Callahan North LbNA #50074
Map
Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 29, 2009 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Framingham |
| County: | Middlesex |
| State: | Massachusetts |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | Flyergirl  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Nairon (3) |
| Last found: | Sep 24, 2016 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Aug 29, 2009 |
These are a series of letterboxes in the northern section of Callahan State Park in Framingham. You want to begin at the trail entrance on Edmands Road near the Southborough town line. There is parking for two or three vehicles on the north side of Edmands Road near a private driveway of four houses.
Note: The long version was added 2.18.10.
Letterbox 1 – Grover
Start on the Edmands Road entrance and walk uphill on the trail. Soon, it will open into a large field. Take a right at the T-intersection. The trail will curve left and go along the woods. After a small uphill, you will pass a bench to the left. Continue along the trail into some trees. After a short while, the trail will fork; go left down a somewhat steep decline. As soon as it flattens out, there is another T-intersection. Go right. You are now on the Pine Tree Loop Trail. You will see a signpost with a blue marker. Go past it on the trail. A pond will be on your left. Follow the main trail until you see it continuing uphill. At this point, go left, continuing the Pine Tree Loop Trail, continuing to keep the pond to your left. After a short walk, you will cross a small stream on a wooden bridge and enter a small pine grove. Proceed past two giant birches towards the stone wall. Approximately 15 feet before the stone wall, stop and turn to the left. There will be a large stump next to two V-shaped trees. Go between the V-trees to a dead tree, which is still standing but missing most of its bark. Turn left to see a fallen tree. Grover is hidden in its roots.
Letterbox 2 – The Nose Knows
From Grover, go back to the trail and go through the stone wall. Go uphill past a giant cracked boulder on your left. At the trail intersection, follow the blue triangles to the left-hand path (PTL trail). Look for a tree on the right with a large knot that makes the tree look as though it has a giant nose. Stop here. Look left to see a fallen tree next to a stone wall. You will find The Nose Knows within the stone wall at the point where it is right next to the tree’s roots.
From here, you have two options. You may either follow the below directions to do the long version, adding four boxes and thirty to sixty minutes to your walk. Or, you could look down to Box 7, Chimney Sweep, to do half as many boxes but save time. Note: The logbook for the long version is only in Hydra.
Letterbox 3 – Black Beauty (LONG version only)
From The Nose Knows, go back to the trail. Turn around and go back the way you came. Go straight, past the trail that leads to Grover. Continue on this trail to the end. It will end at a T-intersection with a stone wall and a map on a tree. Go right. You will come to a fork. Stay left, going through the stone wall. The stone wall will now be on your right. Look for a horse jump on the stone wall to the right. Jump over the horse jump. At eleven o’clock is a large, tall pine tree. At it’s base you will discover Black Beauty.
Letterbox 4 – The Lone Ranger (LONG version only)
Go beyond the evergreen to another trail, about ten feet beyond Black Beauty. Turn right. Take this trail and return to the original trail intersection, with the map now on your right. Go straight, keeping the stone wall to your right. You will come to a fork. Take the left fork, leading away from the stone wall. The trail will meander up. See an intersection of two stone walls on your right. Go through the second opening that leads to the corner of a large field. Stay left on the edge of the field. As you continue on the edge of the field, notice a lonely cedar tree off to your right. Go give him some company. At his base is The Lone Ranger.
Letterbox 5 – Prismatic (LONG version only)
Return to the trail at the edge of the meadow. Stay on the edge, turning right at the corner of the field. Pass a medium-sized rock on your left, and then another horse jump. Just past the horse jump, take the trail to your left through the stone wall. You will see a tree marking Bear Paw trail and the Bay Circuit trail. Go straight, and follow the red “trail” sign as it points you to your right. Hug the far edge of the smaller field. Stay on the edge for the entire length of the field. At the far end, take the trail straight ahead into the woods. Go through yet another stone wall. The trail will end at a T-intersection. Turn left. Walk up to another fork. See some large boulders on the right and a trail on the left. Behind the group of boulders, find a large rock shaped like a triangular prism. At the prism’s far end is Prismatic.
