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Trees of Virginia LbNA #14994

Owner:Rabbit's Relations
Plant date:May 1, 2005
Location:
City:Paris
County:Fauquier
State:Virginia
Boxes:4
Found by: Gopher Stampede
Last found:Sep 3, 2016
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFF
Last edited:May 1, 2005
Sky Meadows State Park
2.5 miles
planted by Rabbit’s Friends and Relations
May 1, 2005

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10/17/07
"Dogwood" has been reported missing.
11/23/07
"Dogwood" has been replaced in a slightly new spot. (Thank you, Koyote)
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1/3/09
"Black Walnut' has been reported missing.
"Sycamore" was also reported missing, but has been found by accident in another park 20 miles away. If you are in a position to retrieve and re-hide it for us, please use the 'contact placer' option to send me a note. We'd appreciate any letterboxer help!
Here are clues to finding its current location: Follow the same clues to Koyote's "Time to box". Continue on the trail past the 3 foot stone marker. Look for path on left marked by a small pink (faded red) diamond on a tree about 10 feet from the main trail. Look for a 2nd diamond on a tree and go past it to Elvis Overlook. Stand on the edge of the overlook and then look back toward the woods. Nestled under a small rock overhang about 15 to 20 feet from the edge of the overlook is the box. (thank you DCStones for reporting this surprise find!)
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Sky Meadows State Park is located on Rt 17 in Paris, VA, about 2 minutes from the intersection of 17 and Rt 50 in Fauquier County, and has an entrance fee of $3 on weekdays and $4 on weekends. The gates close at dusk. For more information about this interesting historical site, visit: www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/skymeado.htm

Begin at the trail head by the Visitors’ Center. All trails begin on the same path across the meadow and make a left turn as you reach the trees. A series of boxes planted by the Apple Dumpling Gang has its start on the path that branches off to the right over the stile (North Ridge Trail), but for this series, continue straight forward along the gravel road until you reach the trail head of Snowdon Trail. The recently replanted "Mystic II" box is also on this trail.

Take the right hand branch of the Snowdon Interpretive Trail and be sure to read the signs as you walk. After a Room for Rent, you’ll see an Upstairs Apartment. Take 65 steps from this second sign to a dead tree with lots of small holes. Look behind a fallen log directly behind this dead tree for “Black Walnut”. You will not have to walk very far off the path.

Go over two bridges, past the Red Oak Restaurant, the Steakhouse, and a Salad Bar. Stop at the bench (for a breather!) and take a reading of 45* to a triple beech tree about 24 steps from the bench. “Sycamore” is hidden under some rocks in the center of the three trees. (The path we walked to this tree had no poison ivy, but watch your step, as it grows profusely in other areas.) [PS We never found the old logbook - if you see a hint of a small yellow notebook, please pick it up and pack it out with you, Thanks.]

Continue on around and down the trail past some blueberry bushes and a Front Porch View, down Main Street, and through the wildflower area (please don’t stray from the path here!). After crossing a bridge, take a seat on a Bench Downtown. Once rested, stand up and face the bench. From the right-most end, look due North to a tree about ten steps away with a fallen log directly behind it. "Dogwood" is between the tree and the log. Please re-cover well with a stone and a sprinkling of leaves.


After the Shopping Mall, the trail takes a left curve before reminding you to Save the Neighborhood. Now rejoin the main trail and head back to the right.

** Very quickly you will see a gate into a meadow (Gap Ridge Trail) on the left. Take this trail across a meadow, and then turn onto the South Ridge Trail up along a stream to the left. (Going straight here leads to the campsites). When you come to a fork in the path, take the right branch up to the overlook. Enjoy the view from the bench. Directly behind the bench is a large tree. “Ginko” is behind this tree, nestled against a log, under a couple of large rocks that I lugged up that hill from the main path... Please double check that it can’t be seen from the front before you leave.

You may continue up the South Ridge Trail to join the North Ridge Trail (or even a bit farther to join the Appalachian Trail), or retrace your steps to return to the Gap Ridge Trail and back the gravel road to the Visitors’ Center.

** If you wish, you can find the "Ginko" box first when you are fresh and well-rested, and then walk the Snowdon Loop. The hill is a bit steep to save for last... While doing box maintenance with our five-year-old nephew in the frigid weather just after Thanksgiving, we were very happy that we had trooped up there first, and could head for home after the loop!