Here are two more letterboxes placed to mark the mysterious line of the 45th Parallel across North
America. Thanks to Esperanza for helping out with the project!

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Old Mission Peninsula
45th Parallel
Grand Traverse County, Michigan
Placed August 12, 2002
Planted by Esperanza (w/ help from Matt the Rat)

Take highway 37 north from Traverse City to the tip of the Old Mission Peninsula Lighthouse park.
Bring your camera and be sure to take a picture by the 45th parallel sign in the back of the
lighthouse! The trailhead begins to the west of the sign off the parking lot. The trail will
immediately fork to the left to the beach. Stay to the right on the main trail, which will soon come
to a crossroads, again stay on the main trail (or trail 1,2 on the sign). The trail will again fork to the
left to the beach, again stay to the right. Look for a sawed off stump that is almost vertical on the
left side of the trail. As you hike notice the large granite rocks also on the left. Wait for the striped
one across from a Y-shaped oak. This rock points into the forest. Take a compass bearing on this
heading at 110 degrees. Follow this bearing into the woods to a large green rock. Once there you'll
notice a fallen log to your right, find the box. From here past the trees you'll have the beach at the tip
of the peninsula to yourself. Beware the roots on the trail and the poison ivy in the sand on the beach.
The best beach for swimming at Old Mission is found south of the park. You can park along the
roadside and walk down to the beach. Refreshments can be found at the Old Mission General Store, a
great stop! There are also numerous roadside fruit stands and several markets for fruit in season-
from cherries to peaches to apples, enjoy!

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Cairn Highway
45th Parallel
North of Elk Rapids
Antrim County, Michigan
Placed August 16, 2002
Planted by Esperanza (w/ help from Matt the Rat)

The Cairn Highway is a country road that begins in Elk Rapids, and then heads north paralleling
Highway 31 and then intersects it north of the Cairn turnout.

Coming from the south take Highway 31 north to Elk Rapids. At the light after the bridge in Elk
Rapids take a right. The road will have bends and turns with the lake on the right. Follow it as it
heads to Elk Lake, it is the Cairn Highway. It will turn left at a corner between a tennis court and a
tavern. Take it north until you see the Cairn turnout.

Coming from the north on Highway 31 after Torch Lake you'll see a sign on the highway for the 45th
parallel. After that will be a sign for the Cairn Highway, take it left and follow it down to the Cairn
turnout (It is a bit easier to find coming from the north).

The Cairn is in the middle of a row of huge old maple trees in the turnout. The box is in the first tree
south of the Cairn. It's a huge tree with a large trunk and many big branching limbs that form a
"pocket" at their base. You'll have to reach up in there and dig past the bark which hides the box. (A
shorter person my need to bring a bucket or something to stand on, I'm 5'9" and can reach it okay).
Have a lookout for someone coming around the corner, as you reach up you may easily be discovered by
someone driving by.

Please replace the bark and hide it well. The Cairn was built in 1938 to honor Hugh J. Gray, a pioneer
in Michigan tourism. It is built with a rock from each county in Michigan, very interesting,
educational, and worth the stop!