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History Hike LbNA #59531 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 16, 2011
Location: Camp Dennison
City:Georgetown
County:Essex
State:Massachusetts
Boxes:6
Planted by:linc
Found by: Woodworks (2)
Last found:Aug 24, 2013
Status:FFOFaaa
Last edited:Sep 16, 2011
Getting There: From Rte 97 in Georgetown, turn up Nelson St. Travel about 3/10th of a mile, turn left into the Camp Dennison driveway. On quiet days you can drive all the way up to the lodge to park. During busy times there are several parking lots along the driveway to use. Where ever you park, this guided walk starts at the lodge. Trail is about 1.2 miles long.

Clues:
From the lodge, head toward the totem pole, Environmental Center (the fully renovated cabin) and the lake. Just past the Enviromental Center take the steep decline to the water's edge and boating area. Look for 2 larger and one smaller birch trees. There's a “beaver” hiding behind the rock between these birches. Notice his impressive beaver hut at the water's edge behind the birches.

Head east on the yellow blaze trail. Stay right at the Y to continue on the yellow blaze trail and follow the water's edge. You'll cross a bridge and come to the cabin area. In past decades this was a very active summer camp for inner city kids. A “camper” is hidden under the stoop of the cabin on the left.

Return to and continue down the yellow blaze trail. It turns right by the parking lot. If you are observant, you'll notice, left of the trail, a slightly elevated, flattened area. This area is covered in poison ivy so closer inspection isn't recommended. However, acute visual observers will see the footings to a camp or small cabin that once stood on that spot. Soon after this campsite, cross a stone wall and turn left onto the orange blaze trail and into the Dennison demonstration forest. Explore the marked exhibits. A “campfire” is hidden in the “snatch of logs” (marker stump 3).

Follow the orange blaze trail out of the demonstration area. Notice an old excavated area left of the trail. As you travel down orange, you'll cross an overgrown access road the railroad workers used to excavate fill for the railbed they were building—which you can see off to the right (east). Directly underfoot, notice an unnatural, slightly mounded, rocky area. It is speculated that this is a gravesite for railroad workers who died on the job.
The orange blaze trail becomes less obvious underfoot, so watch for the trail blazes. It is well marked. Staying on orange, bear right at the Y and climb a steep hill. At the top, the trail follows the ridge for a short way. There's a nice forest vista from this ridge. Find an “eagle” perched behind the uprooted stump.

Continue down orange. At intersection with the red blaze trail, bear left to cross the stone wall Then turn right on the red trail. Take a sharp (hairpin) left at marker post 2 onto the gray trail. There are 2 gray blaze options, make sure you take the sharpest left, so you'll feel like you're doubling back parallel to the red trail you just exited. Follow this gray blaze trail. Between the 3rd and 4th gray blazes, there is a mounded rock gravesite left of the trail. It's speculated that this is a young man who died of either influenza or smallpox while building his home. Just a little further down the path, on the right, you'll see the start of the cellar hole he was working on.

When you reach marker post 3, bear right on the red trail and then turn right onto the green blaze trail. Follow green blaze across a bridge and keep your eyes open for a very large foundation. This structure is thought to have been a sanitoruim for people dying of epidemics like smallpox or the flu. There's a “thermometer” hidden at the base of the large double trunked “Y” tree.

Continue on the green blaze parallel to the Dennison driveway, cross the road at the map kiosk to the blue blaze trail. A short way down the blue trail, just before you cross a 2nd stone wall, look left across the road. It's covered in a pile of rocks now for safety, but that large stone circle is believed to have been a cystern used to water the sheep and other lifestock that once grazed in this area.

Proceed down the blue blaze trail toward the lodge. Turn right to go over a bridge and stay right on blue and purple. There's a nice fire pit and council ring that local scout and other groups use. Although you might see your car, we're not done yet, bear right to stay on the blue blaze trail behind the buildings and into the forest. At the intersection of blue and yellow (by marker 5) turn left. If you continue straight across the bridge, you'll leave Camp Dennison and enter a portion of the Baldpate State forest. There are trails there to explore if you want
After the left at marker 5, follow the yellow trail to the pavillion. A “sailboat” is hiding under it, ready for a ride. Enjoy the view and thanks for taking a tour of Camp Dennison.