Ramapo Mtn. SF LbNA #2113
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Add Location| Owner: | Phoenix Rizing
 |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Nov 9, 2001 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Oakland |
| County: | Bergen |
| State: | New Jersey |
| Boxes: | 2 |
| Found by: | Nairon |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Feb 23, 2023 |
| Status: | FFFFFFFFFOF |
| Last edited: | Nov 9, 2001 |
M & P's Letterboxes
New Jersey
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Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Oakland, New Jersey, Bergen County
Placed: November 9, 2001
Last Checked: March 19, 2006 - Both were fine
Clues: Easy
Terrain: Rocky with some steep sections
Time: About 1 ½ hour roundtrip to just the Castle Point box, about 3 hour circuit with Cannonball Letterbox
Essentials: Hiking boots, water, compass, ability to read and follow trail markings
Map: New York/New Jersey Trail Conference Trial Map 22 - North Jersey Trails
Directions to the trailhead: Route 287 to Skyline Drive, exit 57. About 1/10 mile on the left is the parking lot for the Ramapo Mountain State Forest.
Named for Clifford MacEvoy, a contractor for large public works whose estate became Ramapo Mountain State Forest, the MacEvoy Trail provides access to the north shore of Ramapo Lake. The highlight of the Castle Point Trail (white blaze) is a burned-out fieldstone mansion, which looks out over a panorama of lake and mountain. Foxcroft, as the mansion was called, was built around 1910 by William Porter, a stockbroker. His widow occupied it until her death in 1940. If fell into ruins in the late 1950s.
Castle Point Letterbox (was there 3/19/2006)
From the south end of the parking area, take the MacEvoy Trail (blue blaze), which climbs to Ramapo Lake in 0.6 mile, 500 feet short of the dam. The trail follows the gravel road along the north shore, going right at a Y junction and heading uphill through gateposts. Continue on the gravel road to the Castle Point Trail (white blazes) beginning on the left. NOTE: the blazes marking the beginning and end of this trail are reversed - beginning of a trail should have 1 blaze on top, two on bottom - end of a trail, two on top, one on the bottom.
The Castle Point Trail climbs steeply past a view of Ramapo Lake on the left and one of Upper Manhattan on the right just before climbing over a rock wall to another great viewpoint on the left. The trail leads to and then passes the burned-out shell of Foxcroft mansion.
After passing along the west and north sides of the castle, the trail goes left through an archway. Follow the trail to the left at the intersection of the MacEvoy Trail with two unmarked trails on the right. From the next tree with a white blaze proceed 32 walking steps along the trail to a large oak tree on the right, flanked by a number of saplings.
Go 9 walking steps at a bearing of 320 degrees off trail to a bunch of rocks. Go down the stones and continue along the path 22 walking steps to a Mt. Laurel bush with a view beyond. Six walking steps at 10 degrees is a rock with a treasure hidden beneath. J
After finding the letterbox you can retrace you steps back to the parking lot or continue to the Cannonball Letterbox and complete the circuit.
Cannonball Letterbox (Was there 3/19/2006)
After passing the Foxcroft Mansion and the ruins of what looks like a concrete swimming pool on the left, The MacEvoy (white) Trail passes a stone tower on the way to a spot offering wide views west to the Wanaque Reservoir. The trail soon descends and continues through the woods until emerging at a grass-covered gas pipeline. The trail has been rerouted a couple of times so no matter where you go out to the pipeline, be sure you don’t go back into the woods until the grass trail turns to the left and begins to ascend (there’s a post marking the spot). After going into the woods and crossing a (often times dried up) stream the trail zigzags up a steep slope to a rock ledge with views west. The Castle Point Trail ends at a blacktop road just north of Skyline Drive.
Head right, (away from Skyline Drive) along the paved road. You are now on the Cannonball Trail (white C on red). Look for the trail markings.
The Cannonball Road, after which this trail is named, is part historic, part legendary. Historical evidence about the Pompton Furnace reveals that cannonballs were cast here in great quantity during the American Revolution. The furnace was located adjacent to the northern end of the natural basalt rock dam of Pompton Lakes. A portion of the support for the charging bridge from the hillside to the top of the furnace is all that remains. From here, the obvious valley route to the Hudson would have followed the Ramapo River to Stony Point, the present route of US 202. Because the Loyalists might have warned the British, it seems reasonable to believe that a hidden route was laid out through the Ramapos. This route had to have easy grades over the ridges for heavily laden oxen-drawn wagons. In the 1970s, the old route was uncovered using old maps.
