Bikin' n Boxin' LbNA #48238
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 16, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Amherst |
| County: | Hampshire |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | KiliMama  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | oj drinker (3) |
| Last found: | Oct 8, 2011 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Jun 16, 2009 |
Bikin’ and Boxin’
Clues: Easy
Distance: About 4 miles RT
Time: Under an hour by bike, more if you hike it.
This series of 4 boxes marks some of my favorite bike stops along a section the Norwottock Rail Trail. The Norwottock Rail Trail is an 11 mile path linking Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst along the former Boston & Main Railroad right-of-way. You can do the route in either direction starting at either Amherst College or Station Road entrances as there is a logbook in the first and last box. The clues start from the Amherst College entrance but it’s easy to reverse them.
Directions:
Amherst College Entrance: From the Amherst town common take route 9 east past Amherst College on your right. Turn right onto Dickinson St. (just before you go under the purple and white railway bridge). Follow this down with the train track running along on your left hand side. After 500yds you’ll come to the end of the student residences on the right and the tennis courts will be in front of you and to the right. Park before the gate that says “No Vehicles Beyond this point!” The rail trail intersection is down the dirt road that runs in back of the tennis courts.
Station Road Entrance: From Amherst town common, take route 9 east to the first stop light. Turn right on Southeast Street and follow it to the South Amherst common. Stay to the left at the common and turn left on Station Road. The rail trail intersects with the road right before the railroad tracks. Go left on the rail trail (west).
Clues:
Blue Bird Box
When you reach the rail trail turn left (east) and continue until you reach a stone bench called Grandpa’s bench. Look out over the spectacular view with the bird boxes erected for various cavity nesters—bluebirds, swallows, woodpeckers and wrens. The removal of dead snags has caused habitat loss for these birds. So leave your dead trees standing!!
If you look down the slope in front of you, there will be a fence with a wooden fence post. Climb down to the fence post and turn right. Take 10 steps along the fence line into the trees. A maple tree with a cavity at the bottom holds your treasure.
Fort River
The Fort River box is missing, but it's still a pretty area to check out.
Continue along the trail until you cross the Fort River bridge. Before you cross the next bridge (over Southeast street), turn right onto the access path. This path leads to the Mill Lane Access parking. You want to make an immediate right on the trail where you will see the sign for the Emily Dickinson trail. Leave your bike here. Follow this trail down to the river and admire the beauty of this place. On terrace overlooking the river is a “muscle tree” with the Fort River box behind it. Rehide completely as this is a well used spot.
Brickyard
Back on the rail trail you will pass the first Brickyard sign—ignore this one, it’s the second Brickyard entrance you want. On the left will be the entrance for the Brickyard/ Ken Cuddeback trail blazed in blue. Turn here; you can ride your bike down the trail until you see a large open paved area on your right. This is the ruins of the old brick factory. In the center of the paved area is an oasis of birch and poplar. Walk counter clockwise around it until you find a beaver felled tree on the pavement. This tree points to the spot in the grove where the Brickyard letterbox lies. Under rocks at the cross of a rusty old door track and a rotting log is what you seek.
Beaver Pond
Continue back to the main rail trail and pass the beaver dammed culvert. Enjoy the wildlife that abounds in this area due to the gift of the beavers. Soon you will reach the Arnold Kenseth trail on the right. Follow the trail (don’t worry about the closure, you aren’t going far) until you see the double red blaze where the trail turns. Ahead on the right is a multi-trunked maple with the treasure inside the cavity on the bottom.
Clues: Easy
Distance: About 4 miles RT
Time: Under an hour by bike, more if you hike it.
This series of 4 boxes marks some of my favorite bike stops along a section the Norwottock Rail Trail. The Norwottock Rail Trail is an 11 mile path linking Northampton, Hadley, and Amherst along the former Boston & Main Railroad right-of-way. You can do the route in either direction starting at either Amherst College or Station Road entrances as there is a logbook in the first and last box. The clues start from the Amherst College entrance but it’s easy to reverse them.
Directions:
Amherst College Entrance: From the Amherst town common take route 9 east past Amherst College on your right. Turn right onto Dickinson St. (just before you go under the purple and white railway bridge). Follow this down with the train track running along on your left hand side. After 500yds you’ll come to the end of the student residences on the right and the tennis courts will be in front of you and to the right. Park before the gate that says “No Vehicles Beyond this point!” The rail trail intersection is down the dirt road that runs in back of the tennis courts.
Station Road Entrance: From Amherst town common, take route 9 east to the first stop light. Turn right on Southeast Street and follow it to the South Amherst common. Stay to the left at the common and turn left on Station Road. The rail trail intersects with the road right before the railroad tracks. Go left on the rail trail (west).
Clues:
Blue Bird Box
When you reach the rail trail turn left (east) and continue until you reach a stone bench called Grandpa’s bench. Look out over the spectacular view with the bird boxes erected for various cavity nesters—bluebirds, swallows, woodpeckers and wrens. The removal of dead snags has caused habitat loss for these birds. So leave your dead trees standing!!
If you look down the slope in front of you, there will be a fence with a wooden fence post. Climb down to the fence post and turn right. Take 10 steps along the fence line into the trees. A maple tree with a cavity at the bottom holds your treasure.
Fort River
The Fort River box is missing, but it's still a pretty area to check out.
Continue along the trail until you cross the Fort River bridge. Before you cross the next bridge (over Southeast street), turn right onto the access path. This path leads to the Mill Lane Access parking. You want to make an immediate right on the trail where you will see the sign for the Emily Dickinson trail. Leave your bike here. Follow this trail down to the river and admire the beauty of this place. On terrace overlooking the river is a “muscle tree” with the Fort River box behind it. Rehide completely as this is a well used spot.
Brickyard
Back on the rail trail you will pass the first Brickyard sign—ignore this one, it’s the second Brickyard entrance you want. On the left will be the entrance for the Brickyard/ Ken Cuddeback trail blazed in blue. Turn here; you can ride your bike down the trail until you see a large open paved area on your right. This is the ruins of the old brick factory. In the center of the paved area is an oasis of birch and poplar. Walk counter clockwise around it until you find a beaver felled tree on the pavement. This tree points to the spot in the grove where the Brickyard letterbox lies. Under rocks at the cross of a rusty old door track and a rotting log is what you seek.
Beaver Pond
Continue back to the main rail trail and pass the beaver dammed culvert. Enjoy the wildlife that abounds in this area due to the gift of the beavers. Soon you will reach the Arnold Kenseth trail on the right. Follow the trail (don’t worry about the closure, you aren’t going far) until you see the double red blaze where the trail turns. Ahead on the right is a multi-trunked maple with the treasure inside the cavity on the bottom.