Newport News Park-White Oak Trail LbNA #12030
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Add Location| Owner: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Oct 31, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Newport News |
| County: | York |
| State: | Virginia |
| Boxes: | 6 |
| Planted by: | Leabhar
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|---|---|
| Found by: | MickeyMouse (2) |
| Last found: | Feb 2, 2020 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Oct 31, 2004 |
Originally placed in 2004 by Ghostcrabs and adopted in 2008 by Leabhar.
8/6/11 - Boxes 3 & 4 have been replaced but boxes 1 & 4 have gone missing in the meantime.
Direction: Take I-64 to the Ft. Eustis exit. Head north on Jefferson Ave (Hwy 143). The entrance to the park is just a few blocks away. The park offers many events on weekends so we suggest you look up Newport News Park on the net before you go. Park at the Discovery Center, and grab a trail map.
Take a few minutes to check out the trail sign at the reservoir.
BONUS BOXES: At box #4 you have the option of taking the 'Wynn’s Mill Trail' (WMT) to look for 4 more letterboxes, or you can continue on the 'White Oak Trail' (WOT) and try the others later. This trail loops off the WOT around and adds another 1 hour of fun to the hike, but taking it does not by-pass any of the WOT boxes. We recommend you print out the WMT clues and take them with you. Decide when you get to box #4 WOT
With all the stopping you’ll be doing this is a 2 hour hike. (3 hours if you do the WMT also). The trail is not steep and it’s never very narrow, just long. Bring bug spray for skeeters and ticks, gallons of water, and a good walking stick to fend off snakes. Just about half way around the lake, near Box # 4 WOT, is a great place for a short rest and maybe a snack picnic. Baby joggers and strollers will do just fine on this trail, but there are roots and some muck you'll need to detour.
Newport News Park – The White Oak Trail Letterboxes
Box #1 – “Gnarly Tree”
Walk across the long footbridge that leads over the Reservoir. Follow the White Oak Trail to the right. Look for #3 on a small post. From this #3 post step 50-60 steps up the White Oak Trail. Stop and look 90 degrees to your right and you should see a Gnarly Tree across the small ditch with a hollow at the bottom. Poke around inside first. Weee...this is fun! This box will be visible from the trail so cover it up with leaves when you are done. Thanks a bunch.
Box #2 – “Turtle”
Continue on the White Oak Trail. Look for a tree with dozens of initials carved on it. You’re on the right trail. Soon you will come to an observation platform overlooking the lake. Take a few minutes here. It’s beautiful. Where the platform meets the trail just under the left side near a cross beam is the box. Use a stick to drag it out, and please don’t shove it too far under when you replace it. Cool…thanks.
Box #3 - “Holly Leaf”
Yep. Continue on The White Oak Trail crossing The Sycamore Creek Bridge. Just past post #8 you’ll cross a small wooden path. At the end of this wooden path take 4-5 steps and stop. Now, look to your left for a skinny tree that has a big ole bump on it about eye level. Found it? Good. The Holly Leaf box is right there. Cover me well when you leave. Thanks again.
Box #4 – “Pine Cone”
Cross the Greenbrier Creek Bridge. It’s a ways up trail before you’ll come to the junction where you’ll see signs pointing to many other trails and two benches. Have a seat on the bench with the seat back. Look to your left at about 245 degrees. See the big pine tree? Good. Head over behind it and turn around so you're facing the tree. Look right. See the big fallen tree? The box is sheltered underneath. Once again we kindly ask of you to cover it well when you are done. Many thanks.
BONUS BOXES: So...think you want to try the Wynn's Mill Trail too? Why not? Did you print out the clues?
Good...use the Wynn’s Mill Trail clues now. When you get back to the White Oak Trail switch back to these clues. Or if you're too tired just continue on to clue #5 "Cattails"
Box #5 – “Cattails”
This is our favorite part of the trail. Cross the ziggy zaggy footbridge and then onto the very long “Swamp Bridge” to the right. Hundreds of Cattails await you as you cross the swamp. Once you reach dry land at the end of the bridge you’ll see a bench and cluster of trees to the right of the trail. (On 28May06 there was a tree down in the cluster...no problem) Stand in the middle and take a reading of 160 degrees. Up the hill you’ll see a bunch of fallen trees. Among them is a large hollow log which hides the box.
