EcoLab Totem Pole Series LbNA #75658
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Add Location| Owner: | isaacswanderingmotel
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|---|---|
| Plant date: | Jul 19, 2021 |
| Location: | Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab, 3200 Cold Spring Rd, Indianapolis, IN |
| City: | Indianapolis |
| County: | Marion |
| State: | Indiana |
| Boxes: | 4 |
| Found by: | speedsquare (4) |
|---|---|
| Last found: | Apr 4, 2022 |
| Status: | FF |
| Last edited: | Jul 27, 2021 |
Totem poles tell stories and this stamp series tells the tale of animals you can see at the EcoLab! The EcoLab is a 55-acre park, free and open to the public. It's located off of Marian University's campus on the near west side of town, on Cold Spring Road between 30th and 38th Street.
PARKING & MAP
Take the northern-most entrance into Marian University. Easiest place to park is in the big lot in front of Marian Hall and use the stairs (left east trailhead), left of the St. Francis Colonnade. See the map at https://www.marian.edu/images/default-source/ecolab-images/ecolab_map_pic.jpg?sfvrsn=cb79b0fe_2
You may also still want to bring the map with you as you look for the letterboxes.
- S T A M P S -
THE FOX
Head to the St. Francis Colonnade and on the left is a small path behind some trees. You will find a sign post with a BirdIndy sign and EcoLab info, and stairs to go down to the lake. Before you go down, on the right of the sign post, in the green foliage, is a rock bench. Look behind the bench for the first stamp!
THE MINK
Go down the rocky stairs. At the fork, take a right. Walk the gravel path with the lake on your left. Keep walking until you find a rock bench on your right. It’s the correct bench when you see the rock stairs with a metal railing and a brick building above (it’s the other east trailhead). Look under the bench, on the left.
(Neat Fact: You can also see deer, bats, mink, fox, and other animals at the EcoLab)
THE BEAVER
Continue walking around the lake. You’ll pass the beaver decoy cage on the left and an apiary in the shape of an M on the right. (admire the beauty!) Once you get to the trees, there may be a winter beaver dam on your left. Continue walking until you reach the Rustic Trail entrance on the right. Take this trail to the Outdoor Classroom. Before going up the stairs of the Outdoor Classroom, there is a tree on the right that may have poked you. Check under the tree.
(Awesome fact: Beaver watching is great at dawn and dusk in the main pond. Beavers are farmers, so vegetation along wetland trails such as the Rustic and the East Barkchip Trails can be different every time you visit.)
THE SPARROW
Head back to the lake. Turn right once you get back to the Jensen North Shore Trail to continue going around the lake. When you get to a T, go left to continue going around the lake. Pass the Spring House and Frog Pond (made of rocks) on your right. Then find the stair case you used to enter the Ecolab. Go up until the two paths join for the stairs and on your right find a massive tree with fallen logs behind it. Against the tree, on the left, is a large rock. Under it you will find the last stamp and the top of the totem pole you stamped together!
(Cool fact: Birding is awesome here! The Crooked Creek corridor acts as an oasis within the city, drawing migrant birds to stop here, including warbler in the spring and fall. The EcoLab also attracts several species of sparrows. Interesting breeding birds include Great Horned Owl, American Woodcock, Common Yellowthroat, Wood Duck, Baltimore Oriole, and many more!)
WE LOVE THE ECOLAB! It's crazy no one knows about this place. Hope you like it too! There is so much to see and hike here. Learn about this hidden gem of a park at https://www.marian.edu/about-marian/nina-mason-pulliam-ecolab/about-the-ecolab/visit-us.
Hike length: 1 mile
PARKING & MAP
Take the northern-most entrance into Marian University. Easiest place to park is in the big lot in front of Marian Hall and use the stairs (left east trailhead), left of the St. Francis Colonnade. See the map at https://www.marian.edu/images/default-source/ecolab-images/ecolab_map_pic.jpg?sfvrsn=cb79b0fe_2
You may also still want to bring the map with you as you look for the letterboxes.
- S T A M P S -
THE FOX
Head to the St. Francis Colonnade and on the left is a small path behind some trees. You will find a sign post with a BirdIndy sign and EcoLab info, and stairs to go down to the lake. Before you go down, on the right of the sign post, in the green foliage, is a rock bench. Look behind the bench for the first stamp!
THE MINK
Go down the rocky stairs. At the fork, take a right. Walk the gravel path with the lake on your left. Keep walking until you find a rock bench on your right. It’s the correct bench when you see the rock stairs with a metal railing and a brick building above (it’s the other east trailhead). Look under the bench, on the left.
(Neat Fact: You can also see deer, bats, mink, fox, and other animals at the EcoLab)
THE BEAVER
Continue walking around the lake. You’ll pass the beaver decoy cage on the left and an apiary in the shape of an M on the right. (admire the beauty!) Once you get to the trees, there may be a winter beaver dam on your left. Continue walking until you reach the Rustic Trail entrance on the right. Take this trail to the Outdoor Classroom. Before going up the stairs of the Outdoor Classroom, there is a tree on the right that may have poked you. Check under the tree.
(Awesome fact: Beaver watching is great at dawn and dusk in the main pond. Beavers are farmers, so vegetation along wetland trails such as the Rustic and the East Barkchip Trails can be different every time you visit.)
THE SPARROW
Head back to the lake. Turn right once you get back to the Jensen North Shore Trail to continue going around the lake. When you get to a T, go left to continue going around the lake. Pass the Spring House and Frog Pond (made of rocks) on your right. Then find the stair case you used to enter the Ecolab. Go up until the two paths join for the stairs and on your right find a massive tree with fallen logs behind it. Against the tree, on the left, is a large rock. Under it you will find the last stamp and the top of the totem pole you stamped together!
(Cool fact: Birding is awesome here! The Crooked Creek corridor acts as an oasis within the city, drawing migrant birds to stop here, including warbler in the spring and fall. The EcoLab also attracts several species of sparrows. Interesting breeding birds include Great Horned Owl, American Woodcock, Common Yellowthroat, Wood Duck, Baltimore Oriole, and many more!)
WE LOVE THE ECOLAB! It's crazy no one knows about this place. Hope you like it too! There is so much to see and hike here. Learn about this hidden gem of a park at https://www.marian.edu/about-marian/nina-mason-pulliam-ecolab/about-the-ecolab/visit-us.
Hike length: 1 mile