The trail goes into the woods on the left side of the road. It parallels the blacktop road for a few minutes then it rejoins the road passing a private home and heading down hill. The trail again goes back into the woods on the left before crossing the road and entering the woods on the right. From the height of the ridge, it descends, steeply at times. Watch for the 3 trunked tree in the middle of the trail. 34 walking steps ahead is a small Y tree with a trail marker on it. From this Y tree go 34 walking steps at a bearing of 140 degrees to a wired tree. Four steps beyond this tree see the small rocks hiding the box in a stony niche. After stamping up, retrace your steps to the Cannonball Trail and continue along the trail, which descends to and crosses a (often times dried up) stream. After about 0.6 mile total, the Cannonball Trail emerges onto the gravel road a few yards from the beginning of the Castle Point Trail (white blazes). Retrace your steps down the gravel road through the stone gates. At this point you may turn left and follow the MacEvoy (blue) trail back the way you came, or elect to go right and walk the gravel road around the Ramapo Lake which will add about 45 minutes to your hike.
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Monument Mystery Letterbox
Somewhere in New Jersey
Planted February 18, 2002
By M & P
Difficulty - If you know where it is, it's easy; if you don't it's probably pretty hard. :)
Terrain - There are at least 3 approaches to the monument
1. within 5 minutes of parking - easy trail
2. 2 miles from parking but fairly easy hike (boots a good idea)
3. less than a mile from parking but steep down and up (boots and walking stick)
The box is about 10 minutes from the monument with some bushwhacking required.
Shown above is the monument erected to commemorate the work done by the Women's Clubs of New Jersey to preserve the area from "defacement and depredation" at the hands of "Ruthless Quarrymen."
Your quest begins here. From the monument follow the trail South. At the major intersection, leave the marked trails and head left on the unmarked trail. Remain on this trail and soon after the right curve look for the pool on the right side surrounded by varied shrubbery.
From the western most rock of the pool at a heading of about 243 degrees go 30 walking steps to a pine tree.
From that pine at a heading of 300 degrees go 40 walking steps to a large rock. There you will find what you're looking for.
For picture of the Monument http://uweb.superlink.net/~sperber/letterbox1.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.
New Jersey
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ramapo Mountain State Forest
Oakland, New Jersey, Bergen County
Placed: November 9, 2001
Last Checked: March 19, 2006 - Both were fine
Clues: Easy
Terrain: Rocky with some steep sections
Time: About 1 ½ hour roundtrip to just the Castle Point box, about 3 hour circuit with Cannonball Letterbox
Essentials: Hiking boots, water, compass, ability to read and follow trail markings
Map: New York/New Jersey Trail Conference Trial Map 22 - North Jersey Trails
Directions to the trailhead: Route 287 to Skyline Drive, exit 57. About 1/10 mile on the left is the parking lot for the Ramapo Mountain State Forest.
Named for Clifford MacEvoy, a contractor for large public works whose estate became Ramapo Mountain State Forest, the MacEvoy Trail provides access to the north shore of Ramapo Lake. The highlight of the Castle Point Trail (white blaze) is a burned-out fieldstone mansion, which looks out over a panorama of lake and mountain. Foxcroft, as the mansion was called, was built around 1910 by William Porter, a stockbroker. His widow occupied it until her death in 1940. If fell into ruins in the late 1950s.
Castle Point Letterbox (was there 3/19/2006)
From the south end of the parking area, take the MacEvoy Trail (blue blaze), which climbs to Ramapo Lake in 0.6 mile, 500 feet short of the dam. The trail follows the gravel road along the north shore, going right at a Y junction and heading uphill through gateposts. Continue on the gravel road to the Castle Point Trail (white blazes) beginning on the left. NOTE: the blazes marking the beginning and end of this trail are reversed - beginning of a trail should have 1 blaze on top, two on bottom - end of a trail, two on top, one on the bottom.
The Castle Point Trail climbs steeply past a view of Ramapo Lake on the left and one of Upper Manhattan on the right just before climbing over a rock wall to another great viewpoint on the left. The trail leads to and then passes the burned-out shell of Foxcroft mansion.
