Shallenberger Nature Preserve ***RETIRED LbNA #17251 (ARCHIVED)
Map
Nearby Boxes
Add Note
Add Location| Owner: | trailtracker  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Aug 8, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lancaster |
| County: | Fairfield |
| State: | Ohio |
| Boxes: | 7 |
| Found by: | Pinemeadow (7) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Jul 13, 2007 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFr |
| Last edited: | Aug 8, 2005 |
Shallenberger (Tracking Series)
Stamps: Handmade
Difficulty: Your lungs and thighs might burn a bit!
Bonus: The view ROCKS!
As of 10.12.2006, all boxes are dry, full of paper and complete! Enjoy!
CLUES
Approx. 4 miles south of Lancaster on Rt. 22 is Beck's Knob Road. Turn Right (West) and see Shallenberger Nature Preserve on your right. There are no facilities here and no water.
***It is HIGHLY recommended that you bring water with you!!!!!! You will also need a stamp pad, pen or pencil and compass.
***Take a park brochure with you if they are available so that you can follow where you are on the trail!!! You will be making a loop around the base of Allen's Knob, going up on top of Allen's Knob, then back down and back to the parking lot.
RANGER RICK
*Find the trail head and walk to the 1st intersection.
*Go along the trail to left 30 paces.
*You should be standing on the trail with a very large rock formation immediately on your left.
*See the large divit on top of the rock?
*Use the "V" of that divit like a sight on a gun and look due north. That should put in your "sights" a large tree.
*Go to that tree and look under some rocks in the stump part.
THUMBING A RIDE
*Go back to trail and continue going up "steps" that curve to the left.
*Walk over top of a large, smooth rock.
*See large boulder on left which looks like it makes a nice seat? It looks like a nice flat seat surface with one step up for a low "back rest" of sorts.
*Sit there and take a reading of 50*. Go about 5 paces to a leaning stump.
*Our little buddy is hiding under a rock at the top.
**Please note there are sticks there to hold the rock from falling and exposing letterbox.
FLOWER
*Continue along trail past the "eye of the needle" twin-trunked tree on the left of the trail.
* Trail will go past someone's house as it makes a hard 45* turn to the right. (The house is, at first dead-ahead, and then is on the left of the trail as you make the turn to the right.) There is a huge tree on the outside of this turn as the trail begins to run parallel to a road beside nature preserve.
*From this large tree on the left of the trail at the turn, go 33 paces.
*Stop and look to your right for a black-ish looking boulder just a couple of steps off the trail. The boulder has a nice slanted flat surface which is suitable to sit upon.
*Behind this boulder hidden inside the stump end of a falled tree, "flower" is waiting for you.
GROUSE
*Continue on trail until you come to another large tree cut-through.
* Go 40 paces along trail (which is after walking on top of small flat rock surface and before root end of major fallen tree on left of trail) you should see one large leaning tree with several moss covered rocks around it.
*Two grouse are hiding behind the moss covered rock at the base of this tree on the east side.
RED FOX
*From your spot opposite finding GROUSE go 27 paces on trail.
*You should be standing next to the 2 CUT ends of a fallen tree.
* Look straight up the hill at 145*. The CUT ends, a tiny maple tree and a mighty oak tree should all line up. There are two recessed spots at the base of the oak tree. Our sly guy is hiding under a moss covered rock right up against the base of the oak tree in the recess on the right.
*Continue along the trail to a trail post. Stay straight (do not go to the left) to continue going around the base of Allen's Knob.
*Cross a small bridge and at the next trail marker you will turn right (leaving the circular trail around Allen's Knob) and go UP the trail and man-made steps to get to the top of Allen's Knob.
STONE WALL CEMETERY LETTERBOX
After catching your breath and taking a drink of water at the top, find the trail post at the top and go about 55 paces to your right, stop and look to your left. See that depression?? This is where rock was removed for headstones for Stonewall Cemetery at one time! There should be a faint trail leading into the depression on your left. If not, look until you find it and then stand in the main trail with this faint trail to your left. Now take a bearing of 330* for 7 paces to a tree that has a split low in the trunk. "Stonewall Cemetery" is hidden in the split. Please be careful not to pull the bark off in the process of retrieving the box. It should be under leaves close to the trunk.
