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Fort Ebey Series LbNA #15442

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:May 30, 2005
Location:
City:Coupeville
County:Island
State:Washington
Boxes:3
Planted by:Creekdipper
Found by: Mike and Elaine (3)
Last found:Aug 27, 2005
Status:FFFaa
Last edited:May 30, 2005
FORT EBEY STATE PARK

**Sun & Moon box has been reported missing as of Feb 20, 2008. I no longer live in Washington, and will be unable to replace it until June of '08 when I return for a visit. Until then, consider it gone.

**Hand Carved Stamps

**Note: If you would like to try and obtain a map, there are some on the internet, or you can hopefully catch the ranger at the station for one. However, it would do good to realize that there are nearly twice as many actual trails that are not pictured on the map. Many of the trails are unmarked, so don't rely too much on any map. However, all of the trails will take you back to the road or the beach, so it's pretty hard to get lost for too long!

***Important: This is a hiking AND biking park which is usually packed on the weekends. Be aware of your surroundings as bikers can happen upon you while you are walking/running the trails.

****Time and Difficulty: I'm not sure how long this will take for someone walking. We ran it in a little over an hour (great for trail-running). This is not wheelchair accessible. Be sure to take some water with you just in case...This is not ideal for small children. However, if you don't have the time, I have posted a Quickie Version that you can scroll down to the bottom to see.

From Seattle:
Take exit #189 off of I-5, just south of Everett. Follow signs for the Mukilteo/ Clinton ferry. Take the ferry to Clinton on Whidbey Island. Follow Hwy. 525 north, which becomes Hwy. 20. Two miles north of Coupeville, turn left on Libbey Rd. and follow it 1.5 miles to Hill Valley Dr. Turn left and enter park.

From Mount Vernon:
Take Burlington exit #230 and follow signs toward Whidbey Island on Hwy. 20. Once on Whidbey Island, follow Hwy. 20 south, eight miles past Oak Harbor. Turn right on Libbey Rd. and follow it 1.5 miles to Hill Valley Dr. Turn left and enter park.

Stay on Hill Valley Drive as you enter the park. This road will become Pt. Partridge Road. Make sure to pay your parking fee of $5 before parking. You will follow this road all the way to its end where it forms a cul-de-sac at a trailhead. Park off to the side and enter the trailhead located in the rear of the cul-de-sac.

SUN AND MOON CLUE:
When you first step foot in the woods at the trailhead, you will have an option to go to the left or right. Take the trail to the left which goes to the beach. Wander through the forest for a bit and take it all in. You will pass a picnic area. After this, the trail forks. Take the left branch to Cedar Hollow. (I advise to not go to the right...That part of the trail is eroding pretty quickly and I don't see it as being very safe). You will pass some bathrooms on the left (outhouses). Eventually, there will be a sign: "Danger Area." The trail will curve left at a sandy area where you can view the water. There is a tree at the curve with a root curving up from the ground. Look under the root for this treasure.

ROLL TIDE ROLL CLUE **THIS BOX HAS BEEN REPLACED WITH 'CAMPFIRE' AS THE ORIGINAL BOX IS NO LONGER THERE:
Continue on the trail after finding the Sun & Moon box. Soon the trail will fork again. A sign will indicate the way you want to go, which is to the right no Cedar Grove. The trail is twisty and begins to slope uphill. As the elevation rises slightly, you will be able to see out. There is a switchback to the left. Go straight and look out over the cliff to the island in the distance across the water. (I don't know which one this is, though!) Turn back around and continue onto the switchback. You will go through a weedy part of the trail. Tada! ANOTHER fork! (You get used to it.) Take the upper, right trail. Continue through a lengthy sandy patch on the trail, eventually going downhill. At the next fork, take a right. There is a fun downhill run ahead. The trail curves left. At the next offshoot trail, continue straight rather than going to the right (you can go right, but it leads back into the same trail). Another fork ahead! Go right. Here you will come out on a trailhead with a big sign. Now get onto Kettles Trail to the right. After a steep uphill, you will pass underneath power lines. If you keep right, you will continue on Kettles Trail. You will see a sign to go left on the Boundary Trail for Horses. Follow this trail, but be wary of horse poo! There will appear to be a few trails branching off of this one, but just stick to the main path. Eventually, you will go up a rocky slope which will then curve down into a valley and back uphill. When you come to where this trail crosses another, you will see a large mound of dirt to the right. Behind the (hemlock?) tree at the top of this mound is what you seek!

TWIRLING DANCER CLUE:
After finding the previous box, continue on this new trail you are now on. (When you came to the crossroads from the Boundary Trail, you would take a right). This is a fairly wide trail. After crossing what appears to be an abandoned trail, you will come to another crossroads. Hugh's Delight goes to the left and right. Take a left onto Hugh's Delight (there is a sign).

It gets rocky for a bit. Go left uphill on main trail. The trail eventually levels off. Stop to enjoy the covered glen to the right with 3 large rocks at the base of a tree. Continue on. Aha, you've come to another fork, and viola! You have met back up with the Boundary Trail to the left. (But don't take that trail). You will see a sign straight ahead that says you have re-entered Fort Ebey. Take THAT trail. (Fort Ebey, by the way, consists of private and public lands. The private land owners graciously allow visitors to use their trails).

Up ahead, the trail splits again. Continue right on Fisher Ridge. This will take you downhill back into the woods. Trail splits, go right. Stay on the main trail. You will go downhill then back uphill. If you are running, be careful of the roots! The trail will switchback right, then it will split. Go right. It splits again, so go left on Emilie's Ridge, which will take you uphill to get a great view of the treeline to the right. You will continue downhill around the ledge and up some switchbacks, eventually coming to a clearing with multiple trails. Straight ahead is Mainline which you can follow to the road, but if you want to take the trail to the right, it's a nice excursion called The Tunnel.

You will go under the power lines. Continue straight back through the forest which will lead you back to the power lines further down. If you continue straight, you would be on Mainline. But instead, go right. You'll see a wooden bar straight ahead and then the road. Congratulations! You have just exited Mainline.

Take a left onto the road and follow it uphill passing the entrance to Grancy's Road on the left. There will be an entry point for Kettles Trail on the right. Follow this trail back into the woods. At the first fork in the road, take the right path, which is Forest Run. Walk up to the tree with the sign and face the sign head-on with your toes nearly touching the tree. Give the tree a hug since you're standing there anyways. You'll both feel better. To your direct left, turn and walk about 11 steps onto some moss and dead trees (this is NOT in the small triangle formed by the trails). Under a dead tree, in a natural hole you will find the last box!

To get back to your car, go back to the road and continue uphill and you will be back in the cul-de-sac.

******QUICK VERSION*******
SUN & MOON:
Follow clues above. After finding the box, retrace your steps back to your car.

TWIRLING DANCER:
Drive down until you see the Kettles Trail to the left. Park and enter the trail, then follow directions above. Come back to your car after you find this box.

CAMPFIRE (FORMERLY ROLL TIDE ROLL):
Drive down to the Mainline trailhead where you will see a large sign with a map and other information. Park and enter the trail. Follow this trail all the way down until you come upon a large mound of dirt. You will know it's the correct mound because right past this on the right, you will see a trail and a sign saying it's the Boundary Horse Trail. The box is behind the (hemlock?) tree at the top of this dirt mound. Retrace your steps.


****Please let me know if you find any of these boxes and the condition in which you found them.