Letterbox 6 – Hydra (LONG version only)
Return to the path and take that left fork mentioned before. Follow the trail back through the stone wall. See some trees with blue markings on your right. You will walk along the edge of a group of evergreens. At the end of the conifer line where the trail ends at an intersection, go right. As the trail heads slightly downhill, notice a nine-trunked tree on the left. At least, we thought it was a nine-trunked tree, but it could be eight or ten, depending on how you count it. Go behind the tree of many trunks. See a rotting stump next to a rotting log. Look for Hydra at the point where the rotters meet.
Go back to the trail and continue downhill. It will curve slightly left and continue through the woods. Meet with a stone wall on your right. Follow the trail all the way back to the pond. You will see the Chimney on your left. Follow the Box 7 directions to find Chimney Sweep. You are now reunited with the shorter version. Happy hunting!
Letterbox 7 – Chimney Sweep (SHORT VERSION ENTERS HERE)
From The Nose Knows, go back to the trail and continue to follow it. After a short hike the trail will gradually meander to the water’s edge. You will see an old dilapidated chimney on the right. Behind the chimney is a tree curving towards the pond. Beyond the tree is a rotting stump. Chimney Sweep is hidden at this stump.
Letterbox 8 – Field of Dreams
From Chimney Sweep, return to the trail near the chimney. Go left at the fork and cross a small stream by use of a broken concrete spillway. You will now be walking next to the pond. Stay on the main path until you come to a fork. Take the left path, and the trail will hug the shore as you come to a clearing. Feel free to relax at the bench before continuing. The trail leads uphill behind the bench, away from the water, and merges with the main trail. When you reach the field, go right at the three-pronged fork. Follow the trail uphill, going past a rock on your right. Stop at a granite stone on your left. From this marker, go 60-70 adult steps (75-85 child steps) on the trail until you see a small tree on your left. The tree is a Buckthorn, with red and black berries in late summer and fall. Field of Dreams is at this tree's base.
From the tree, go back to the trail and continue until a fork. Take the right path that leads into the trees, towards your car.
Just a few hundred feet down the road is Birthday Box, if you are interested.
Note: The long version was added 2.18.10.
Letterbox 1 – Grover
Start on the Edmands Road entrance and walk uphill on the trail. Soon, it will open into a large field. Take a right at the T-intersection. The trail will curve left and go along the woods. After a small uphill, you will pass a bench to the left. Continue along the trail into some trees. After a short while, the trail will fork; go left down a somewhat steep decline. As soon as it flattens out, there is another T-intersection. Go right. You are now on the Pine Tree Loop Trail. You will see a signpost with a blue marker. Go past it on the trail. A pond will be on your left. Follow the main trail until you see it continuing uphill. At this point, go left, continuing the Pine Tree Loop Trail, continuing to keep the pond to your left. After a short walk, you will cross a small stream on a wooden bridge and enter a small pine grove. Proceed past two giant birches towards the stone wall. Approximately 15 feet before the stone wall, stop and turn to the left. There will be a large stump next to two V-shaped trees. Go between the V-trees to a dead tree, which is still standing but missing most of its bark. Turn left to see a fallen tree. Grover is hidden in its roots.
Letterbox 2 – The Nose Knows
From Grover, go back to the trail and go through the stone wall. Go uphill past a giant cracked boulder on your left. At the trail intersection, follow the blue triangles to the left-hand path (PTL trail). Look for a tree on the right with a large knot that makes the tree look as though it has a giant nose. Stop here. Look left to see a fallen tree next to a stone wall. You will find The Nose Knows within the stone wall at the point where it is right next to the tree’s roots.
From here, you have two options. You may either follow the below directions to do the long version, adding four boxes and thirty to sixty minutes to your walk. Or, you could look down to Box 7, Chimney Sweep, to do half as many boxes but save time. Note: The logbook for the long version is only in Hydra.
