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Flyfisher's Letterboxes
Bull Skin Trace
Bull Skin Trace (2)
Difficulty: 2 (Hiking Trails)
In Caesar's Creek State Park, OH
One box is in Clinton County and one in Warren County
Placed 7 December, 2001 by Flyfisher
[email protected]
The Caesar Creek area was named for a black slave captured by the Shawnee on a
raid along the Ohio River. The Shawnee adopted Caesar and gave him this valley
as his hunting ground. Caesar lived here in the 18th century during the time
Blue Jacket was Shawnee war chief and Caesar was said to have gone on many raids
with him.
Before that, this area was the home of the prehistoric Adena and Hopewell
Indians. An Adena mound lies partially submerged in the lake at the south
end of the closed "Mound Road" you walk on for this quest.
Later, three major historic tribes dwelled here: the Wyandot, the Miami
and the Shawnee.
The famous Bull Skin Trace follows the ridge that makes up the eastern edge of
the lake along mound road. Here, it followed what was Mound Road until
that road was closed during the building of Caesar Creek Lake in the 1970s.
It was an Indian route, then a
pioneer route, and finally became part of the Underground Railroad which led
runaway slaves to the many Quaker homesteads in the area.
Drive to this place along State Route 380 south from Xenia in Greene County.
Turn right at Center road toward the camping at Caesar's Creek State Park.
When you arrive at the stop sign, you are crossing old Mound Road. Park at
the small lot where Mound Road and Center Road cross.
This letterboxing quest can be done on foot or with a mountain bike. If you
walk it will take about an hour. There are two letterboxes.
The first is a micro-box, a 35mm film container. It contains a
letterboxing set of instructions which doubles as the log. Also, of
course, there is a stamp in the container. Please use a small personal
stamp for this micro-box. Suggested maximum is one inch diameter.
The second letterbox is a standard size plastic letterbox.
From the stop sign on Mound Road, take the mountain bike trail that heads out at
120° . Quite some distance down the trail (0.8 miles or 832 paces if you
are a stickler for detail) you will reach a white pole and a bench at the
intersection of three trails. (A pace
= 2 steps or a little more than 5 feet.) While sitting on the bench, there
is a round rock by the side of the right bench leg. Under that rock is the
micro-letterbox.
From here, go on the trail at 270 degrees. This is not the trail you just
came down. 281 paces brings you back to the closed Mound Road. Turn
to 210° and after 250 paces you will reach a trail intersection on the right
side of the road. From this point, straight ahead, just down the hill, is
an Adena Indian mound just a few feet off shore in the lake. Visit it at
your leisure.
Returning back to this point, take the trail at 240° for 243 paces and arrive
at a bench overlooking the lake. Rest for a moment. You deserve it.
7 paces away is a Shagbark Hickory tree. At the base of this tree is a
rock. The second letterbox lies under that rock. The stamp is
appropriate for the spot. I hope you brought your pole and some bait.
Return to your car via Mound Road. As you walk or ride the mile back,
think about the many people who traveled this route. Imagine yourself as a
Shawnee war party, an early frontiersman, and finally as an escaping slave.
Then thank God that you are who you are!
Before you set out read the waiver of
responsibility and disclaimer.
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