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Cape Henlopen Devil LbNA #4123

Owner:Matthewuvstohike
Plant date:Nov 29, 2002
Location:
City:Lewes
County:Sussex
State:Delaware
Boxes:1
Found by: Choi
Last found:Nov 10, 2009
Status:FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFaO
Last edited:Nov 29, 2002




Hiking: Less than an hour through woodlands, dunes, and beach.
Clues: Easy.


The Cape Henlopen Devil is a legendary creature that inhabits the pine-covered dunes of the piece of land where Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The devils are said to be small animals with horns. Exactly what kind of animal they are, how many live on the cape, whether they really exist, where they came from, and where they have disappeared to are the subjects of much speculation. A brochure describing an elaborate version of the devils' story is available upon request from the Nature Center at Cape Henlopen State Park.

Driving directions: Enter Cape Henlopen State Park via Cape Henlopen Drive a little to the east of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry docks in Lewes. Follow the traffic flow to the admission booths. Admission is $5.00 per out-of-state carload and $2.50 per in-state carload during the summer, and spring and fall weekends and holidays. Take the first left after the booths, and then follow the signs to the Nature Center (one more left, then a right, then look for the first building on the left, across from the parade field). Park in front of the Nature Center. Park hours are 8 am to sunset all year. Nature Center hours are somewhat variable; call (302) 645-6852 to check hours for the date when you are going there.

Clues: From the stop sign in front of the Nature Center, at a bearing of 200 degrees lies the grave and memorial sign of a well-loved Cape Henlopen Devil who died of old age in 1995. Cross the road carefully and watch out for a ditch if you want to visit the grave and enjoy the picture of the C.H. Devil on the memorial sign. Then return to the Nature Center.

From the Nature Center's entrance, look west to find the beginning of the Seaside Interpretive Trail. Free brochures about the trail are available inside the Center when it's open (admission to the Center is free too, and worth the visit before or after letterboxing).

Follow the brown posts with white numbers and/or arrows. When you get to post number lucky 13, stop. Then walk 23 paces more. Just to the left of the trail is a pine tree with many live and dead branches. The letterbox is stashed right next to its trunk amongst low branches and pine needles. When stamping in, make sure the stamp is covered with ink, and push down hard on it against a hard, flat stamping surface (this stamp is a little tricky and complicated).

After re-hiding the box with plenty of pine needles for camouflage, continue along the trail. When you see posts with no numbers or arrows, look ahead through the trees to see the parking lot.