Swatara Fossil Series LbNA #15961
Map
Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 19, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lickdale |
| County: | Schuylkill |
| State: | Pennsylvania |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Planted by: | raindear  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | The Nature Lady (4) |
| Last found: | Apr 18, 2015 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFaFF |
| Last edited: | Jun 19, 2005 |
November 18, 2008
Nautilus (box #2) I got a second report today that Nautilus is missing. I have to assume it is. Sorry. If someone will volunteer to plant it, I'll carve another.
July 21, 2008
Trilobite (box #4) is Back!
Thanks very much to PonyPower and her family for helping me replace this one!
Some of the others have wet log books.
If you have the opportunity to re-start a new log I would be very appreciative since I don't get out that way very often. Thanks.
Well, I wanted to combine the two fun activities of fossil hunting and letterboxing.
I was only partially successful.
Swatara State Park is located (approximately) where Rt 78 hits Rt 81. It’s actually in the corner where Berks, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties converge. I listed this as Schuylkill, but it might really be Lebanon. There is supposed to be a fossil pit in the park which is accessible to the public. I never found it. The park is completely undeveloped. There wasn’t even a picnic table to be seen. But great hiking.
Anyway, take 78 west to 81 north. Take the first exit (Lickdale) and then head north on 72. There was a lot of construction when I planted these which certainly added to the confusion. After a few miles, 72 just ends and it becomes 443 (east, I think). Not much further, watch for a small sign reading “State Park Lane” on the right. Head down this road. It ended when we reached a large wooden barrier and a small circular gravel parking lot. Park here. The hunt begins.
Box 1: Brachipod
My daughter tells me it should be Brachiopod (with another “o”) but I saw it spelled this way first. This can be your first or last box of the series. It is a short but somewhat steep climb. I forgot my compass, so you might be rooting around a bit on the hillside looking for this. Here goes…
Count wooden posts starting on the right hand side of the lot. Count in a counterclockwise direction, eleven posts. Oops, don’t count the two with the yellow reflectors. From the 11th one, head uphill. Angle slightly to your left as you climb. There is no real path, but not much undergrowth. After about 100 feet (more, less?) you will see a group of several evergreens. Just inside these is a non-evergreen with a nice hidey hole at the base. It’s on the right side of the tree. If you can find this one, the next three should be easy.
Box 2: Nautilus
From the parking area, go around the wooden barricade and follow the road downhill. I’m guessing about ½ mile you will see a small concrete bridge, on your right. Cross it.
The trail begins to head up again. Just before you intersect another paved trail, look for a large split-trunk pine, on your right. Up the bank, behind the tree, under some bark.
Note: poison ivy is quite evident. Sorry I couldn’t avoid it.
Box 3: Stelleroid
From Nautilus, continue up to the paved trail. Turn left and head downhill. Bear right at the T intersection. Keep a lookout for tele-pole 33765-42120. Eight steps (not paces) further, on your right there is a natural rock wall. About four feet up is a hole with a rock covering your prize. Please replace the rock to cover the box.
Box 4: Trilobite
Continue on this paved road. The creek will be on your left, off in the trees. Follow until you see a sign for the Appalachian Trail. You will see a steel bridge too. Turns out, this bridge used to span the Little Pine Creek up in Lycoming County, near the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. An area near and dear to my heart and home to my wife’s family. Cross over the bridge and continue down the path to the asphalt road. Coming off the path onto the road you will pass through several wooden posts. From the last post heading north, keeping the creek on your left, take 52 steps. Off the road to your left you will see two large Sycamore trees making a V formation. Under the large Y shaped log in front of the tree is a Trilobite fossil.
There’s no short cut back as far as I know. Just retrace your steps.
Roundtrip, 3 miles. Maybe a little more.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Please drop me a note: trainear@comcast.net
Nautilus (box #2) I got a second report today that Nautilus is missing. I have to assume it is. Sorry. If someone will volunteer to plant it, I'll carve another.
July 21, 2008
Trilobite (box #4) is Back!
Thanks very much to PonyPower and her family for helping me replace this one!
Some of the others have wet log books.
If you have the opportunity to re-start a new log I would be very appreciative since I don't get out that way very often. Thanks.
Well, I wanted to combine the two fun activities of fossil hunting and letterboxing.
I was only partially successful.
Swatara State Park is located (approximately) where Rt 78 hits Rt 81. It’s actually in the corner where Berks, Lebanon and Schuylkill counties converge. I listed this as Schuylkill, but it might really be Lebanon. There is supposed to be a fossil pit in the park which is accessible to the public. I never found it. The park is completely undeveloped. There wasn’t even a picnic table to be seen. But great hiking.
Anyway, take 78 west to 81 north. Take the first exit (Lickdale) and then head north on 72. There was a lot of construction when I planted these which certainly added to the confusion. After a few miles, 72 just ends and it becomes 443 (east, I think). Not much further, watch for a small sign reading “State Park Lane” on the right. Head down this road. It ended when we reached a large wooden barrier and a small circular gravel parking lot. Park here. The hunt begins.
Box 1: Brachipod
My daughter tells me it should be Brachiopod (with another “o”) but I saw it spelled this way first. This can be your first or last box of the series. It is a short but somewhat steep climb. I forgot my compass, so you might be rooting around a bit on the hillside looking for this. Here goes…
Count wooden posts starting on the right hand side of the lot. Count in a counterclockwise direction, eleven posts. Oops, don’t count the two with the yellow reflectors. From the 11th one, head uphill. Angle slightly to your left as you climb. There is no real path, but not much undergrowth. After about 100 feet (more, less?) you will see a group of several evergreens. Just inside these is a non-evergreen with a nice hidey hole at the base. It’s on the right side of the tree. If you can find this one, the next three should be easy.
Box 2: Nautilus
From the parking area, go around the wooden barricade and follow the road downhill. I’m guessing about ½ mile you will see a small concrete bridge, on your right. Cross it.
The trail begins to head up again. Just before you intersect another paved trail, look for a large split-trunk pine, on your right. Up the bank, behind the tree, under some bark.
Note: poison ivy is quite evident. Sorry I couldn’t avoid it.
Box 3: Stelleroid
From Nautilus, continue up to the paved trail. Turn left and head downhill. Bear right at the T intersection. Keep a lookout for tele-pole 33765-42120. Eight steps (not paces) further, on your right there is a natural rock wall. About four feet up is a hole with a rock covering your prize. Please replace the rock to cover the box.
Box 4: Trilobite
Continue on this paved road. The creek will be on your left, off in the trees. Follow until you see a sign for the Appalachian Trail. You will see a steel bridge too. Turns out, this bridge used to span the Little Pine Creek up in Lycoming County, near the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon. An area near and dear to my heart and home to my wife’s family. Cross over the bridge and continue down the path to the asphalt road. Coming off the path onto the road you will pass through several wooden posts. From the last post heading north, keeping the creek on your left, take 52 steps. Off the road to your left you will see two large Sycamore trees making a V formation. Under the large Y shaped log in front of the tree is a Trilobite fossil.
There’s no short cut back as far as I know. Just retrace your steps.
Roundtrip, 3 miles. Maybe a little more.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Please drop me a note: trainear@comcast.net