***Take time to absorb the view from up here! Watch the birds in flight as they love to play in the wind gusts.
***Please be careful, especially if you are up here in the rain or winter weather!!!
TOM
Finish walking around the circle around the top of Allen's Knob and you will come back to the same trail post marker you started with and then you can descend. When you get back to the trail post at the bottom, turn right and count 50 paces to a big honkin' triple-tunked tree on your right. There is a rock in the trail very close to this tree. From this rock count 22 paces to a large tree on your left with gnarly roots bubbling out of the ground. From this tree go just 11 paces more along the path ((that has now turned more sandy)) to a large boulder on your left. Tom is hiding underneath the smaller MOSS covered rock between the boulder and the smallish tree. Tom is hiding here because he and his buddies like to take baths in the sand.
Congratulations! You have earned these boxes!
Go about 68 more paces to a trail post. This was that very first one you saw when you began. Go straight (do not turn right) and you will be back to your car in about one minute!
STONE WALL CEMETARY At one point the box for this cemetery was hidden AT the cemetery but it kept going missing. You already have the stamp and so if you would like to see this one-of-a-kind cemetery, it will only take a few minutes to drive to.
DIRECTIONS TO THE STONE WALL CEMETERY ITSELF
*Get back in your car and turn right onto Beck's Knob Road.
*Go to the first intersection and turn right onto Crumley Road.
*Go to the intersection of Crumley Road and Rt. 22. Once you cross Rt. 22, Crumley has now turned into Stonewall Cemetary Road.
*Watch on your right for an octagon-shaped wall surrounding a very small cemetary. Watch for the green Historical Society ?? trash can and park on the gravel pull-off area to check out this rare structure. To see inside, go around to the opposite side.
Some additional information:
In 1817 Nathaniel Wilson Jr., willed to the President of the United States, and his successors, this cemetary and one acre of land planted in locust trees as an endowment to provide funds for perpetual care. (Locust trees make good fence posts because of their durability.) The stone for this cemetary (and headstones) was taken from the depression atop Allen Knob (which is where you just hiked!) and is one of a very few and rare structures that includes the octagon shape and the fact that the stones are perfectly cut so that no mortar was needed.
Please let me know if you find these.
Stamps: Handmade
Difficulty: Your lungs and thighs might burn a bit!
Bonus: The view ROCKS!
As of 10.12.2006, all boxes are dry, full of paper and complete! Enjoy!
CLUES
Approx. 4 miles south of Lancaster on Rt. 22 is Beck's Knob Road. Turn Right (West) and see Shallenberger Nature Preserve on your right. There are no facilities here and no water.
***It is HIGHLY recommended that you bring water with you!!!!!! You will also need a stamp pad, pen or pencil and compass.
***Take a park brochure with you if they are available so that you can follow where you are on the trail!!! You will be making a loop around the base of Allen's Knob, going up on top of Allen's Knob, then back down and back to the parking lot.
RANGER RICK
*Find the trail head and walk to the 1st intersection.
*Go along the trail to left 30 paces.
*You should be standing on the trail with a very large rock formation immediately on your left.
*See the large divit on top of the rock?
*Use the "V" of that divit like a sight on a gun and look due north. That should put in your "sights" a large tree.
*Go to that tree and look under some rocks in the stump part.
THUMBING A RIDE
*Go back to trail and continue going up "steps" that curve to the left.
*Walk over top of a large, smooth rock.
*See large boulder on left which looks like it makes a nice seat? It looks like a nice flat seat surface with one step up for a low "back rest" of sorts.
*Sit there and take a reading of 50*. Go about 5 paces to a leaning stump.
*Our little buddy is hiding under a rock at the top.
**Please note there are sticks there to hold the rock from falling and exposing letterbox.
FLOWER
*Continue along trail past the "eye of the needle" twin-trunked tree on the left of the trail.
* Trail will go past someone's house as it makes a hard 45* turn to the right. (The house is, at first dead-ahead, and then is on the left of the trail as you make the turn to the right.) There is a huge tree on the outside of this turn as the trail begins to run parallel to a road beside nature preserve.
