Selden Creek LbNA #9186 (ARCHIVED)
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | DrewFamily    |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jan 1, 2001 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lyme |
| County: | New London |
| State: | Connecticut |
| Boxes: | 2 |
| Found by: | Rubaduc |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jan 19, 2008 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFr |
| Last edited: | Jan 1, 2001 |
The Selden Creek Preserve, a property of The Nature Conservancy in Lyme, CT, is a particularly wonderful place, with forest paths down to a pristine tidal creek on the Connecticut River. Great walking, lovely views, and the chance to spot nesting bald eagles are the attractions here, as well as two nicely sited letterboxes. Cover an easy 2.5 miles in 2 hours: bring binoculars and your bird book, and plan to linger, especially at the first box.
Directions: travel some of the most scenic roads in Connecticut to reach the Selden Creek Preserve. From I-95 exit 70, head north on Rte. 156 into Hamburg. In almost 5 miles, turn left on Old Hamburg Rd, which will become Joshuatown Rd. The Preserve entrance is on your left after about 3.5 miles. This hike is quite close to the Gillete Castle and Pleasant Valley letterboxes.
At the entrance, sign in to the visitor's log and hike south on the white trail. Branch right (north) at the first blue trail intersection, then shortly left (west) on the yellow trail. Pass a "kettlehole," a sweet little vernal pond left by a passing chunk of the ice age glacier that shaped this area. Then rejoin the white trail, turning right (southwest). Walk to the second blue trail intersection at a muddy pond and turn left (west) to cross over some low rocks with the white trail. After a small rise, the blue trail cuts left: continue west on the white trail. At the stunning end of the trail, find the Carolie's Bench Letterbox just underfoot. Please be sure to rehide it well, covering it with some needles and sticks to hide it from the frequent visitors.
Back track up to the blue intersection that now cuts right (southeast). Follow the blue trail to a similar overlook, albeit without the furniture. The Selden Neck Letterbox is less elegantly placed: to the right of the promontory, north-northwest, bushwack about 20 steps, ducking through laurel to find the box in a pile of deadwood.
Return back to your beginning by following the blue back to the white trail intersection and turning right (east) on the white briefly. Continue east on the blue when the white breaks right just after the rock crossing at the muddy pond. Travel up and around on the blue, passing by the familiar yellow trail on your right and back to that first (now last) white intersection. Turn left with the white trail to your car, leaving forest, creek, and eagles in your wake
Directions: travel some of the most scenic roads in Connecticut to reach the Selden Creek Preserve. From I-95 exit 70, head north on Rte. 156 into Hamburg. In almost 5 miles, turn left on Old Hamburg Rd, which will become Joshuatown Rd. The Preserve entrance is on your left after about 3.5 miles. This hike is quite close to the Gillete Castle and Pleasant Valley letterboxes.
At the entrance, sign in to the visitor's log and hike south on the white trail. Branch right (north) at the first blue trail intersection, then shortly left (west) on the yellow trail. Pass a "kettlehole," a sweet little vernal pond left by a passing chunk of the ice age glacier that shaped this area. Then rejoin the white trail, turning right (southwest). Walk to the second blue trail intersection at a muddy pond and turn left (west) to cross over some low rocks with the white trail. After a small rise, the blue trail cuts left: continue west on the white trail. At the stunning end of the trail, find the Carolie's Bench Letterbox just underfoot. Please be sure to rehide it well, covering it with some needles and sticks to hide it from the frequent visitors.
Back track up to the blue intersection that now cuts right (southeast). Follow the blue trail to a similar overlook, albeit without the furniture. The Selden Neck Letterbox is less elegantly placed: to the right of the promontory, north-northwest, bushwack about 20 steps, ducking through laurel to find the box in a pile of deadwood.
Return back to your beginning by following the blue back to the white trail intersection and turning right (east) on the white briefly. Continue east on the blue when the white breaks right just after the rock crossing at the muddy pond. Travel up and around on the blue, passing by the familiar yellow trail on your right and back to that first (now last) white intersection. Turn left with the white trail to your car, leaving forest, creek, and eagles in your wake