Ellanor C. Lawrence Park LbNA #2800

Very easy hike (around 1 mile), bathrooms, dogs on leash OK.

Placed July 25, 2002 by the Four Mighty Oaks
(fourmightyoaks@yahoo.com)

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Adopted by Rich, Aug 2003
Adopted by Scarab, Oct 2007

Both boxes were confirmed MIA early August. I recarved the stamps from the original stamp images in my log book. The originals were store-bought...mine are a close approximation :-)

The ECL#1 box was placed at a fallen tree. The tree has been chopped up by park workers, who surely found the box and tossed it.

Discussion seemed to agree that the location of ECL#2 was a little too obvious. I've relocated #2 from Cabell's Mill to the Visitor's Center, on the same loop trail as #1.

This leaves Cabell's Mill open to new boxes, and the Visitor's Center has LOTS of room for other boxes. Bring it on letterbox placers!

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Ellanor C. Lawrence Park has a rich history in farming and was willed to the Fairfax County park authority in 1971 by Ellanor C. Lawrence. It has 5 miles of beautiful, easy and well-maintained trails that are perfect for young children to enjoy as well as seasoned hikers. I did notice the lack of poison ivy on the trails and that the park never seems too over crowded. The Walney Visitors Center has an educational center with information about the site as far back as prehistoric times as well as picnic tables and gardens. Get a park trails map from the center. Cabell's Mill is less than ½ mile South of the Walney Visitors Center along Walney Road and is part of the Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. The entrance to it is on the left if traveling South. Cabell's Mill has a lovely meadow trail with lots of birdhouses and fishing in a pond across Walney Road. Visit the link below to learn more about the park and to get directions.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/ecl/index.htm

Park in the Walney Visitors Center parking lot and proceed on the path to the left of the stone visitors center. Pass the butterfly garden on the left and go into the visitor's center to get a trail map and to look at the interesting artifacts. Exit the center and follow the sign to the "Trails and Amphitheater" that will lead you to the right of the visitor's center exit. Take the left path at the fork. Take right at fork at amphitheater. Go see the Walney Dairy building where they had made milk and cheese long ago. Take path to left when looking at Dairy Building. Take first path to right. Go down and up wooden steps over the creek.


Ellanor C. Lawrence Park #1
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You will come to a fork in the path with a sign that says "North Loop", go right. Go over little wooden foot bridge and continue left up the hill. When you see a little wooden bench on the right, look behind it and you will see a large pine tree that has fallen leaving the large root system exposed. The box is hidden on the ground next to the base of the trunk (not the part that used to be underground) on the far side, under sticks and leaves.


Ellanor C. Lawrence Park #2
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[Aug 03 - ECL#2 moved from Cabell's Mill to Visitor's Center]

From ECL#1, continue along the North Loop Trail across a bridge with no handrails to another bridge with handrails (the only one on the loop trail).

Stand in the middle of the bridge. On bearing 110 degrees is the rootball of a felled tree. About halfway down the fallen tree trunk is another tree that has fallen across it. On the far side under sticks is ECL#2.


When done, continue along the loop trail. At the fork, head right to return to the Visitor's Center.