Deception Pass Series---RETIRED LbNA #10419 (ARCHIVED)
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 18, 2004 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Oak Harbor |
| County: | Island |
| State: | Washington |
| Boxes: | 5 |
| Planted by: | Wives and Daughters  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | NVBluebirds |
| Last found: | Feb 25, 2009 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF |
| Last edited: | Aug 18, 2004 |
RETIRED
This letterbox series is approx. 1 mile round-trip and can be completed in about an hour and a half. However, to fully enjoy the experience of Deception Pass we recommend making a day of it!
Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline, and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on four lakes. Rugged cliffs drop to meet the turbulent waters of Deception Pass. The park is outstanding for breath-taking views, old-growth forests and abundant wildlife.
The park is located ten miles north of Oak Harbor, Wash., on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound.
From Seattle:
Drive north on I-5 to exit 230, then travel 18 miles west on SR 20 toward Oak Harbor. Park entrance is on right, one mile south of Deception Pass Bridge.
From the Mukilteo-Clinton Ferry:
Drive north on Hwy. 525, which changes to Hwy. 20. Drive 50 miles to park entrance on left.
Enter the park and follow the signs to WEST BEACH. Go past the stop signs and turn right following the signs to the AMPHITHEATER.
To begin this 5 box series park in the day use parking lot near the amphitheater.
Each of these letterboxes represents an activity 'Wives and Daughters' enjoys while camping at Deception Pass. Boxes 1, 2, 4, and 5 are pretty much self-explanatory. Box number 3, the 'Wandering Gypsy', represents the Gypsy Jazz and other kinds of music our 'Husbands and Sons' play around the camp each day. We hope you will take time to participate in some of these activities while you are on the hunt for the letterboxes!
BOX #1 ROCK-SKIPPING BEACH
From the parking lot, walk toward the water. The amphitheater will be on your left. This beach has a multitude of great skipping stones…take some time to try your hand at it! To find the box, walk along the crescent beach toward the Deception Pass Bridge, keeping the drift logs on your left and the trees on your right. If the LARGE driftwood teeter-totter is in place among the drift logs don't miss your chance to stop and try it out. Next look for an obvious clearing in the trees. Don't be fooled by the first path into the woods or any tiny obscure paths. Look instead for a large, obvious clearing in the woods with a couple of paths leading up. Stop at the entrance to this clearing and look for the large Douglas fir tree leaning and curving to the right. It's at about 11:00. Now look for the set of four smaller trees about six feet away towards the water. Poke around with a stick at the base of the two bigger trees. We buried the box under leaves and twigs because this is a high traffic area. Please hide it again in the same way and in the same place. Be discreet and re-hide well!
BOX #2 CAMPFIRE LAUGHTER
From Box #1, with your back against the leaning tree, walk about 5 steps up and find the perpendicular path. Turn right at this path and then an immediate left on the path through the ‘tree tunnel’. Turn right on the paved campground road. Find the path on the right, across the road from the marker for campsite 200, and walk between the twin trees to the next campground road. You should see a large log ‘train’ in front of you. Turn left and go past the white gate. The next path you need is on your right between 102 and 100. Pass the short log fence on your left and proceed to the ‘Y’ in the path. In the center of the ‘Y’ is a large rock in front of a large tree. This is a well-traveled path, so please be discreet as you search for Box #2 under twigs and dead leaves between the rock and the tree. While you are here, enjoy the view of the freshwater lake and the saltwater sea! Don’t forget to re-hide the box well before moving on to Box #3.
BOX #3 WANDERING GYPSY - (This stamp is a replacement of the original)
To find Box #3, follow the path on the right side of the rock (the right 'arm' of the 'Y') and then turn right at the campground road. At 117, follow the five posts to the path you need. Step over the big tree root and watch out for the large rock in the path. Turn right at the ‘T’, turn left at the road, and carefully cross at the crosswalk. Turn right and follow the gravel path around the end of Cranberry Lake until you come to a paved path. Go left past the swimming beach. Observe the Beach Rules and stay on the lake side as you pass the concession stand and enter the ‘Dune Environment’. Follow the path to the left and enter the woods. After entering the woods, ignore the first trail to the left, and the second left which is a dead end. Take the third left, a gravel path, and walk toward the observation deck ahead. See the large stump on your left? The ‘Wandering Gypsy’ is hiding behind this stump. Make sure this box gets hidden well...it has a tendency to 'wander' off.
