 2013
Status:FFFa
Last edited:Feb 1, 2009
Length: Approx. 2 miles
Difficulty: Relatively flat terrain. Light hiking. Not for very small children.

Before you begin your hike along the Island Creek Trail, you'll want to go to the ranger station on Highway 70 between New Bern and Havelock to pick up the brochure for the Island Creek Trail (if the station is closed, look in the gazebo in front). The brochure will help you identify the marked trees along the trail.

To get to the entrance to the Island Creek Trail and the parking area from New Bern, you need to drive several miles down Madam Moores Lane / Brice's Creek Road (SR 1004) until you reach Jones County. The entrance will be on your right.

Enter the trail. Find the Loblolly Pine at marker 1. Continue down the trail. Turn right onto Loop One. Pass the fallen tree and the Yellow Poplar. Pass the Dogwood and the fallen tree on your right. Notice the Cypress knees in the swamp on your right. Pass the Black Walnut, which is leaning on and supported by two smaller trees. Then find the Sweetgum on your right. Step off the trail to your right and down toward the Creek. On the creek bank, you'll see a large Cypress leaning over the creek with a hole at it's base. Peer down into the hole. On a sunny day, you can see down through the tannic water to the floor of the creek. Return to the trail. When you reach Marker 11 at the fork in the path, go left away from the creek. Notice the large rock on your left and the leaning tree. Read the initials carved on the next large tree, then continue down the trail. At the next fork, go left. Step over the split log and walk left of the large split tree. Continue on Loop 1. You'll begin to notice more and more tangled vines. On your right, you'll see two large trees leaning at 45 degree angles and each holding the other up. Continue along the trail. Pass the Beech tree on your right. Notice the smooth, gray bark. Past the Christmas Ferns, climb uphill. At the fork, take the right on the Natcy Trail. Climb uphill along the narrow path. At the large tree, continue right (don't wander down the path to the left that is blocked by logs). Notice the large root cluster on the fallen tree to your right. See the bending twins, which form a rainbow. After the NB marker, you'll see two fallen trees to your right. Walk along the second fallen tree to a giant oak, with a large opening at the base. The letter box is not in here. Go back to the path. Continue along the trail 15 paces. On the right, you'll see a large deciduous tree with a hole at the base. Reach into the hole and feel around for the letterbox. Don't feel it? That's because it's not there. Continue down the path.

On the right, you'll see a tree that has braided itself. Pass the three-pronged Dogwood. At the intersection of Loop 3, turn left towards the road. At the next intersection, turn right on Loop 3. At the next intersection, continue straight onto Loop three (do not turn left on Loop 4). Find marker 36. It's on your left. Continue 137 paced along the trail. This stretch is part of both Loop 3 and Loop 4. Just off the path on your left, you'll spot two tall, gray, deciduous trees standing side by side. At the base of the far tree is a hole. You'll find the letterbox inside. Congratulations!

Please return the letterbox to its home and conceal it carefully so that others may enjoy it as well.