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Shamrock Park LbNA #58160

Owner:SunDawg
Plant date:Jun 2, 2011
Location: St. Patrick's County Park
City:South Bend/Roseland
County:St. Joseph
State:Indiana
Boxes:8
Found by: Angel Winks (5)
Last found:May 5, 2012
Status:FFFFF
Last edited:Sep 29, 2015
ALL of these boxes have been reported as missing.
Apparently there has been legislation in Indiana regarding Geocaching in State/County parks...involving fees and registration...???!!! I don't know if this includes letterboxes. I don't know if these letterboxes have been removed because of this or if the searchers just could not find ANY of them. ??? I'll have to check into it further..

To get to St. Patrick's County Park take the main drag between Niles, MI & South Bend, IN. It is known as US31/SR933/S. 11th St. Take Auten Rd. West to Laurel Rd. North on Laurel Rd. which leads to the park. For a map, log on to www.sjcparks.org
There is an entry fee on weekends & holidays ($4.00) Entry is free Mon.-Thurs. You can pick up a trail map/brochure at the entrance.
While the trails are wide and well groomed, the boxes are off the trails, to the side, so yeah, there may be poison ivy...you may want gloves and insect repellant is highly recommended. Please re-hide boxes well.
This is a beautiful park which spreads nearly 400 acres. It was once a working farm operated by the Sisters of The Holy Cross. Crops and livestock were once maintained here for food production for St. Mary's College. Today there are miles of hiking trails, picnic areas, playground, and events year 'round. Plan at least 2 hours or bring a picnic and spend the day!

BOX #1 - "Welcome to St. Patrick's County Park" - Upon entry drive towards the Berta Shelter and park there. (Restrooms available in summer, clean and stocked with t.p. and soap) Behind the building you will see a dirt/gravel trail. Follow that to the right. The pine trees to your right spell out 'St. Patrick's'. You'll pass an opening on the right. Follow the main trail until just before it takes a sharp right turn. Look to your left for a 6 trunker tree about 7 steps off the trail. There you will find box #1. (Replaced 4/26/2012)

BOX #2 - "State Line Letterbox" - From the Berta Shelter turn left on the gravel path. Pass an opening on the left. As the path curves left, look at the gate to your right. Surprise! You can walk from Indiana to Michigan in one giant step! Where the path curves left, look straight ahead to see a huge tall stump. There are 2 pieces of the tree laying parallel to the path. Behind the one closer to the river and near the tall stump is the State Line Letterbaggy.

Follow the trail around the bend. At the next Trail Marker, go straight ahead on Trail #7 to walk to Box #3 or turn left to get to your car. Either way, you will proceed to the canoe landing. If you choose to move your car, leave the Berta Shelter parking lot, take the first right turn and park by the brown barn. From there you'll see a sidewalk leading towards Hurwich Shelter. Follow the sidewalk right towards a deck overlooking the river, then left onto a dirt path. Follow path along the river. When the path curves away from the river and a choice is presented, go Right over the bridge. Then follow cabin trail left at the Y. At the choice, keep following Trail #1...up the steps, all the way to the top. At the top of the steps turn Right towards the cabin. Just before a sharp left hand bend in the trail you will see a fallen tree on your left with it's roots sticking out at you. Box #3-cabin-is behind the roots at the base of the tree.

BOX #4 - Adair Orchard - Re-trace your steps back to the stairs, but don't go down. Follow Trail #5. The trail takes a hard right turn and you can hear whispering waters along the way. Keep following the trail and you will come to a clearing. Take a left towards Red Barn. As you walk along you will see an orchard on your right. Take note of the Trail Marker on your left. Continue on to Adair Orchard sign and Heritage Gardens toward the pergola. Look up for Welcome greeting. Pass thru and look up for a peaceful send-off. Pass water pump and follow bricks to right. Look into the bush on your right. See a piece of wood that doesn't belong? It is covering Box #4-orchard. Please re-place well with branches holding it in place.

BOX #5 - "No Deer" - Walk back to that trail marker and back into the woods. Shortly you will see on your left a fenced area with a sign that reads, 'Deer Enclosure Study Site'. If you look into the woods just beyond that sign you will see an oddly disfigured tree. The letterbox is at it's base.

BOX #6 - "Winter Fun" - Continue on the trail. At the choice, Do Not turn right toward the clearing. Follow the trail forward. You will come to another clearing with a hill in front of you. Follow the base of the hill first to the right and then to the left around with it. Then you will see the trail going up, up, up the hill. In the winter it's for sledding and tubing. About half way up the hill there's a multi-trunker on your right. The letterbox is behind it, kinda jammed in to the roots and covered with sticks. Please replace well as there is a lot of erosion going on here...A bench at the top for stamping and a spectacular view~! run/roll/slide/tumble down the hill...and you'll be back at the canoe launch.

BOX #7 - "A Buzz at the Gazebo" - Head back towards the Red Barn and walk to the gazebo. With your back to the Goodhew Gazebo sign look up to find the letterbox. (Confirmed missing 4/26/2012, plan to replace in May)

BOX#8 - "Remembering 9/11" - Make your way to the Memorial Statue. To the right of the statue is Trail #11. Take the trail, pass a picnic table on the right. As the path curves left, there's a stump on the left which holds the 09/11 letterbox.

BB is in a 3 trunker about 12 steps off the trail