BOX #4 GNARLY TREE---THIS BOX MAY BE MISSING---IF YOU ARE ABLE TO FIND IT PLEASE EMAIL AND LET US KNOW---THANK YOU!
After re-hiding the ‘Gypsy’, go back down to the paved trail and turn left. Follow the curve to the right, take the right path at the ‘Y’, and enter the dunes. Keep going right. When the concession stand comes into view ahead and the saltwater is in view on the left, look to your right to see a split-rail fence surrounding a ‘Gnarly Tree’. Walk toward the fence, being careful to protect the dunes by walking only on the sand trail. Take some time to admire this ancient giant, but please don't go inside the fence. Look for a trail to your left as you approach the fenced area. It leads up and to the left toward a smaller gnarly tree. The letterbox is hidden under sand and leaf debris at the very base of this tree. Since this is a high traffic area this box must be hidden well. Now walk back to the main path...you only have one more box to find!
BOX #5 SUNSET AT THE ROCK - (This box is a replacement of the original)
Follow the main path back toward the concession stand. Keep walking straight ahead along the saltwater beach, past the white gate, to the very far end of the parking lot. At the far end of the parking lot you'll see a dumpster on your right, continue straight ahead. Keep children in hand as you walk past the last picnic table and follow the unmarked trail up and to the right along the cliff. At the top of the hill continue straight ahead on the path. At the ‘Y’ go left and then bear right up a small, rocky, rooted hill. Bear left as you come up this hill. Go left to explore the rocks overlooking the waters of Deception Pass. Take caution in this area as the water currents can be treacherous...don't fall in! Have a seat and enjoy the views of the bridge, the islands, and the sunset (if you are here at that time of day of course), but remember you have one box left to find! Head back up to where you left the trail and look for a small ‘initialed’ tree. Take the small trail to the left of this tree and stay on it as you cross the main trail. Do you see a large, white rock ahead and on your left just past the main trail? The fifth box is hidden in debris behind this rock...poking around with a stick might help you find it. Be discreet and re-hide well.
Now to find your car! Take the trail that starts at this white rock. Keep following this trail as it curves up and to the right. Watch your head and keep bearing right. Don’t go up the ‘root ladder’, stay on the main path. Go right where the fallen tree blocks the left. Walk under the ‘twig archway’ and into the clearing with many trails. Take a left down the main trail. You should see the ‘skipping beach’ and the bridge in front of you. Continue past the amphitheater and turn right to find the parking lot where you began.
We hope you had a fun day!
This letterbox series is approx. 1 mile round-trip and can be completed in about an hour and a half. However, to fully enjoy the experience of Deception Pass we recommend making a day of it!
Deception Pass State Park is a 4,134-acre marine and camping park with 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline, and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline on four lakes. Rugged cliffs drop to meet the turbulent waters of Deception Pass. The park is outstanding for breath-taking views, old-growth forests and abundant wildlife.
The park is located ten miles north of Oak Harbor, Wash., on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound.
From Seattle:
Drive north on I-5 to exit 230, then travel 18 miles west on SR 20 toward Oak Harbor. Park entrance is on right, one mile south of Deception Pass Bridge.
From the Mukilteo-Clinton Ferry:
Drive north on Hwy. 525, which changes to Hwy. 20. Drive 50 miles to park entrance on left.
Enter the park and follow the signs to WEST BEACH. Go past the stop signs and turn right following the signs to the AMPHITHEATER.
To begin this 5 box series park in the day use parking lot near the amphitheater.
Each of these letterboxes represents an activity 'Wives and Daughters' enjoys while camping at Deception Pass. Boxes 1, 2, 4, and 5 are pretty much self-explanatory. Box number 3, the 'Wandering Gypsy', represents the Gypsy Jazz and other kinds of music our 'Husbands and Sons' play around the camp each day. We hope you will take time to participate in some of these activities while you are on the hunt for the letterboxes!
BOX #1 ROCK-SKIPPING BEACH
From the parking lot, walk toward the water. The amphitheater will be on your left. This beach has a multitude of great skipping stones…take some time to try your hand at it! To find the box, walk along the crescent beach toward the Deception Pass Bridge, keeping the drift logs on your left and the trees on your right. If the LARGE driftwood teeter-totter is in place among the drift logs don't miss your chance to stop and try it out. Next look for an obvious clearing in the trees. Don't be fooled by the first path into the woods or any tiny obscure paths. Look instead for a large, obvious clearing in the woods with a couple of paths leading up. Stop at the entrance to this clearing and look for the large Douglas fir tree leaning and curving to the right. It's at about 11:00. Now look for the set of four smaller trees about six feet away towards the water. Poke around with a stick at the base of the two bigger trees. We buried the box under leaves and twigs because this is a high traffic area. Please hide it again in the same way and in the same place. Be discreet and re-hide well!
