THE BIG "40" LbNA #63246

Difficulty level - moderate, the trails are quite rocky and can be slippery in the fall with the fallen leaves and icy in the winter.

No ink provided, please use your own...BLACK only.



The "BIG 40" is dedicated to my brother (trail name "FATBOY") in honor of his 40th birthday. While struggling for a gift idea it was my wife who suggested I plant a letterbox hike for his birthday. It was a great suggestion, and I had a blast doing it.

A few quick notes about my brother. He is quite a talented & artistic individual with several cool hobbies and interests. Some of which include letter boxing, hunting, fishing, camping, music, skateboarding, snowboarding, cooking, drag racing, riding his motor cycle and spending as much time as possible with his son, Griffin who in his own right is an active letter box hiker. The stamps I've carved for this hike represent some of his interests.

Gay City State park has many hiking trails which contain many letterboxes. Be sure to check for other box clues before you set out to do this one.

During the summer months you can pull in and park in the first parking lot on the right. If you do this hike when the front gate is closed you’ll have to park in the front lot. In any event, head down the driveway and just after the two lanes become one you’ll start you’re hike by taking the blue trail on the left. There is a gate with a sign reading “Youth Group Camping” at the trail head. Follow the blue trail past the red trail fork and then the Youth Group Camping area on the right. The trail will soon descend, just before it turns to the right look for a large gray birch tree with a dead stump protruding from its base to the left of the trail. Around back of the tree behind a stone door is “Rock On”

When my brother and I were kids, music was a major part of our lives. Me more so than he. Being the younger brother he would usually follow my lead. The rock band KISS was our favorite, we would dress like them, decorate our toys to look like them, and we lived and breathed everything KISS. As we got a little older our interests in music were similar but my brother soon gained an interest in the punk and the skating scene while I stayed with the more main stream metal scene. Today, we still share a lot of the same interests in music and one thing is for sure we both still love KISS.

Back to the trail; follow blue over a bridge and up the rocky trail. Just as a body of water comes into sight on your left, look to the right side of the trail for a blue blazed tree with a small unmarked path leading to a stone wall through a small cluster evergreens. When you reach the wall, seek out the fallen tree whose base resembles a prehistoric dinosaur’s head. Climb over the wall and approximately 5 feet to the left of the tree in the wall is “M” for Mopar.

When my brother was a teenager he became a grease monkey. This was and still is one of the things that differentiate the two of us. While he was turning a wrench I was playing my guitar. As far back as I can remember he always had some kind of hot rod. But then one day he bought his 1972 Duster. (I’m convinced it was because my wife who at the time was my girlfriend had a bright orange Duster herself.) A car that over the years has gone through many transformations ranging from its color to street legal to dragster. He’s put in a ton of effort as well as blood and sweat into that car to make it the show quality dragster which it is today (which he has raced) and I must admit, it’s quite a rush to watch. I can only image what it’s like to drive. Very cool!

Back to the trail; follow blue a short distant then turn right onto red. Be careful, it’s actually easy to miss. If you see the red/blue blazed trees, you’ve gone too far. The red trail will twist its way up hill then down again and continue to twist and turn. After a couple of minutes you’ll come upon a stone out cropping on the right which resembles a group of natural headstones. Behind the 3 sister tree beneath its own headstone lies “HD” FAT BOY.

For a long time my brother wanted a motorcycle. A few years ago his dream came true when he purchased a Harley Davidson “Fat boy” While my knowledge of cars is extremely limited, I’m twice as ignorant when it comes to motorcycles. All I know is this much, like his Duster he’s put a lot of time into making this bike everything he wants it to be…LOUD and sick looking! You can hear him coming from a mile away.

Back to the trail; Follow the Red trail to a bridge, stop, turn around and take the white trail. It’s hard to see from the red trail. You literally need to reach the bridge and turn around. Follow the white trail as it winds around up and down. You’ll pass through a small evergreen cluster that’s entrance is marked with twin white blazed trees. The trail will then dip down with a massive stone as a step. At its base to the right of the trail is a forty foot long fallen soldier. Follow it to where it once stood, another 10 feet further in the rocks you’ll find “40”

It’s hard to believe that my little brother is turning 40. I have so many fond memories growing up and all of the phases we went through together or separately. We’ve chosen different paths along the way, but at the end of the day he’s my brother and I’m proud of him and love him!

After returning to the trail, follow it down to the pond and cross the bridge. At this point you can continue onto the beach and parking area and walk up the paved road to your car or turn right onto the Mill Site trail. The Mill Site trail is actually still the white trail. It will take you down to the sight of a foundation to an old mill. Shortly after the foundation you’ll meet up with the blue trail, turn left and follow the blue trail back to your car.


Remember to be discrete and re-hide the boxes well.