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Mt. Tom Letterbox LbNA #6246

Owner:BlackA
Plant date:Oct 28, 2003
Location:
City:Holyoke
County:Hampden
State:Massachusetts
Boxes:1
Found by: Tabaka
Last found:Jun 11, 2022
Status:FaFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:Oct 28, 2003
Mt. Tom Letterbox
Mt. Tom State Reservation
Holyoke, MA (Hampden County)

Placed: October 28, 2003 by TehutiKa, AsetKa and kids
Adopted: September 2009 by BlackA

Distance: 1/2 mile round trip.
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Average
Fee: On weekends there is a two dollar fee to enter the parking area.

Directions:
Holyoke Entrance:
From the south: Rt. 91 North, take exit #17-A to Rt. 5 North. Travel 4 miles, the Reservation entrance is on your left.

From the north: Rt. 91 South, take exit #18 to Rt. 5 South. Travel 4 miles, the entrance is on your right.

Easthampton Entrance:
From the south: Rt. 91 North, take exit #17-B, go 4 miles on Rt. 141 West. The Reservation entrance is on the right.

From the north: Rt. 91 South, take exit #18, onto Rt. 5 South about 1.5 miles, right on to East St. for 3 miles, left onto Rt. 141 East (up the hill), the Reservation entrance is on your left.

This stamp is placed in honor of the 100th anniversary of the Mt. Tom State Reservation. A ceremony was held earlier this year, and a commemerative tree planted at the Lake Bray picnic area, in front if the washroom. As this spot is a little exposed and active for a letterbox, we instead choose a slightly more remote, and equally scenic, spot.

Once in the park, grab a trail map. Drive past Lake Bray on your left, then up hill to the Beau Bridges Trail Parking area (it is on the right side of the road). There is a sign as you pull into the parking area that reads, "Hampden". As you pull into the parking area the Beau Bridge Trail is on your right marked in blue blazes. This trail follows Cascade Brook as it falls gently down the mountain. From the parking area, go to the blue blazed trail head of the Beau Bridge Trail. Follow the blue blazed trail down the hill, with Cascade Brook on your right. The trail crosses two bridges as it descends. After you cross the second bridge, stop. Take 22 paces, (1 pace = 2 steps), down the path. Turn to your left, and take 6 steps to a tree with a hole in its side. The box in the hole behind a large rock.(10/28/10: Thank you nosox for finding a new hiding spot for this box).

You can either return to your car the way you came or continue following the trail as it continues downhill across several more bridges, then turns left, back uphill, and ends at the beginning of the Tea Bag Trail. Not far from here you can find the Tea Bag Letterbox by the L Troop. Happy Hunting!