Descanso Gardens LbNA #3577
Map
Nearby Boxes
Add Note
Add Location| Owner: | Alarch  |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Dec 1, 2002 |
| Location: | |
| City: | La Canada |
| County: | Los Angeles |
| State: | California |
| Boxes: | 3 |
| Found by: | Temporal Engineer |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Dec 17, 2013 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFaFFFaFFFFaFU |
| Last edited: | Dec 1, 2002 |
Originally planted: 12/1/02 by Threedigs
Adopted 2009 by Alarch
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: About 1 mile for all three
NOTE :Box 1 Feather Falls and Box 2 Camellia Forest have been temporarily removed due to something eating the plants sheltering them and landscaping changes in the area. I was hoping the foliage would grow back but it appears they will need entirely new locations. Box 3 has been reported as being moved a bit; I will check to see if it's still there.
General Info: #1 and #2 are easy for children and strollers, for #3 very young children might need to be in a backpack. Current admission prices, directions and info can be found at www.descanso.com. The Gardens can be quite busy on weekends, so you might need to be careful in your searching.
For all of the boxes, getting a map at the entrance will be helpful.
All ratings are based on the Letterbox Rating System (http://www.letterboxing.info/rating/)
#1: FEATHER FALLS (Temporarily removed - see note above)
Terrain : 2 - Suitable for small children. The soft groundcover may make it difficult for strollers.
Difficulty : 1 - Easy
When entering the gardens, go to the right. Continue past the RR crossing to the first trail on your left.
Follow this trail. After crossing the bridge, stop at the wishing well.
Facing the wishing well, take the trail that branches off at an angle of 200 degrees.
About 20 feet before the first of the two Feather Falls, turn right and go behind the rocks of the waterfall. (The trails through this area change course slightly from time to time, so take the way most traveled. The sound of the falls should guide you.)
Look ahead for a large clump of tall grass behind the falls. Looking down the trail there is a large tree ahead. Continue along the trail to find a second, much larger cluster of the same plants just after that tree.
Turn right and circle the plants to single, tall camellia (looks like a small tree) on the side opposite the trail. The box is under the grass about 18 inches to the right of the tree, about 18 inches from the edge of the plants. Please be gentle with the plants as you find and replace the box, and cover it with leaves as well as grass. There are deer, coyotes and other critters roaming here at night which may re-arrange the grass! =)
Last reported found: 3/08/09
#2: CAMELLIA FOREST Temporarily removed - see note above.
Terrain : 2 - Suitable for small children.
Difficulty : 1 - Easy
Winter and very early spring are the best times to look for this box, as the Garden's many camellias will be in bloom.
Head toward the west end of the main lawn (near the Garden's entrance) until you find the Camellia Information Center.
Facing the sign, take the trail to the left of the Information Center. At the first fork go right.
Just past the enclosed seating area on your left, turn left at the fork. You will immediately see a wooden bench.
Stop and sit so that you are facing the diagonal tree. Look in the tall grasses below the "Y" of the tree, about 15 inches from the trail edge, for the box. This is a busy trail so please cover the box well with leaves as well as the tall grass when you finish. On my last check I found this box lying in the open about 6 feet into the bushes, probably moved by a critter...
Last reported found: 3/08/09
#3: CHAPARRAL NATURE TRAIL
Terrain : 3 - Not suitable for small children. Steep trail.
Difficulty : 2 - Average.
From the main entrance follow the path to your left, passing the main lawn on your right and the Japanese Tea House and Japanese Garden on your left.
At the four-way intersection, turn right. Just past the bridge over Fern Canyon, turn right and follow this trail a short distance uphill until you come to the Chaparral Nature Trail Trailhead. Follow this trail uphill.
Along the way you will see several signs identifying common California mountain flora, and when you reach the top of the hill you will have an excellent view of the western San Gabriel valley.
Continue along the trail, and just after sign 13 you will enter a plateau of wild sage. Turn right as you enter the sage and sit at the wood bench.
