Barrel of Monkeys Letterbox
Holy Cow… What a View! Letterbox
Metacomet Trail
East Granby, CT - Hartford County

Directions: Take exit 39 off I-91, heading west on Rt. 20. Proceed for
approximately 8 miles until you come to the intersection of Rt. 187 & Rt. 20.
Continue up the hill, and take a right at the signal light (Newgate Road).
Park along side the road; the trailhead is on the corner of Rt. 20 and
Newgate Road.

Planted on 10/14/2001 by Team Weems (and friends).
Approximate time: 1 ½ hours

Start at the trailhead, this is a blue blazed trail. The start of this trail
is a BIG hill - we dubbed it heart attack hill :) - but don't get
discouraged, there is a big rock to rest and take a much needed drink of
water atop that hill. This is the hardest part of the trail, and once you're
up it, the rest of the hike is quite nice. Follow the blue blazes, cross
over a rocky stretch of the path. Step over a fallen log, and then over (or
under if you want to belly crawl) a second fallen log. Notice a large rock
on your left made up of many thin layers. Go under a fallen tree leaning
across the trail. Another layered rock on your right. Watch your step, as
the path turns rooty and rocky. Keep on following the blue blazes, it's the
only way to go. Scoot around two fallen trees, making the path do a zig-zag,
go around the corner to the twin tree arches. This is where the monkeys come
out to play! (We take this hike every fall with friends, and we have yet to
pass by these trees without our four little monkeys climbing these arches!
This box is dedicated to them.) Stand by the arched trees and to the right,
off the path is a multi-trunked tree. The Barrel Monkeys lives behind this
tree. Stamp on in, and keep on following the trail. The trail climbs up and
hugs the edge of a drop-off, then turns to the right - rocky trail ahead.
Blue blazes, on up we go, over another fallen log. The trail goes up over a
rocky ridge. Look for the strange little L-shaped tree on your left, what a
nice place to sit and have your picture taken! You've almost made it to the
top, so up, up, up you go to the top of a beautiful look out. You are sooo
close to the next box, so keep on going (you can come back and stamp in here
if you'd like). There are two survey discs in the ground. At the second
one, count 35 paces, the trail forks, keep to the right. Spot a fallen tree
on your right, look behind the stump of this tree for your treasure. Go back
to the outlook. Holy Cow… What a View! Return the way you came to get back
to your car. Hope you enjoy this hike as much as we do, it's especially
beautiful in the fall.