Foothills Trail Letterbox Series
Orting
Pierce County
Washington

Level of difficulty: Clues are straight forward, but let's call this one moderate due to the overal distances involved. 

The Foothills Trail is a 12-foot wide non-motorized asphalt trail/linear park suitable for bicycles, walking, in-line skates and wheel chairs. It also has a soft shoulder path for horses. When completed, the trail will extend 26 miles from McMillin through Orting and South Prairie to Buckley. It will also branch from Cascade Junction to Wilkeson and Carbonado.

Currently completed sections include 7 miles from McMillin to the Carbon River in Orting and a 1.8 mile section in Buckley. Eventually this trail will continue to Sumner and Puyallup.  The plans call for the Puyallup connection to extend west through Puyallup and into Tacoma.  From Sumner, the future plans are for the trail to connect with the Interurban Trail.

This series is best done as a bike trip, since the total distance for all three boxes is about 7 1/2 miles as described.  To make a longer outing, start from the McMillin trailhead, a little more than 2 miles NW of town.  To cut the mileage down to easier walking distance, use the alternate trailhead (described in clues for "Ride it!") for boxes #2 and #3. 

Directions: Orting is on Highway 162, south of Sumner, Washington.  There are several trailheads to access the Foothills Trail, but the Clues are described from the trailhead in the town of Orting, next to the park.

 

Foothills Trail "Blade it!" clues:  
 

Head SE on the trail past a skate park and out of town.  After going for less than a mile, take a left at Bernie's Place, a nice spot for a rest on the Carbon River, on a trail heading about 330.  Go past the table and look for the first clear trail to the left, heading about 210.  Go past the ivy trees, veer left and look for a scant trail on the left that will lead you past some majestic maple trees enroute to a 20' dead snag.  Look inside! 

 

 

Foothills Trail "Ride it!" clues:

 

If you are inclined to shorten the overall mileage of this excursion, head back, get the car, and drive east on 162 to the next trailhead, in the Crocker area.  If you are in it for the whole enchilada, continue on the trail.  Go over a bridge, through 4 stop signs and past the trailhead mentioned above.  When you reach the monumental rock depicting Bob's Place, head toward the table, but half way there take a steep trail on your left toward the river.  You will veer right, going approximately north.  Turn left after tripping over the buried rocks in the trail.  After about 8 paces, find a rock jutting out on your left.  Look under the rocks under the bigger rock! 

 

 

Foothills Trail "Bike it!" clues:

 

Well, the next one is only about a mile away, so you might as well go for it too!  Continue on the trail, over the road on an old trestle, over the Carbon River, over another bridge, until you run out of pavement.  (When this section gets completed, I'll have to re-do the clues)  Continue on the dirt trail for about 0.3 miles.  Next, pass some trails on your left leading to South Prairie Creek, a nice wading spot if you are so inclined.  (We did!)  Just a little ways beyond, find a trail on your right, heading about 110.  Go 30-35 paces and find a group of trees that grew out of an old nurse log on your right.  Look behind them, on the west side of the dead snag, in a bit of a hole!

 

 

Please hide the boxes well when finished.  This is a very busy trail when the weather is nice.  Send comments on box conditions to DZpurple@msn.com

 

Placed October 6, 2002 by Sun Seeker, DZDezi, and Sword Master