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Memories @ Fort Ebey Series LbNA #36613 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Nov 10, 2007
Location:
City:Coupeville
County:Island
State:Washington
Boxes:4
Planted by:Barto Ohana
Found by: Rock Dwellers (4)
Last found:May 31, 2008
Status:FF
Last edited:Nov 10, 2007
Notes:

** Giraffe Tree is missing. Please following clues to the Giraffe Tree and then continue on from there.

**Our family really enjoys camping and hiking, and we have many great memories of doing both at Fort Ebey. We hope you enjoy the park as much as we do!

**Our daughter (3 ½) is able to walk the entire way, so while it may be challenging to some children it is possible. Handholding is recommended in some areas (especially along the bluff trail).

**We like to use the Fort Ebey trail map located at the following website: http://www.whidbey.com/4d/traxmaps/fekp.htm .

** Hand carved stamps

Directions:

Located on Whidbey Island, two miles north of Coupeville, Wash., and eight miles south of Oak Harbor, Wash.

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.

Once on Hill Valley Drive follow until you see the gated entrance to the park. Turn right and go by the information center. Turn left when the road ends. Follow the signs to the Gun Battery parking lot. Park.

Paraglider
Climb hill toward the Bluff Trail sign. When you come to the crest of the hill, stop! Be sure to explore the “echo place” (as my daughter calls it). Down the hill you will see a sign that explains all about paragliding in the area. From this sign look left and follow the trail that heads toward the cliff. You will come upon a fenced off hole. This is the entrance to an old bunker. From this spot follow the trail along the water. Look toward your left and you will see a “Keep off Bank” sign with what appears to be a trail leading up to a picnic bench. You will want to take the trail that goes left towards that sign. You will come upon a small hill and look to your left where there will be a big ditch. The tree that grows from this ditch hides the treasure under a root at its base (marked by a rock). After finding the treasure continue to follow the trail back to the “echo place”.

Giraffe Tree
From the “echo place” either travel through the bunker (may want a flashlight for this option) or take the trail to the right of the bunker. You will see a weathered sign that says “Point Partridge ¾ mile”. This is the Bluff Trail. Follow this trail and you eventually come upon an area where trees branches all point to the left and the trees are twisted looking. Continue down and you will see two trees on your right. The first tree is the giraffe tree, and the second tree holds your treasure. ** This letterbox was vandalized and has not been replaced. Please continue on to New Growth.

New Growth
Continue down the bluff trail until you come to the intersection of Hokey-Ka-Dodo and Bluff. Make the left onto the Hokey-Ka-Dodo trail. Follow this trail and be mindful of the roots and stumps along the way. This is a very pretty forest with an abundance of moss growing on downed trees and stumps. You will follow this trail and will come to a sharp left where a log intersects the trail. You will begin a descent with a few switchbacks (one right and one left). Following the switchbacks you will come to a right turn with a small steep hill. Look to your left. You will see a hollowed out Cedar and just to the right of the Cedar you will see a large stump with a good sized tree growing out of it. In the hole of the stump you will find what you seek.

Run, Forest, Run
Continue down the trail and veer right on to Kettles Trail. When you come to Forest Run make a left. You will pass two stumps in the middle of the trail. Approximately 70 normal walking steps from the small stump you will see a segment of a cedar tree that is about 8 feet long on your left. Where the fallen cedar meets the upright pine Run, Forest, Run is hiding.

Camping Fun
Continue down Forest Run. Forest Run will end at Campground Trail. Make a left. You will eventually come to a Y in the trail. You will want to take a left. At the next intersection make another left (if you go to the right it will head into the campground). Follow the trail to the big field. Walk left around the perimeter of the field. About ¾ of the way around the field you will see an obvious clearing. Enter the clearing and just down the hill you will see a stump pointing at 2 o’clock. The base of this stump is where the treasure hides (hidden with bark and rocks). This is a popular area for children playing, so please re-hide well.

To get back to your vehicle: Continue around the field and go into the woods on the opposite side of where you entered. At the intersection of the Kettles trail make a soft right toward the campground. Head left down the campground road, and at the next Y make a left (there may be a white gate blocking traffic). Make a left on the dirt path at the Gun Battery sign. Follow this path back to the parking lot.