4Seasons

Difficulty: Clues and Hike - Easy

Background: On a trip home from doing the Gnomeletts at Hartman Park, Alicia became excited with the idea of carving and planting her own series of letterboxes. She immediately came up with the idea of the Four Seasons and started as soon as she got home. She designed and carved her stamps herself and chose the spots to plant them. This series of four letterboxes is a testament to the creativity of our very talented eight year-old daughter.

This hike makes a short loop (< 2 miles) around a very picturesque man-made pond in the corner of Arcadia Management area. You will travel by an old fish hatchery, a decrepit stone shelter, a well used picnic area and end up at the beach of Browning Mill Pond. Since this is part of a state management area make sure that you wear orange during hunting season.

Directions: From Route 3 take Rt. 165 north towards Arcadia Management Area. At the first intersection northbound you will see a series of brown wood signs directing you to different areas in Arcadia. Turn left here on Arcadia Rd and proceed until you see Browning Mill Pond parking lot on your right (approx. 1 mile).

Clues: Find the trail at the southwest corner of the parking lot and start following it clockwise (left). For most of the hike the pond will be visible on your right. After a short distance you will cross over your first bridge of the hike. Soon you will come to an area where there will be large blow downs on either side of the trail, as well as a crumbling stone wall on your left. Look for a large tree with a barbed wire band at 150o and 3 paces to your left from the trail. Check the crumbling stone wall immediately behind the tree for your first sign of “Spring.”

The trail proceeds into to an open pine forest, strewn with rocks. As you leave the forest you will see the remains of a large fish hatchery on your left. Not all of the lochs are still in use but the whole area is made off limits by a split rail fence. Ahead is a dam that forces you to go down to your left to cross the stream by a series of bridges. These bridges were built recently (1998) and for several years previous to that hikers were forced to pick their own way across after an old bridge fell apart. After crossing the first set of connected bridges there is a large rock immediately ahead. Check under the right (NE) side of the rock for a little bit of “Summer.” Proceed over the next bridge of three parallel planks before the trail turns back to the right and leads back to the pond’s edge.

Approximately half way around the pond there will be an old stone shelter on your left. The roof is now falling but it made a great place to stop for a break on a rainy hiking day. Soon a series of little bridges and bog bridges will twist their way through a wet section of the trail. The trail takes a short turn up and to the right becoming drier. Continue until you see biggest boulder of the day on the trail to your right (240o). Take a break and climb the boulder but don’t “fall” off looking for a little treat at the base on the far side of the rock.

The trail will head back in the direction of the lake before taking a sharp left up to a picnic pavilion. It then heads right towards an open picnic area and then back towards the pond. As your hike for the day comes to a close you will have to cross over two more footbridges. Just before crossing the first bridge stop and adjust your snowshoes and discretely reach under the near right side of the bridge to prepare for “Winter.” After the second bridge will be the beach area that can get quite crowded on hot summer days. The fastest way back to the parking area is the path south leading off from the beach.

Alicia hopes that whatever the season you will enjoy her “Four Seasons.”

Before setting off be sure to read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.

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