Follow the path directly behind you 16 paces to a small circle of rocks set in the ground. Turn left and go down a slight hill to where two pieces of lumber are lying on the ground.
The letterbox is concealed where the two pieces of wood intersect. After finding the box you can easily take any of the paths down to the main paths of the Gardens.
Last reported found: 3/08/09
Adopted 2009 by Alarch
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: About 1 mile for all three
NOTE :Box 1 Feather Falls and Box 2 Camellia Forest have been temporarily removed due to something eating the plants sheltering them and landscaping changes in the area. I was hoping the foliage would grow back but it appears they will need entirely new locations. Box 3 has been reported as being moved a bit; I will check to see if it's still there.
General Info: #1 and #2 are easy for children and strollers, for #3 very young children might need to be in a backpack. Current admission prices, directions and info can be found at www.descanso.com. The Gardens can be quite busy on weekends, so you might need to be careful in your searching.
For all of the boxes, getting a map at the entrance will be helpful.
All ratings are based on the Letterbox Rating System (http://www.letterboxing.info/rating/)
#1: FEATHER FALLS (Temporarily removed - see note above)
Terrain : 2 - Suitable for small children. The soft groundcover may make it difficult for strollers.
Difficulty : 1 - Easy
When entering the gardens, go to the right. Continue past the RR crossing to the first trail on your left.
Follow this trail. After crossing the bridge, stop at the wishing well.
Facing the wishing well, take the trail that branches off at an angle of 200 degrees.
About 20 feet before the first of the two Feather Falls, turn right and go behind the rocks of the waterfall. (The trails through this area change course slightly from time to time, so take the way most traveled. The sound of the falls should guide you.)
Look ahead for a large clump of tall grass behind the falls. Looking down the trail there is a large tree ahead. Continue along the trail to find a second, much larger cluster of the same plants just after that tree.
Turn right and circle the plants to single, tall camellia (looks like a small tree) on the side opposite the trail. The box is under the grass about 18 inches to the right of the tree, about 18 inches from the edge of the plants. Please be gentle with the plants as you find and replace the box, and cover it with leaves as well as grass. There are deer, coyotes and other critters roaming here at night which may re-arrange the grass! =)
Last reported found: 3/08/09
#2: CAMELLIA FOREST Temporarily removed - see note above.
Terrain : 2 - Suitable for small children.
Difficulty : 1 - Easy
Winter and very early spring are the best times to look for this box, as the Garden's many camellias will be in bloom.
Head toward the west end of the main lawn (near the Garden's entrance) until you find the Camellia Information Center.
Facing the sign, take the trail to the left of the Information Center. At the first fork go right.
Just past the enclosed seating area on your left, turn left at the fork. You will immediately see a wooden bench.
Stop and sit so that you are facing the diagonal tree. Look in the tall grasses below the "Y" of the tree, about 15 inches from the trail edge, for the box. This is a busy trail so please cover the box well with leaves as well as the tall grass when you finish. On my last check I found this box lying in the open about 6 feet into the bushes, probably moved by a critter...
Last reported found: 3/08/09
#3: CHAPARRAL NATURE TRAIL
Terrain : 3 - Not suitable for small children. Steep trail.
Difficulty : 2 - Average.
From the main entrance follow the path to your left, passing the main lawn on your right and the Japanese Tea House and Japanese Garden on your left.
At the four-way intersection, turn right. Just past the bridge over Fern Canyon, turn right and follow this trail a short distance uphill until you come to the Chaparral Nature Trail Trailhead. Follow this trail uphill.
Along the way you will see several signs identifying common California mountain flora, and when you reach the top of the hill you will have an excellent view of the western San Gabriel valley.
Continue along the trail, and just after sign 13 you will enter a plateau of wild sage. Turn right as you enter the sage and sit at the wood bench.
Follow the path directly behind you 16 paces to a small circle of rocks set in the ground. Turn left and go down a slight hill to where two pieces of lumber are lying on the ground.
The letterbox is concealed where the two pieces of wood intersect. After finding the box you can easily take any of the paths down to the main paths of the Gardens.
Last reported found: 3/08/09