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Bronze Bike Trail Walk LbNA #62728

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 20, 2012
Location: Upper Charles Milford Bike Trail Lousia Lake
City:Milford
County:Worcester
State:Massachusetts
Boxes:5
Planted by:Lady-Dragon Bee
Found by: Nairon (3)
Last found:Jun 28, 2017
Status:FFFFFFFF
Last edited:May 20, 2012
Bronze Bike Trail Walk (5 boxes)
By: ladydragon2bee friends
Location: Upper Charles Milford Bike Trail
Date: April 2012
Level : Easy to Medium
Time: 2.5 hours (for all 5) – 1.5 hours for 3
Stamps : hand carved

This letterboxing experience was made by Molly, Emily, and Sam. A project they choose to complete in order to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. They also hid 2 geocaches along the same route called Bronze Bike Trail. Go to www.geocaching.com/ for more information.
This adventure has 5 letterboxes. Three are on the bike trail and two are on a dirt path near the bike trail. If you decide to embark on this journey and find the five letterboxes it might take 2.5 hours. We suggest packing a lunch and enjoying a picnic ½ way through. The dirt path is a hiking trail. Sometimes the trail is muddy, in some places the trail has loose rocks, you will have to cross a stream or CAREFULLY find a way around. You will walk close to Rt 495 so use caution. It is a great beginner hike for Daisies, Brownies, and Juniors. It has a few different “hazards” one might find on a hike in any state park. The hike is great fun and along the way they will be on a scavenger hunt. If you are not up for such an adventure you can elect to stay on the bike path and find 3 of the 5 boxes. (It might take approximately 1 hour 15-30 minutes) Bring a compass!!
As always; Please be stealth when seeking boxes. After you find a box – walk away to complete the stamping – then carefully place the box back where you found it and hide it well.
Park at Lousia Lake in Milford, MA. Begin your journey at the black bike gate and head down the bike trail.
Pass a trash barrel and a dog bag post.
Take the dirt path on the Rt. after the barrel – go up to the top of the hill – at the top go to the right and up another tiny hill, come down a slight incline on the opposite side of the bike trail. You now should be hidden from walkers on the trail.
On your left are some boulders – under the last boulder in the row you will find your first treasure PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Go back to the bike trail and keep walking. You will pass many stone benches along the way. Can you keep count of how many there are? Find the bench that says “Happy Trails to All”.
Pass the 1st pull off, keep walking, Do you see the swans in the lake? How about any turtles sunning themselves on some mud mounds or logs?
Pass the 2nd pull off, Do you see evidence of animals on your left? birdhouses
Pass the Dogi Pot on left, pass the Junction on left (to Shadow Brook)
Do you see big flat black box high in the tree on your right? Do you know what it is? House for bats
Keep walking pass 3rd pull off. Stop for a moment and admire the mural Molly, Emily, and Sam painted for all to enjoy.
Now keep on walking – say “HI” to Big Blue the Jelly Fish spray painted on the bike trail.
On your left is a black gate. Your journey continues on the dirt path behind the gate.
ADULTS: The next box is a 5 to 8 minute walk up the path. You could walk up, find the box, look at the Quarry, and walk back to the bike path if you do not wish to complete the entire “off the bike trail” hike.
Watch out for poisonous plants. Stay on path!!


Walk down the dirt path. At the first fork/junction stay to the Rt.
Do you see all of the big square/rectangle rocks? Do you notice some rocks have notches along the edges approximately 4 inches long. Does anyone know what these notches were for or how they were made? These rocks were mined out of the quarry. In order to lift the massive rocks out of the quarry they had to be broken apart first. The notches were made by man to put dynamite into. When the dynamite exploded it broke the rock apart into the smaller pieces you see.
See the old car on your Rt. Take the dirt path on your Lt. just after the car.
At the end of the trail- in front of you is a rock that would make a good place to sit. This rock also has a big metal loop coming out from the top. Behind this rock you will find your next treasure, RECYCLE.
ADULTS BE CAREFUL - KEEP WATCH OF THE CHILDREN– to your left is a quarry. It is beautiful! Take a look. Milford Pink Granite was mined from these quarries.
Find your way back to the trail where the car is and go Lf. (Go Rt. if you wish to go back to the bike trail)
Isn’t it cool to walk through the mounds/walls of quarry rocks.
As you come out to the power lines you will again see a quarry rock wall on your Lf.
At the junction go Rt. – up hill
Be careful of your footing – the rocks are loose.
The wires on the ground are cables NOT Live wires but still do not touch them.
Can you see or hear and evidence of living things?
On these flat rocks you need to climb/hike over you might see evidence in the form of SCAT!
Look for a large rock on your Rt. with a metal loop coming out of the top – ALMOST at the top of the hill
On the rock toward the Lf. and back-- Look under the small conifers (pine trees) and you will find another treasure – HIKER – stamp and rehide well! Move up trail a few more yards to the top of the hill and pick a nice flat rock to have your picnic. Take a look around! Nice view 
Now continue down the hill – please watch footing ground unstable – rocks loose
495 is in front of you go Rt. follow rocks/path as they/it curve to the right
Walk down waterway – this can be very muddy and wet if it has just rained
Continue walking down cement waterway until you get to the stream.
You can use the rocks to cross the stream,( If someone slips and gets a foot wet it’s OK. 2 of us did!)- or go up and over (look toward highway) be very careful if you pick the up and over.
Once you are over the stream stay to the right of the wire fence and find the path/trail and follow it back to the bike trail. Look where you are – almost at the end of the bike trail – Go ahead up, walk the last few hundred yards and touch the cement pillar and head back down. As you come down on your Lf. is a trail follow it.
You will come into a circle (if you keep going you will be at Wendy’s). On the Rt. of the circle is a cluster of thin Birch Trees. In the middle of that cluster is another letterbox – GIRL SCOUT
Stamp – High traffic area please Rehide well– and continue down the hill, pass the dirt path you just came from on your Rt. and walk down the bike trail back to Lousia Lake.
With construction on your Lf., continue to walk up the big hill and keep going toward Lousia Lake.
You will soon come to a rock wall on your Rt.
It could be remains of an old bridge or perhaps just a place more quarry rocks were left.
Just before this rock wall there is a path on the right. Take 30 paces into the trail. On your left is a double trunk Oak Tree. One side of the Oak tree broke and fell leaving 6 to 7 feet of tree still standing. The other side of the tree is still tall and healthy. Hidden behind this Oak tree you will find the last treasure – WATERBOTTLE - this is another high traffic area – take box away from hiding place – stamp – then return it to hiding spot – hide it well.
Congratulations you have found them all – Enjoy the walk down the bike path and end the experience back at Lousia Lake parking lot. We hope you enjoyed your letterboxing adventure 