Box #6 – “Oak Leaf”
Walking, and walking, and walking down the The White Oak Trail. Cross the Deer Run Creek Bridge. As you reach the end of the bridge, take a compass reading of 240 degrees. Head for a cluster of trees next to a fallen log. The box is nestled under a root in this cluster. You know what to do. Muchos Gracious
Hope it was a fun day for you!
Ghostcrabs MM
8/6/11 - Boxes 3 & 4 have been replaced but boxes 1 & 4 have gone missing in the meantime.
Direction: Take I-64 to the Ft. Eustis exit. Head north on Jefferson Ave (Hwy 143). The entrance to the park is just a few blocks away. The park offers many events on weekends so we suggest you look up Newport News Park on the net before you go. Park at the Discovery Center, and grab a trail map.
Take a few minutes to check out the trail sign at the reservoir.
BONUS BOXES: At box #4 you have the option of taking the 'Wynn’s Mill Trail' (WMT) to look for 4 more letterboxes, or you can continue on the 'White Oak Trail' (WOT) and try the others later. This trail loops off the WOT around and adds another 1 hour of fun to the hike, but taking it does not by-pass any of the WOT boxes. We recommend you print out the WMT clues and take them with you. Decide when you get to box #4 WOT
With all the stopping you’ll be doing this is a 2 hour hike. (3 hours if you do the WMT also). The trail is not steep and it’s never very narrow, just long. Bring bug spray for skeeters and ticks, gallons of water, and a good walking stick to fend off snakes. Just about half way around the lake, near Box # 4 WOT, is a great place for a short rest and maybe a snack picnic. Baby joggers and strollers will do just fine on this trail, but there are roots and some muck you'll need to detour.
Newport News Park – The White Oak Trail Letterboxes
Box #1 – “Gnarly Tree”
Walk across the long footbridge that leads over the Reservoir. Follow the White Oak Trail to the right. Look for #3 on a small post. From this #3 post step 50-60 steps up the White Oak Trail. Stop and look 90 degrees to your right and you should see a Gnarly Tree across the small ditch with a hollow at the bottom. Poke around inside first. Weee...this is fun! This box will be visible from the trail so cover it up with leaves when you are done. Thanks a bunch.
Box #2 – “Turtle”
Continue on the White Oak Trail. Look for a tree with dozens of initials carved on it. You’re on the right trail. Soon you will come to an observation platform overlooking the lake. Take a few minutes here. It’s beautiful. Where the platform meets the trail just under the left side near a cross beam is the box. Use a stick to drag it out, and please don’t shove it too far under when you replace it. Cool…thanks.
Box #3 - “Holly Leaf”
Yep. Continue on The White Oak Trail crossing The Sycamore Creek Bridge. Just past post #8 you’ll cross a small wooden path. At the end of this wooden path take 4-5 steps and stop. Now, look to your left for a skinny tree that has a big ole bump on it about eye level. Found it? Good. The Holly Leaf box is right there. Cover me well when you leave. Thanks again.
Box #4 – “Pine Cone”
Cross the Greenbrier Creek Bridge. It’s a ways up trail before you’ll come to the junction where you’ll see signs pointing to many other trails and two benches. Have a seat on the bench with the seat back. Look to your left at about 245 degrees. See the big pine tree? Good. Head over behind it and turn around so you're facing the tree. Look right. See the big fallen tree? The box is sheltered underneath. Once again we kindly ask of you to cover it well when you are done. Many thanks.
BONUS BOXES: So...think you want to try the Wynn's Mill Trail too? Why not? Did you print out the clues?
Good...use the Wynn’s Mill Trail clues now. When you get back to the White Oak Trail switch back to these clues. Or if you're too tired just continue on to clue #5 "Cattails"
Box #5 – “Cattails”
This is our favorite part of the trail. Cross the ziggy zaggy footbridge and then onto the very long “Swamp Bridge” to the right. Hundreds of Cattails await you as you cross the swamp. Once you reach dry land at the end of the bridge you’ll see a bench and cluster of trees to the right of the trail. (On 28May06 there was a tree down in the cluster...no problem) Stand in the middle and take a reading of 160 degrees. Up the hill you’ll see a bunch of fallen trees. Among them is a large hollow log which hides the box.
Box #6 – “Oak Leaf”
Walking, and walking, and walking down the The White Oak Trail. Cross the Deer Run Creek Bridge. As you reach the end of the bridge, take a compass reading of 240 degrees. Head for a cluster of trees next to a fallen log. The box is nestled under a root in this cluster. You know what to do. Muchos Gracious
Hope it was a fun day for you!
Ghostcrabs MM