*From this large tree on the left of the trail at the turn, go 33 paces.
*Stop and look to your right for a black-ish looking boulder just a couple of steps off the trail. The boulder has a nice slanted flat surface which is suitable to sit upon.
*Behind this boulder hidden inside the stump end of a falled tree, "flower" is waiting for you.
GROUSE
*Continue on trail until you come to another large tree cut-through.
* Go 40 paces along trail (which is after walking on top of small flat rock surface and before root end of major fallen tree on left of trail) you should see one large leaning tree with several moss covered rocks around it.
*Two grouse are hiding behind the moss covered rock at the base of this tree on the east side.
RED FOX
*From your spot opposite finding GROUSE go 27 paces on trail.
*You should be standing next to the 2 CUT ends of a fallen tree.
* Look straight up the hill at 145*. The CUT ends, a tiny maple tree and a mighty oak tree should all line up. There are two recessed spots at the base of the oak tree. Our sly guy is hiding under a moss covered rock right up against the base of the oak tree in the recess on the right.
*Continue along the trail to a trail post. Stay straight (do not go to the left) to continue going around the base of Allen's Knob.
*Cross a small bridge and at the next trail marker you will turn right (leaving the circular trail around Allen's Knob) and go UP the trail and man-made steps to get to the top of Allen's Knob.
STONE WALL CEMETERY LETTERBOX
After catching your breath and taking a drink of water at the top, find the trail post at the top and go about 55 paces to your right, stop and look to your left. See that depression?? This is where rock was removed for headstones for Stonewall Cemetery at one time! There should be a faint trail leading into the depression on your left. If not, look until you find it and then stand in the main trail with this faint trail to your left. Now take a bearing of 330* for 7 paces to a tree that has a split low in the trunk. "Stonewall Cemetery" is hidden in the split. Please be careful not to pull the bark off in the process of retrieving the box. It should be under leaves close to the trunk.
***Take time to absorb the view from up here! Watch the birds in flight as they love to play in the wind gusts.
***Please be careful, especially if you are up here in the rain or winter weather!!!
TOM
Finish walking around the circle around the top of Allen's Knob and you will come back to the same trail post marker you started with and then you can descend. When you get back to the trail post at the bottom, turn right and count 50 paces to a big honkin' triple-tunked tree on your right. There is a rock in the trail very close to this tree. From this rock count 22 paces to a large tree on your left with gnarly roots bubbling out of the ground. From this tree go just 11 paces more along the path ((that has now turned more sandy)) to a large boulder on your left. Tom is hiding underneath the smaller MOSS covered rock between the boulder and the smallish tree. Tom is hiding here because he and his buddies like to take baths in the sand.
Congratulations! You have earned these boxes!
Go about 68 more paces to a trail post. This was that very first one you saw when you began. Go straight (do not turn right) and you will be back to your car in about one minute!
STONE WALL CEMETARY At one point the box for this cemetery was hidden AT the cemetery but it kept going missing. You already have the stamp and so if you would like to see this one-of-a-kind cemetery, it will only take a few minutes to drive to.
DIRECTIONS TO THE STONE WALL CEMETERY ITSELF
*Get back in your car and turn right onto Beck's Knob Road.
*Go to the first intersection and turn right onto Crumley Road.
*Go to the intersection of Crumley Road and Rt. 22. Once you cross Rt. 22, Crumley has now turned into Stonewall Cemetary Road.
*Watch on your right for an octagon-shaped wall surrounding a very small cemetary. Watch for the green Historical Society ?? trash can and park on the gravel pull-off area to check out this rare structure. To see inside, go around to the opposite side.
Some additional information:
In 1817 Nathaniel Wilson Jr., willed to the President of the United States, and his successors, this cemetary and one acre of land planted in locust trees as an endowment to provide funds for perpetual care. (Locust trees make good fence posts because of their durability.) The stone for this cemetary (and headstones) was taken from the depression atop Allen Knob (which is where you just hiked!) and is one of a very few and rare structures that includes the octagon shape and the fact that the stones are perfectly cut so that no mortar was needed.
Please let me know if you find these.