Lewis and Clark in Connecticut

When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark returned from their
expedition, they found that Connecticut was just too crowded ffor
them. They had to get back to the woods. In those woods, which
happened to be in Woodbridge, Connecticut, they left mementos
of themselves and were reminded of an absent friend.

Three letterboxes placed in the Alice Newton Street Park in
Woodbridge. The hike is suitable for children and dogs
(leashed) and takes about fifty minutes exclusive of stamping
time. It includes a lovely stream and a small waterfall, the
Wepawaug Falls.

To reach the park, take exit 59 of route 15, which is the exit for
routes 63 and 67. Take 63 toward Woodbridge, turning left at
route 114. Continue on 114 until reaching a fork. Bear right at the
fork (Newton St.), then make the first possible left (Meetinghouse
Lane). Park on Meetinghouse Lane beyond the church.

The entrance to the Alice Street Newton Park is between the
church complex and town hall. There is a large trail map at the
entrance. Your trail is the blue trail.

Follow the blue trail until you cross a footbridge. About 22 paces
from the far end of the bridge, turn left onto a red-orange blazed
trail. You should be near the stream, but above it (a smaller path
goes right beside the stream). Continue on this trail until you
come to a stone wall. Turn right off the trail and walk about 18
paces along the far side of the stone wall. You should see two
strikingly white hunks of quartz. Your first box is in the wall a few
feet beyond the second hunk of quartz, but before the fallen log.
Stamp in, replace the box carefully, and retrace your steps to the
blue trail.

Continue on the blue trail through a meadow and over three
more footbridges. When you reach the fork that is posted for the
falls, bear left toward the stream and the falls. Go upstream until
you come to a large fallen tree lying just to the left of the trail. At
this point you should be standing on bare rock. To your right
locate a projecting rock at about knee height. Standing beside
this rock, take a bearing of 280 degrees. You will see a tree that
has a hollow at the far side of its base. The second letterbox is
under a trapdoor on the near side of the tree.

To reach the third box, continue upstream on the blue trail. Take
a minute or two to stop and admire the waterfall. If you've packed
a picnic lunch, this is a good place to have it. After the waterfall,
the trail veers away from the stream, eventually looping around to
the right. Stay on the blue trail--it's easy to get off onto another
trail.

After the trail loops around, keep an eye out on the right side for a
large fallen tree with a significant boulder--really a small
outcropping--under the base. The third box is hidden under a
trapdoor at the north end of the boulder/outcrop. When you have
stamped in and replaced the letterbox, you can continue on the
blue trail for the most direct route back to the beginning, or you
can take the red trail at the meadow and curve back on the
orange-red trail along the stream for a slightly longer walk.