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Tornado Alley LbNA #5720 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:girlguides
Plant date:Sep 20, 2003
Location:
City:College Park
County:Prince George's
State:Maryland
Boxes:4
Found by: Chedderfish (2)
Last found:Jun 9, 2006
Status:FFFFFFFF
Last edited:Sep 20, 2003
August 10, 2004 - Tornado Alley lives! The MIA boxes have been replaced with new and improved stamps, logbooks, and clues. Hopefully we're past monsoon season! (Note: A recent report [11/23/2005] from an intrepid explorer stated that the area has become rather overgrown, making box searching difficult - we'll check it out and report back soon. Update: Just checked 01/02/06 and the first two boxes are indeed hidden too well to find at the moment, but boxes 3 and 4 are in fine shape).

Cherry Hill Community Park
Easy; Round trip is approximately 2 miles on paved paths; good for dogs and bikes. This trail is part of the Anacostia River Tributary Trail system, and is very popular, so please be discrete when removing and replacing boxes.

On September 24, 2001 a tornado touched down in Prince George's County, Maryland - very unusual. Three people were killed. It skipped across the University of Maryland and this park, before it finished its course. Hurricane Isabel visited in 2003, too. You'll be able to see some of her calling cards as well.

From the Capital Beltway (495) exit at Route 1 South (Exit 25). From Rt. 1, turn right, or west, onto Cherry Hill Rd. This is the first major intersection. There's a shopping center on your right (College Park Marketplace). Cherry Hill Community Park is immediately after where you would turn into the Home Depot. Turn right into the park's small parking lot.

Follow the Paint Branch Trail, the tennis courts will be on your right. Follow the path around and cross Cherry Hill Road at the crosswalk. Continue on the trail into the woods.

Box #1: Twister

Follow the path through the woods. As you approach a clearing, you'll go around a bend to the left, then a bend to the right. Pass Milepost 3.5 and keep going until you are standing in front of a before and after sign which shows the damage this tornado caused. Do a 180 and set your sights about 30 feet in front of you - brave the tall grass hiding two logs. Welcome to Tornado Alley.

Box #2: The Stumps

Continue on the Paint Branch Trail. This area used to be completely forested, just like the part where you entered Cherry Hill Community Park. All that changed on Sept. 24, 2001 when the tornado came roaring through. Although Mother Nature is making a comeback, you'll still see a lot of stumps, many of which are now covered by overgrowth. At the second panel, read about the forest's succession. From the second panel, walk approximately 140 paces (one footfall to a pace) down the path, past flotsam and jetsam left by the tornado and Isabel. On your left, you'll see a faint trail that leads into the meadow. Follow that 'path' about 30 feet until you see two downed logs and a piece a twisted sheet metal. Go no further.

Box #3: The Bridge

From the end of the second bridge, go approximately 120 paces, look to the left where the fence begins (or ends?). Just on the other side your treasure awaits.

Box #4: Maryland Terp

Continue back onto Paint Branch Trail. Pass Milepost 3.0. Keep a lookout for errant golf balls! All the land on the right belongs to the USDA Beltsville Agriculture Research Center. Pass the next bend, you'll really see the effects of the tornado. Look for great fungi on the logs. There's lots of wildlife in the swamp. Toads, frogs, snakes - and if it's the right time of year, you might catch turtles sunning on the logs in the swamp. The Maryland Terrapin resides about 45 steps past the end of the black fence. Go into the small clearing on the left, then go about 5 feet to the right - our turtle friend should be resting under a log next to a tree.

You can continue on this trail for another 40 miles or so, or head back to the parking lot. We hope you enjoyed your tour! Email us at girlguides@toadmail.com and let us know how the boxes are doing.