Loop de Loop LbNA #8247

Directions: Park at Sessions Woods on Rt. 69 in Burlington. Sessions Woods is a 3 mile loop with wonderful adventures (and letterboxes) for children. My boxes are planted on a five mile hike that loops the Session's loop, starting there and ending there but not too good for young children. I think it's a bit over four miles but it took me almost three hours to plant.

All the stamps were recarved by Gizz.
No ink pads and log books only in the first and last box.

Clues: Take the Beaver Pond Trail from the north side of the parking lot and after going through the green gate look for the Blue Tunxis Trail coming in on your right almost opposite a sign board, go straight. From now on follow blue blazes along the wide woods road until just after the new Crosscut Trail where you'll see the Tunxis Trail turning into the woods on the right. Start watching right away for a perfect three sister tree, in back of it is a three foot stump with a dead tree to it's left, look in back under bark for the Tunxis Trail box.

Continue on till you see a blue sign high on a tree that tells you the Nature Center Connector is 0.92 miles away. go straight (still on blue) until you see an old stone wall on the left with a large log laying on it. In back of the wall near the log is the Tunxis Chief box. This is very near the trail so make sure no one is around when you retrieve the box.

You'll come to a swampy section of trail (this happens a couple of times) cross through a stone wall, look left and you might see a part of Sessions Woods pond and on the right you might catch a glimpse of a paved road. After crossing a log bridge the road will be right beside you but you need to continue straight up over the rock until you see blue again. Cross another bridge (there were trees down from a recent storm today 7-22-10 but you can climb over or under the branches), then go up a slight incline and before going downhill look to the right side of the trail for a two sister tree almost on the trail. The left sister has a blue blaze. At the tree site 110 degrees and about 35 steps off trail look for a five foot very rotted stump with a downed tree to the right. Under bark at the end of the tree near the stump is the Home Sweet Home box.

Walk along looking for two blue signs on trees. Follow the sign (left) that says Nature Trail Connector (I'm told that this sign is on the ground) 0.7 to the Great Wall and 1.7 to Rt. 69 and 2.7 miles to Barnes Nature Center. This is the Nature Center Connector and will be blazed blue with black dots. After going through another swampy area, a bit of uphill, over rocky ledges and then through laurel (gradually going downhill) watch for a nice (not perfect) four sister tree on the left just before a fallen tree across the trail (I'm told that this tree is no longer there). In the center of the tree is a Different Drum, dance if you like but rehide completely because this is right on the trail.

Next you come to a very rocky part of the trail with cliffs/ledges and caves to the right, then through more laurel. Now you come to the top of the Great Wall. Descend carefully, twisting and turning your way to the bottom, turning right and then turn to look up at it. After the rocks of the wall start to diminish look on the left for a conical (pyramid?) shaped rock and in the back under an overhang is Handwriting on the Wall box.

Keep walking, going through another rocky section, go past a multi sister white birch and partway down the next hill watch for a big old mossy, spikey downed tree on the right side of the trail, bushwhack to the root system and on the trail side of where the base would be if standing is the Totally Totem box.
This box will be visible from the trail so make sure it's covered well.

Heading downhill you're coming to a brook with a nice bridge over it and later you'll be coming back here but first continue on the trail (do not cross bridge yet) and at the top of the hill look for a downed tree with debris on top of it. In back of the log, near a small oak is the Canoe, Canoe? box.

Go back to the bridge, cross over the brook and go uphill on the orange blazed trail to the youth camp. If people are camping, stay to the right and follow orange past the shelter on a gravel road. At the jct. you may take either left because they bring you out to the Sessions Woods loop but first look in the triangle of land for a 15 foot stump (is it still a stump at that height?) and between the stump and a downed log is the Chopping Block box. This will be the busiest place to stamp in so be extra cautious.

Go right on the loop trail and soon you'll be back at your car, Thanks for walking the Tunxis with me.