Issaquah, WA
Alive and Well as of 8/22/08
To get to the trailhead:
From Interstate 405, drive Coal Creek Parkway (exit 10)into the city of Newcastle, turn left on SE 72nd Place and then another left onto Newcastle-Coal Creek Road. The trailhead parking area is 1.8 miles on the right. From Interstate 90, take Exit 13, Lakemont Blvd. Lakemont Boulevard becomes Newcastle-Coal Creek Road, the trailhead parking area will be on your left.
Park and cross Lakemont Boulevard to Coal Creek Trail. Historical artifacts are found from the very beginning, as the trail crosses a field and passes the mossy remains of the boiler room of the Coal Creek Hotel.
From the ruins of the hotel, the trail descends a short distance to a mine shaft. The mine was abandoned in 1886 and the bottom of the shaft is 518 feet below sea level. In less than half a mile the trail comes to North Fork Falls. There is a memorial to William Kristy at the bridge just before the falls.
Return over that bridge and cross Bill Kristy's Bridge. Underneath the top step on the far side of Bill Kristy's Bridge is the Coal Miner Letterbox.
You can return to your car on this path. It leads to a King County Parks sign explaining the old railroad grades and the coal bunkers.
Other letterboxes in the area include:
The Cougar Mountain Letterbox, the Halloween Letterboxes, The Shy Bear Letterbox,and The Field of Dreams Letterbox and be sure to investigate the Mysterious Letterboxes in the area!!
Please read the waiver of responsibility and liability.
To email me with comments or questions about a letterbox: samanark@yahoo.com
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