Letterbox 3 – Black Beauty (LONG version only)
From The Nose Knows, go back to the trail. Turn around and go back the way you came. Go straight, past the trail that leads to Grover. Continue on this trail to the end. It will end at a T-intersection with a stone wall and a map on a tree. Go right. You will come to a fork. Stay left, going through the stone wall. The stone wall will now be on your right. Look for a horse jump on the stone wall to the right. Jump over the horse jump. At eleven o’clock is a large, tall pine tree. At it’s base you will discover Black Beauty.
Letterbox 4 – The Lone Ranger (LONG version only)
Go beyond the evergreen to another trail, about ten feet beyond Black Beauty. Turn right. Take this trail and return to the original trail intersection, with the map now on your right. Go straight, keeping the stone wall to your right. You will come to a fork. Take the left fork, leading away from the stone wall. The trail will meander up. See an intersection of two stone walls on your right. Go through the second opening that leads to the corner of a large field. Stay left on the edge of the field. As you continue on the edge of the field, notice a lonely cedar tree off to your right. Go give him some company. At his base is The Lone Ranger.
Letterbox 5 – Prismatic (LONG version only)
Return to the trail at the edge of the meadow. Stay on the edge, turning right at the corner of the field. Pass a medium-sized rock on your left, and then another horse jump. Just past the horse jump, take the trail to your left through the stone wall. You will see a tree marking Bear Paw trail and the Bay Circuit trail. Go straight, and follow the red “trail” sign as it points you to your right. Hug the far edge of the smaller field. Stay on the edge for the entire length of the field. At the far end, take the trail straight ahead into the woods. Go through yet another stone wall. The trail will end at a T-intersection. Turn left. Walk up to another fork. See some large boulders on the right and a trail on the left. Behind the group of boulders, find a large rock shaped like a triangular prism. At the prism’s far end is Prismatic.
Letterbox 6 – Hydra (LONG version only)
Return to the path and take that left fork mentioned before. Follow the trail back through the stone wall. See some trees with blue markings on your right. You will walk along the edge of a group of evergreens. At the end of the conifer line where the trail ends at an intersection, go right. As the trail heads slightly downhill, notice a nine-trunked tree on the left. At least, we thought it was a nine-trunked tree, but it could be eight or ten, depending on how you count it. Go behind the tree of many trunks. See a rotting stump next to a rotting log. Look for Hydra at the point where the rotters meet.
Go back to the trail and continue downhill. It will curve slightly left and continue through the woods. Meet with a stone wall on your right. Follow the trail all the way back to the pond. You will see the Chimney on your left. Follow the Box 7 directions to find Chimney Sweep. You are now reunited with the shorter version. Happy hunting!
Letterbox 7 – Chimney Sweep (SHORT VERSION ENTERS HERE)
From The Nose Knows, go back to the trail and continue to follow it. After a short hike the trail will gradually meander to the water’s edge. You will see an old dilapidated chimney on the right. Behind the chimney is a tree curving towards the pond. Beyond the tree is a rotting stump. Chimney Sweep is hidden at this stump.
Letterbox 8 – Field of Dreams
From Chimney Sweep, return to the trail near the chimney. Go left at the fork and cross a small stream by use of a broken concrete spillway. You will now be walking next to the pond. Stay on the main path until you come to a fork. Take the left path, and the trail will hug the shore as you come to a clearing. Feel free to relax at the bench before continuing. The trail leads uphill behind the bench, away from the water, and merges with the main trail. When you reach the field, go right at the three-pronged fork. Follow the trail uphill, going past a rock on your right. Stop at a granite stone on your left. From this marker, go 60-70 adult steps (75-85 child steps) on the trail until you see a small tree on your left. The tree is a Buckthorn, with red and black berries in late summer and fall. Field of Dreams is at this tree's base.
From the tree, go back to the trail and continue until a fork. Take the right path that leads into the trees, towards your car.
Just a few hundred feet down the road is Birthday Box, if you are interested.