BOX #2 CAMPFIRE LAUGHTER
From Box #1, with your back against the leaning tree, walk about 5 steps up and find the perpendicular path. Turn right at this path and then an immediate left on the path through the ‘tree tunnel’. Turn right on the paved campground road. Find the path on the right, across the road from the marker for campsite 200, and walk between the twin trees to the next campground road. You should see a large log ‘train’ in front of you. Turn left and go past the white gate. The next path you need is on your right between 102 and 100. Pass the short log fence on your left and proceed to the ‘Y’ in the path. In the center of the ‘Y’ is a large rock in front of a large tree. This is a well-traveled path, so please be discreet as you search for Box #2 under twigs and dead leaves between the rock and the tree. While you are here, enjoy the view of the freshwater lake and the saltwater sea! Don’t forget to re-hide the box well before moving on to Box #3.
BOX #3 WANDERING GYPSY - (This stamp is a replacement of the original)
To find Box #3, follow the path on the right side of the rock (the right 'arm' of the 'Y') and then turn right at the campground road. At 117, follow the five posts to the path you need. Step over the big tree root and watch out for the large rock in the path. Turn right at the ‘T’, turn left at the road, and carefully cross at the crosswalk. Turn right and follow the gravel path around the end of Cranberry Lake until you come to a paved path. Go left past the swimming beach. Observe the Beach Rules and stay on the lake side as you pass the concession stand and enter the ‘Dune Environment’. Follow the path to the left and enter the woods. After entering the woods, ignore the first trail to the left, and the second left which is a dead end. Take the third left, a gravel path, and walk toward the observation deck ahead. See the large stump on your left? The ‘Wandering Gypsy’ is hiding behind this stump. Make sure this box gets hidden well...it has a tendency to 'wander' off.
BOX #4 GNARLY TREE---THIS BOX MAY BE MISSING---IF YOU ARE ABLE TO FIND IT PLEASE EMAIL AND LET US KNOW---THANK YOU!
After re-hiding the ‘Gypsy’, go back down to the paved trail and turn left. Follow the curve to the right, take the right path at the ‘Y’, and enter the dunes. Keep going right. When the concession stand comes into view ahead and the saltwater is in view on the left, look to your right to see a split-rail fence surrounding a ‘Gnarly Tree’. Walk toward the fence, being careful to protect the dunes by walking only on the sand trail. Take some time to admire this ancient giant, but please don't go inside the fence. Look for a trail to your left as you approach the fenced area. It leads up and to the left toward a smaller gnarly tree. The letterbox is hidden under sand and leaf debris at the very base of this tree. Since this is a high traffic area this box must be hidden well. Now walk back to the main path...you only have one more box to find!
BOX #5 SUNSET AT THE ROCK - (This box is a replacement of the original)
Follow the main path back toward the concession stand. Keep walking straight ahead along the saltwater beach, past the white gate, to the very far end of the parking lot. At the far end of the parking lot you'll see a dumpster on your right, continue straight ahead. Keep children in hand as you walk past the last picnic table and follow the unmarked trail up and to the right along the cliff. At the top of the hill continue straight ahead on the path. At the ‘Y’ go left and then bear right up a small, rocky, rooted hill. Bear left as you come up this hill. Go left to explore the rocks overlooking the waters of Deception Pass. Take caution in this area as the water currents can be treacherous...don't fall in! Have a seat and enjoy the views of the bridge, the islands, and the sunset (if you are here at that time of day of course), but remember you have one box left to find! Head back up to where you left the trail and look for a small ‘initialed’ tree. Take the small trail to the left of this tree and stay on it as you cross the main trail. Do you see a large, white rock ahead and on your left just past the main trail? The fifth box is hidden in debris behind this rock...poking around with a stick might help you find it. Be discreet and re-hide well.
Now to find your car! Take the trail that starts at this white rock. Keep following this trail as it curves up and to the right. Watch your head and keep bearing right. Don’t go up the ‘root ladder’, stay on the main path. Go right where the fallen tree blocks the left. Walk under the ‘twig archway’ and into the clearing with many trails. Take a left down the main trail. You should see the ‘skipping beach’ and the bridge in front of you. Continue past the amphitheater and turn right to find the parking lot where you began.
We hope you had a fun day!