After passing along the west and north sides of the castle, the trail goes left through an archway. Follow the trail to the left at the intersection of the MacEvoy Trail with two unmarked trails on the right. From the next tree with a white blaze proceed 32 walking steps along the trail to a large oak tree on the right, flanked by a number of saplings.
Go 9 walking steps at a bearing of 320 degrees off trail to a bunch of rocks. Go down the stones and continue along the path 22 walking steps to a Mt. Laurel bush with a view beyond. Six walking steps at 10 degrees is a rock with a treasure hidden beneath. J
After finding the letterbox you can retrace you steps back to the parking lot or continue to the Cannonball Letterbox and complete the circuit.
Cannonball Letterbox (Was there 3/19/2006)
After passing the Foxcroft Mansion and the ruins of what looks like a concrete swimming pool on the left, The MacEvoy (white) Trail passes a stone tower on the way to a spot offering wide views west to the Wanaque Reservoir. The trail soon descends and continues through the woods until emerging at a grass-covered gas pipeline. The trail has been rerouted a couple of times so no matter where you go out to the pipeline, be sure you don’t go back into the woods until the grass trail turns to the left and begins to ascend (there’s a post marking the spot). After going into the woods and crossing a (often times dried up) stream the trail zigzags up a steep slope to a rock ledge with views west. The Castle Point Trail ends at a blacktop road just north of Skyline Drive.
Head right, (away from Skyline Drive) along the paved road. You are now on the Cannonball Trail (white C on red). Look for the trail markings.
The Cannonball Road, after which this trail is named, is part historic, part legendary. Historical evidence about the Pompton Furnace reveals that cannonballs were cast here in great quantity during the American Revolution. The furnace was located adjacent to the northern end of the natural basalt rock dam of Pompton Lakes. A portion of the support for the charging bridge from the hillside to the top of the furnace is all that remains. From here, the obvious valley route to the Hudson would have followed the Ramapo River to Stony Point, the present route of US 202. Because the Loyalists might have warned the British, it seems reasonable to believe that a hidden route was laid out through the Ramapos. This route had to have easy grades over the ridges for heavily laden oxen-drawn wagons. In the 1970s, the old route was uncovered using old maps.
The trail goes into the woods on the left side of the road. It parallels the blacktop road for a few minutes then it rejoins the road passing a private home and heading down hill. The trail again goes back into the woods on the left before crossing the road and entering the woods on the right. From the height of the ridge, it descends, steeply at times. Watch for the 3 trunked tree in the middle of the trail. 34 walking steps ahead is a small Y tree with a trail marker on it. From this Y tree go 34 walking steps at a bearing of 140 degrees to a wired tree. Four steps beyond this tree see the small rocks hiding the box in a stony niche. After stamping up, retrace your steps to the Cannonball Trail and continue along the trail, which descends to and crosses a (often times dried up) stream. After about 0.6 mile total, the Cannonball Trail emerges onto the gravel road a few yards from the beginning of the Castle Point Trail (white blazes). Retrace your steps down the gravel road through the stone gates. At this point you may turn left and follow the MacEvoy (blue) trail back the way you came, or elect to go right and walk the gravel road around the Ramapo Lake which will add about 45 minutes to your hike.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monument Mystery Letterbox
Somewhere in New Jersey
Planted February 18, 2002
By M & P
Difficulty - If you know where it is, it's easy; if you don't it's probably pretty hard. :)
Terrain - There are at least 3 approaches to the monument
1. within 5 minutes of parking - easy trail
2. 2 miles from parking but fairly easy hike (boots a good idea)
3. less than a mile from parking but steep down and up (boots and walking stick)
The box is about 10 minutes from the monument with some bushwhacking required.
Shown above is the monument erected to commemorate the work done by the Women's Clubs of New Jersey to preserve the area from "defacement and depredation" at the hands of "Ruthless Quarrymen."
Your quest begins here. From the monument follow the trail South. At the major intersection, leave the marked trails and head left on the unmarked trail. Remain on this trail and soon after the right curve look for the pool on the right side surrounded by varied shrubbery.
From the western most rock of the pool at a heading of about 243 degrees go 30 walking steps to a pine tree.
From that pine at a heading of 300 degrees go 40 walking steps to a large rock. There you will find what you're looking for.
For picture of the Monument http://uweb.superlink.net/~sperber/letterbox1.html
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.