Name: Ankeney Wetlands

Location: Near Beavercreek, Greene County, Ohio

Challenge: 2 (.5 miles round trip)

Date: 16 November 2001 Number 5
(Note to webmaster: This is not a hybrid cache/letterbox, it is just
a letterbox.)

East of Beavercreek on Dayton Xenia Road is a small fishing park
named after a local family who did well in the sand and gravel
business. Parking near the picnic shelter, one can walk down a
grassy hill to a trail into the Ankeney Wetlands. Not many locals
know of this park. Have fun exploring it.

The trail was built as an Eagle Scout project by a member of Local
troop 71 and is noted as such in a hand made sign mounted at the
beginning of the trail. Walk ahead into the wetlands and toward the
sound of a babbling brook.

At the division of the trail, take the right branch where there is a
post labeled as #1. As a pace check, it is 90 of my paces to post #2
on the trail. Pass Post #2 and continue through the wetlands. A
pair of binoculars would be helpful in observing the many marsh birds
present. On the November day that I discovered this park, quail were
everywhere.

Eventually, the trail mounts a levee where there is a sign noting the
care that Pack 85 of the Cub Scouts is taking care of an area around
a very secluded pond where I need to return in the spring to fish.
This warm November evening I heard fish feeding on the surface. What
kind of crazy fish have come up from their winter hiding to cavort
like it is spring??

After you walk the length of the levee, the trail (and you) turn left
and descend a muddy few yards. From the bottom of the levee until it
emerges in the sunlight along the Ankeney Wetlands is 125 paces. 25
paces after entering the woods again, you come across a tree blown
down by the wind. The tree forms a bridge over the path. There are
beautiful bracket fungi growing on the wind blown debris.

Plunging into the undergrowth on the right side of the path at this
point, 10 paces brings you to a standing hulk of a dead shagbark
hickory tree. On the far side of the base of this tree, under some
of the bark and a large rock, you will find the letterbox.

There are no geocaching goodies at this box, just a stamp, pad, and a
logbook. There may be clues to other boxes contained in the log
entries.

Flyfisher