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Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium LbNA #52335 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Mar 1, 2010
Location:
City:Fort Myers
County:Lee
State:Florida
Boxes:4
Planted by:Peace to all
Found by: buglady
Last found:Jan 4, 2011
Status:F
Last edited:Mar 1, 2010
Animal Tracks

This letterboxing search is on the grounds of the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. It is an easy hike on a maintained trail through pine flatwoods and cypress forest. Due to the low ground elevation, this letterboxing trail is seasonal. It is best to attempt during the dry months from November to May since the path may be under water during the rainy season from June through October. You can call the Nature Center at (239) 275-3435 to check conditions on the Pine Looptrail before starting out. It may be helpful to have a compass but it is not required. Being able to identify a pine, cabbage palm, cypress and bay tree would be helpful but again is not required. Plan for this search to take 30-40 minutes on the trail but allow more time if you want to experience all that the Calusa Nature Center has to offer. Daily education programs occur almost hourly each day. The times and topics can be found on their website at www.calusanature.org. Now for the search!

The first step is to find the parking lot at 3450 Ortiz Avenue in Ft. Myers, Florida 33905. Once on the grounds, proceed to the Natural History Living Museum. As of March 2010, the cost to access the museum, the planetarium, and the trails is $9.00 per adult and $6 per child (ages 3 – 12). It is free for children 2 and under. Ask for the Calusa Nature Center Site Map available at the front desk.

Take time to visit with the snakes, turtles, fish, alligators, and insects in the museum before heading to the north/northwest exit. The touch tank will be to the left just through the double doors. Go toward the loggerhead sea turtle and down the staircase. At the bottom of the stairs turn left toward the alligator enclosure. Continue along the chain link fence to the gopher tortoise sign. Read the sign and find out how many different animal species native to Florida use the gopher tortoise burrows for habitat. Once you find that number, add 14 to it. Remember this number. From the corner of the fence, look to the north across the open field. In the pine flatwoods is a white bird house with a green roof. (Side note: The route for this letterboxing will end at the butterfly and bird aviaries seen to the left so a visit here can occur either before or after the search.) Head toward the bird house counting out the number of paces you added above with each step equaling one pace. To the left is the beginning of the Pineloop Trail. Head onto the trail in the direction of the pavilion. Continue on the trail to the welcome sign. From this point, count out 50 to 55 paces (again, one step per pace). At this point and to the right of the trail is a pine tree with a blue triangle and an old bay tree with numerous galls on the trunk. Go through the center of the two trees to the Match–A-Track/Rub-A-Track information display. Can you match the bobcat, rabbit, fox, raccoon, mouse, bear, deer and panther with their tracks?

Once you’ve tried, look to your right for a clump of three trees: two pines and one cabbage palm. This grouping of trees is less than 10’ from where you are standing. In the center of the trees and covered with leaves you will find your first letterbox. Be cautious when retrieving the letterbox. The vine near the hiding spot does have thorns.

Please carefully lock the letterbox making sure that all four sides snap shut and return it to its original location covered with leaves and pine needles.

Continuing in the same direction (north/northwest) along the Pineloop Trail, head past marker 32. The path begins to transition from pine flatwoods to a cypress forest. Biological indicators that this area is inundated with water during the rainy season include the growth pattern of the saw palmetto (up instead of along the ground) and the presence of cypress knees. From marker 32 take 50 paces along the trail. You should find yourself in the center of the shelter. Approximately 10’ off the north corner of the shelter is an old squirrel feeder. Exit the shelter and carefully proceed to the squirrel feeder. The second letterbox is hidden within the feeder under leaves and pine straw. We suggest using the bench in the pavilion to stamp, write notes, and repack the letterbox before returning it to the hiding place.

Please carefully lock the letterbox making sure that all four sides are snapped tightly and return it to its location covered in leaves and pine straw.

Back on the trail, head west. The trail markers will continue to count backwards. The Pineloop trail will T into the Wildlands Trail at Marker 29. Go left staying on the Pineloop Trail. Continue to the next shelter. Standing at the southeast corner of the shelter, locate the cabbage palm approximately 10 - 15 feet from the shelter. To the right of the cabbage palm is an old squirrel feeder. Carefully exit the pavilion and look for the letterbox under the leaves and pine straw in the feeder. We suggest using the bench in the pavilion to stamp, write notes, and repack the letterbox before returning it to the hiding place.

Please carefully lock the letterbox making sure that all four sides snap tightly and return it to its original location covered in leaves and pine straw.

The trail will bend to the south at Marker 26 taking you to another fork. The path that turns west is the Cypress Loop Trail, a ½ mile wooden path elevated over the deepest part of the cypress forest. You can loop through the Cypress Boardwalk, adding about 30 minutes to the hike, or continue on the Pineloop Trail. Both trails will pass by the next letterbox.

Regardless of which path you chose, stop at the information display about exotic control to learn about Melaleuca and Brazilian pepper. Knowing how to identify these trees will help you find the next letterbox. Just past the display is a pavilion. Find the trash can on the east side of the pavilion. Stand in front of the trash can and face into the woods (south). This is a busy section of the trail so take care that the coast is clear before heading into the woods and possibly exposing the location of the letterbox. Take 16 paces to the squirrel feeder. Southwest of the feeder about 5’ away is a multi-trunked stump of a Melaleuca tree with Brazilian pepper saplings growing out of it. This is the hiding spot for the fourth letterbox on this search. We suggest using the bench in the pavilion to stamp, write notes, and repack the letterbox before returning it to the hiding place.

Please carefully lock the letterbox making sure that all four sides snap tightly and return it to its original location covered in leaves and pine straw.

This is the last of the letterboxes for this search but there is still so much more to do at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. Continue on the trail to the east toward the Living Museum. This is a good time to check out the bobcat, skunks, raccoon, bald eagle, caracara, hawks, owls and butterflies at the aviaries. Continue back to the Museum and check on the possibility of seeing a Planetarium show offered daily at 1:30 and 3:00 PM. Keep up to date with all of the daily programs and special events by visiting the website: www.calusanature.org.

Have a super day and come back soon to visit the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium. Better yet, become a member or volunteer and visit all year long!