Topstone Park Series (4)

Topstone Park Letterboxes

5/1/15... new update:
Proud of ourselves today. 3 out of 4. We'll go back for #4. Bad news and good news on the clues. The Bads news is the area has changed and he old clues, especially for Smokey are out of date. No more Blue. The key to finding Smokey is when you reach the stone wall; after a very long hike from the start. Stop, and go back 100 feet or so. Then the clues work. Smokey is in a hiddy hole on the left side of the tree. C;lues for Crossroads work perfectly. Clues forBeaver needs a little modification. Since all the trails are now blazed, much of the detail for Beaver is not needed. Just stay on the trail (all trails are blazed white but the key intersections all have signs identifying the trails.). Look for two down trees; one on left and one on right side of trail. The second tree; on the right rests on top of a rock (small bolder). Take bearing of 70 degrees to the old two sister. Everything in good shape for such old boxes.
*** 5/5/07 Smokey and Beaver have been temporarily pulled for maintenance. They will be back shortly!

Topstone Park was part of the estate of photographer Edward Steichen (thus the 25 acre pond is named Steichen Pond) and was purchased by the Town of Redding in 1971.

Directions: Topstone Road is off Route 7 (in either direction) in Ridgefield, CT. This is a “fuzzy” area on maps in the sense that Route 7 winds between Ridgefield and Redding several times in this area. Topstone Road and the intersection of Route 7 is actually in Ridgefield…. However, as you travel down Topstone Road and cross the railroad tracks, you are now in Redding…and Topstone Park is really in Redding. Follow Topstone Road over the railroad tracks until it becomes a dirt road. You will note a stone wall on your left that sports some “balanced stone sculptures.” Immediately after this spot, on your right, is the entrance to Topstone Park. In the winter, the road to the lake is closed and you must park here – about 6 off road parking spaces. (This is good, because the hike instructions begin here). During the summer, you may drive to an inner parking lot close to the lake. There is no charge for parking at either location. The beach is open to Redding Residents only in the summer… but this hike does not take you to the beach, so there is no fee any time of the year to letterbox and hike here.

Just beyond the gate that closes the park to traffic in the winter, look to your left for a blue blazed trail heading up the hill. This is the Saddleback Trail and is mostly marked with blue blazes and sometimes a big blue “S”…Even though not frequently marked; the trails are clear and easy to follow.

SMOKEY: Follow the Saddleback up for a while and it will level off to a gentle easy trail. Soon you will find marshland on your left with many downed trees. It almost appears as if there might have been a forest fire in the past that caused this area to be this way. It seems to be re-growing slowly. Look for a tree on your left with an abnormally huge growth on it…continue down the trail. You will come to a tree on your right with a blue “S” on it. Soon there will be a large rock close to the trail on your left. From this rock, take a bearing of 230 degrees. Smokey’s den is at the base of the tree behind a large rock…on an up-hill.

CROSSROADS: Continue along the Saddleback Trail and pass through 2 stone walls. You will come to an intersection of Saddleback Trail, Boulder Trail and a trail that leads out to Old Redding Road (but isn’t the “Old Redding Road” Trail.) From this intersection, look to about 165 degrees and peek in the cleavage of a rock that is off the trail at this bearing.

BEAVER: Return to the intersection of trails and continue on the trail to the right of the Saddleback trail. This is actually Boulder Top Trail (but there are no markings to let you know that!). Watch carefully for a tree that has a blue S and an arrow showing the direction of the trail. It will be on your left. If you are not careful, there are times when things are wet that you will end up following a small rivulet for water runoff that is not actually the trail but looks like one!

Pass through a stone wall and you will soon see a picnic spot on a knoll on the left that has a barbecue grill. Continue on the trail which is not marked well here, but clearly easy to follow… and you will pass through a stone wall. Shortly, there will be a tree which has fallen over the trail. Look toward the root end of this tree for a big old 2-trunk tree. The Beaver is hiding at the east side base of this tree behind a rock. Return to the trail and continue down this very rocky path to the lake. Look for trees with “beaver fencing” around them and look for trees with evidence of beaver damage in the area.

If you have had enough hiking for the day, you may take the trail to your right at the lake and return to the inner parking lot. Follow the road to your car at the “winter” parking spaces.

However, the prettiest part of Topstone Park hides the last letterbox… Photo Op… you may want to have your camera handy for a few shots of your own! Rumor has it that the view from Topstone Mountain (alas… this is not a huge mountain… more of a hilly climb)… are some of the prettiest views from Redding trails.

PHOTO OP Letterbox: When you reach the lake after retrieving Beaver, take the trail to your left around the pond. There will be 2 trails that go off the Pond Trail but you will ignore these for now. The third trail to your left is just before the trail crosses the spillway from the pond…if you get to the spillway, you went too far. Follow this trail to where it splits to two trails. Continue up and up the Chase Long Trail which has a dedication plaque at the trailhead it is blazed in white with a blue stripe. As the trail reaches the top of Topstone Mountain, make sure to take the side trails to your left that come out to scenic overlooks (there are 2 of them). These overlook Steichen Pond and are great photo ops – just not the one with what you seek.

As you retreat from the second overlook, you will see a 2-sister tree on your right. Follow the trail marked with an arrow and “V” for view, I suppose? After finding your prize, you will return to this spot and continue down the mountain from this trail. As you head for the final box, make sure to follow the blazes as there is another unmarked trail to the right that will take you back to the Chase Long trail.

At the summit, you will find a fire circle. From the campfire, take a bearing of 150 degrees to a high point of rocks. From these rocks, bearing 115 degrees you should see a 4-sister tree. PHOTO OP is nestled at the base of one of the sisters under some leaves.

Return to the trail and hike back to the intersecting trails near the second overlook. Follow the trail to your right down the mountain. This is a much gentler trail than the Chase Long with better footing in snow and slippery conditions.

At the bottom of this trail, it will intersect with the base trail. Take this to your left and walk at the base of the mountain until you follow it back to the pond trail. Take the pond trail to your left again and cross over the spillway. Follow this trail out to the main parking lot and follow the road back to your car at the entrance.

Hike Length: 3.0 miles