Letterboxing Northeast

Feathers in Your Cap
Arcadia Park in Exeter, Rhode Island

(Not recommended: one of our earlier letterboxing attempts. By our current standards, these clues are overly vague. The last box in particular has proved unnecessarily difficult for folks to find. Due for an upgrade in the Summer of 2003: the new stamps are carved and ready to go...)

Note: "Wildlife Management Area" is a euphemism for Hunting Zone. These areas are not safe for letterboxing during hunting season from Monday through Saturday. We do not recommend letterboxing here even on Sundays during the hunting season. This is not a multi-use area and hunters are not welcoming of hikers, bikers, birders, or boxers during their season.
CT Hunting Regulations
CT Hunting Season Specifics
Generally, Sept 15th through Jan 31st.
CT Firearms Safety Program
In Memorium, Conservation Officer James Spignesi

Today's search is at Arcadia Park in Exeter, Rhode Island. Feathers in Your Cap is a long one, a chain of 4 letterboxes linked by strenuous, challenging terrain. Experienced hikers and mountain bikers will be in hardcore heaven, but beginners will think they're on a death march. If brought along, most kids under 12 or 13 will permanently withdraw into a PlayStation universe and never go outdoors again. Arcadia can be strangely disorienting: bring a map, layers, fluids, and energy snacks. Be sure to wear a "blaze orange" hunting sweatshirt in season, and mountain bikers should avoid white helmets (they look just like white-tailed deer to hunters). Figure on four to six hours of travel time on foot and two or three mountain biking.

On the south side of Rte 165, almost 3.5 miles from the intersection with Rte 3, park at the "Arcadia Check Station," near a debatably historic old building. Double back east to cross over the river, then turn onto 225 and take your first easterly path, a nice warm up for the work ahead. Stay to the east at a crossing, then, faced with many choices at a small standpipe, choose the trail going 035 . At a "T" go north, then zig 110 and zag 065 .

Choose the northerly trail, and settle in for another stretch. Skip the obvious side trail going 065 and keep moving to the north. Begin to watch the sides of the trail carefully for a small squared-in area with several standing stones. Place your first feather in your cap after searching in the southeast corner. You're off to a good start!

Resume your route to shortly cross over to the north and travel to another intersection. This time go 060 for a little way before turning 035 . Next, cut back in on 325 , following this path and turning to the obvious 030 at a "T," carrying down to a vista with a natural seat for a rest.

Go through a gate to the east, then branch easterly again. Bear left with the main trail when the time comes, and then take the rubbley path at 295 to scenic little cross over. Turn between rocks onto 025 and follow this path to the Old Man's cross trail. Stay with your trail at 315 and climb a rugged distance. Zig 250 and zag 295 .

Work to a steep eroded downhill bearing 300 . There is a cross trail just above it: go 045 and watch closely for a little deer trail at 340 . Travel down, thinking "this can't be right," winding a little west and passing through a small rock garden. Keep moving down the hill and watch for two chest high roundish rocks at 215 . Between these rests a second discovery in the woods.

And a step or two farther on returns you to your original trail: head down 310 . At a fork, go 310 again, and then 350 to cross a bridge before choosing 260 . Figure out the fake out fork. Then take the trail at 260 at a confusing intersection. Walk a bit to a branch at 155 and a distinctive terrain (yes, it's ride-able!) and then a section of the sweetest of single track.

Skip the next left hand forking and go 210 . Climb to a small summit with smooth granite and stunted pine. From about the middle, sight along 095 to find a third success tucked behind a low lying pine.

Continue with the trail that leads 300 to a major crossing, and resume 300 again. Zig 335 and zag 265 . Break out into civilization, strangely jarring after these hours in the woods, and turn 235 to a nice rest spot. The marked trail here is one of the finest in Rhode Island, but would be a distraction today. Instead, continue as you came, to find a new direction, 180 , with a new decoration. Follow to a branch onto 205 , to climb and negotiate a serious rock garden (maybe not rid able?). Make another crossing, and pick the one leading 170 . Move up, and ignore any pesky cross trails until you zig 300 and zag 200.

Just before the end, watch for a trail leading 140 to another leading 140 again, and down to the overlook. Behind you at 035 is a small ledge, and then another with a little knee-high erratic. Then go 050 to a third ledge to collect your fourth and last feather.

Back at the overlook, the quick way home is obvious: head east and it's all down hill. A more subtle path is hidden just 255 from this spot. This one is not all down hill. Hope your day was good and that you enjoy your collected treasures.

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