Beech Fork Lake Beaver Dam LbNA #53888
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Add Location| Owner: | Adoptable |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jun 6, 2010 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Lavalette |
| County: | Wayne |
| State: | West Virginia |
| Boxes: | 1 |
| Planted by: | Shalar  |
|---|---|
| Found by: | Not yet found! |
| Last found: | N/A |
| Last edited: | Jun 6, 2010 |
This letterbox is located on a trail on the dam and swimming beach 'side' of Beech Fork Lake State Park in West Virginia.
To get to the swimming area and trails:
Take exit 8 off of Interstate 64, near Huntington, WV. Head south, towards Wayne, on 152.
Continue south on 152 for 4.4 miles. You will come to a stop light. Keep going straight!
One mile after the stoplight, turn left on to Beech Fork Road. It's a semi-hidden intersection that will sneak up on you, so check your odometer. The turn is right after a railroad crossing.
Follow Beech Fork Road for ~2.3 miles. You will come to a fork -- turn right, towards the beach. Be careful! There's a narrow, one-lane bridge on this road. Immediately after the one-lane bridge, turn left and follow the signs to the beach.
As you make your way toward the beach, you will come to a ranger station. There is a $1 per person fee to use the swimming area, with a maxiumum of $4 per vehicle. If you don't want to go for a swim during your visit to the park, let the ranger know your plans are just to go hiking on the Beaver Pond Trail. Though they have always let us go without paying the fee if we let them know we're just going to hike, I would suggest being prepared with the fee just in case!
After the ranger station, turn into the right-hand parking lot. Go through that parking lot and into another parking lot to the right of it. Find a place to park, get packed up, and make your way all the way to the right end of the parking lot.
There you should see signs that mark the start of the trails. Take the Beaver Pond Trail, taking the left fork. You'll go around a guard rail and over a small creek, and shortly thereafter you'll hit a fork in the trail. Keep going straight - that'll keep you on Beaver Pond Trail.
Keep following the trail until you reach a clearing with a bench, several large rocks, and a hollow that is the remnants of the beaver pond. This is the end of the Beaver Pond Trail. Take a seat on the bench and take a few moments to enjoy the solitude. Check out the mound that is the former beaver's dam. When you're ready to go, start your return journey from the bench!
From the bench, head back along the trail towards the parking lot for 64 paces (each pace is two steps). After 64 paces, you will be at a sign for the Twin Coves Trail. However, you want to stay on the Beaver Pond Trail, still heading back to the parking lot!
From the sign, take 35 paces. On your right, you will spot a two-for-one stump in the middle of the creek. Stand on the trail, as close to that stump as possible, and take a heading of 140 degrees, and take 12 paces on that heading (be careful as you cross the creek!). At 12 paces, you'll be next to a very interesting tree--one that splits and then rejoins itself!
From that tree, take a heading of 125 degrees. You'll spot a large mossy rock set in the side of the hill in that direction--it's about five paces on a heading of 125 degrees from the unique tree. At the base of that large, mossy rock is a smaller rock (it may be buried under leaves), and behind that rock is your letterbox!
Now take some time to enjoy the rest of the park--there's lots to do, and a visitor's center you can hit on your way out of the park!
--------------------------------------------------
March 11, 2012:
An update from ponce de leon on AtlasQuest:
"You might want to mention in your clue that during the winter, you can't drive to the parking areas you mention and have to park outside the closed gate and walk down the hill to the lots. Also, crossing the creek was a little tricky at this time of year. Not complaining - we felt very chuffed after conquering the search. :)"
To get to the swimming area and trails:
Take exit 8 off of Interstate 64, near Huntington, WV. Head south, towards Wayne, on 152.
Continue south on 152 for 4.4 miles. You will come to a stop light. Keep going straight!
One mile after the stoplight, turn left on to Beech Fork Road. It's a semi-hidden intersection that will sneak up on you, so check your odometer. The turn is right after a railroad crossing.
Follow Beech Fork Road for ~2.3 miles. You will come to a fork -- turn right, towards the beach. Be careful! There's a narrow, one-lane bridge on this road. Immediately after the one-lane bridge, turn left and follow the signs to the beach.
As you make your way toward the beach, you will come to a ranger station. There is a $1 per person fee to use the swimming area, with a maxiumum of $4 per vehicle. If you don't want to go for a swim during your visit to the park, let the ranger know your plans are just to go hiking on the Beaver Pond Trail. Though they have always let us go without paying the fee if we let them know we're just going to hike, I would suggest being prepared with the fee just in case!
After the ranger station, turn into the right-hand parking lot. Go through that parking lot and into another parking lot to the right of it. Find a place to park, get packed up, and make your way all the way to the right end of the parking lot.
There you should see signs that mark the start of the trails. Take the Beaver Pond Trail, taking the left fork. You'll go around a guard rail and over a small creek, and shortly thereafter you'll hit a fork in the trail. Keep going straight - that'll keep you on Beaver Pond Trail.
Keep following the trail until you reach a clearing with a bench, several large rocks, and a hollow that is the remnants of the beaver pond. This is the end of the Beaver Pond Trail. Take a seat on the bench and take a few moments to enjoy the solitude. Check out the mound that is the former beaver's dam. When you're ready to go, start your return journey from the bench!
From the bench, head back along the trail towards the parking lot for 64 paces (each pace is two steps). After 64 paces, you will be at a sign for the Twin Coves Trail. However, you want to stay on the Beaver Pond Trail, still heading back to the parking lot!
From the sign, take 35 paces. On your right, you will spot a two-for-one stump in the middle of the creek. Stand on the trail, as close to that stump as possible, and take a heading of 140 degrees, and take 12 paces on that heading (be careful as you cross the creek!). At 12 paces, you'll be next to a very interesting tree--one that splits and then rejoins itself!
From that tree, take a heading of 125 degrees. You'll spot a large mossy rock set in the side of the hill in that direction--it's about five paces on a heading of 125 degrees from the unique tree. At the base of that large, mossy rock is a smaller rock (it may be buried under leaves), and behind that rock is your letterbox!
Now take some time to enjoy the rest of the park--there's lots to do, and a visitor's center you can hit on your way out of the park!
--------------------------------------------------
March 11, 2012:
An update from ponce de leon on AtlasQuest:
"You might want to mention in your clue that during the winter, you can't drive to the parking areas you mention and have to park outside the closed gate and walk down the hill to the lots. Also, crossing the creek was a little tricky at this time of year. Not complaining - we felt very chuffed after conquering the search. :)"