Jurassic Trail Letterbox Series (3)
Ramapo State Forest
Placed June 2, 2002 by Wingfoot
Updated with BRONTOSAURUS Letterbox on July 15th 2002
Oakland, Bergen County, New Jersey

Hunt this box at your own risk.

Clues: Somewhat Easy
Terrain: Challenging
Time: 3 hours

This is a dinosaur themed series. I plan to expand this series in the
northern section of this park in the not too distant future. Also, there are
other letterboxes in this area that this series can be combined with for a
longer hike.

Directions:
Route 287 to Skyline Drive, exit 57. Shortly up Skyline drive on the left is
the 1st parking lot for the Ramapo Mountain State Forest. Pass this lot and
continue going up Skyline drive. At the top of the mountain there is a
parking lot on the left.

The centerpiece of Ramapo Mountain State Forest is Ramapo Lake, which was
formerly known as Rotten Pond by the early Dutch settlers. Take your time
and enjoy the many viewpoints these trails provide.

BRONTOSAURUS LETTERBOX

Start at white trail across street from parking lot. Continue down white
trail until you come to a clearing offering a view. There will be a large
rock on the left side of the trail with a blaze on it. From the blaze go 39
steps at 100 degrees. There will be a split rock; under a rock in the split
is what you are looking for. Use a stick, just in case.

TRICERATOPS LETTERBOX

Continue along white trail. Cross Skyline drive and pick up white trail on
the other side. When you come to the blue trail go right. When you arrive at
Ramapo Lake go over the bridge. The centerpiece of Ramapo Mountain State
Forest is Ramapo Lake, which was formerly known as Rotten Pond by the early
Dutch settlers. Shortly down the fire road the red trail begins on the
left. Take red trail. Pay careful attention to the blazes. After a climb,
the trail makes a winding turn, continue to follow trail to the next set of
blazes. There will be a single red painted blaze next another tree with a
nailed on round red blaze. Turn around and go back down trail 12 paces to an
unblazed tree. From the unblazed tree go 50 paces at 225 degrees to the end
of a rock formation. From that vantage point you should be able to see
Pompton Lake. From there go 25 paces at 140 degrees. Note there is a 4-foot
drop off along these 25 paces, be careful. Behind a small tree there is a
natural rock cavity with a square shoebox size rock covering the opening.
Within the cavity is what you are searching for. Use a stick, just in case.
Replace rock after stamping in.

PTERODACTYL LETTERBOX

Now continue along red trail the way you didn't come. When trail meets up
with yellow trail, take the yellow trail, not the merged red-yellow trail.
Again pay careful attention to the blazes, as there are some tricky areas
along this trail. Trail merges with fire road; continue to follow it until
trail restarts on left up the fire road. You'll come to a large glacial
erratic. There will be a blazed tree to the left of the rock. From blazed
tree continue going down trail 53 paces. On left of trail will be two
boulders. Behind the left one, behind a rock is what you are searching for.
Use a stick, just in case. Replace rock after stamping in.

There are several ways to get back to the parking lot. I recommend going
back to the fire road, taking it the way you didn't come. When fire road
forks, take right fork and enjoy the walk along Ramapo Lake back to the
bridge. Cross bridge and pick up yellow trail on the right. Yellow trail
leads back to parking at the top of the mountain.


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