Halloween Letterboxes (2)

The Red Town Trailhead, is also the site of a former mining town. In 1883, the town had 750 residents and produced coal for steamships, railroads and the city of San Francisco. Prospectors and coal miners worked Cougar Mountain for nearly 100 years, digging coal, waste rock and clay. The town was called “Red Town” because the houses were all painted the same shade of red. I chose this “ghost town” for my Halloween letterboxes. You can also combine these with the Cougar Mountain Letterbox and the Shy Bear Letterbox.
Other Letterboxes in the area are very mysterious!!

Halloween Letterboxes (2)
Planted October 18, 2001
alive and well 8/19/08
By: Amanda from Seattle
A moderately easy hike, approximately 2-2.5 mile loop.

Driving Directions: From I-90:
Take exit 13 and drive south up the hill on Lakemount Ave. Look for the Red Town Trailhead on the left side of the road.

From I-405:
Take exit 10 and follow Coal Creek Parkway 2.4 miles to the shopping center. Turn left at the light onto Southeast 72nd Street and then left again at Newcastle-Coal Creek Road. Follow Newcastle-Coal Creek Road for 1.9 miles. Look for the Red Town Trailhead on the left side of the road.

There is plenty of parking here and you can pick up a trail map at the information board at the trailhead.

To find the letterboxes, take the Red Town Trail (W2) to the left. The trails are all very well marked. Also, please stay on the trails; the park is riddled with mine openings. Next, take the Cave Hole Trail to the left. This is a pretty steady climb. When you reach the sign for the Coal Creek Falls Trail, go 85 steps down this trail—on your right is a moss-covered stump growing out of another stump and a multi-trunked tree . At the base of the multi-trunked tree is the first Halloween letterbox (Ghostie). Hidden among the roots, and covered with leaves, branches.

To find the 2nd letterbox, continue down the Coal Creek Falls Trail. When you reach the sign for the Quarry Trail, turn to the South and start counting your steps. Approximately 50 steps along the trail, there will be a large stone on your left. Behind and under this rock is the 2nd letterbox (Jack O’Lantern). It is downhill all the way to the Red Town Trailhead.

Please be discreet and re-hide the boxes hidden from view. Make sure you read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer before you set out on your hike.

Continue South on the Quarry Trail, it will meet with the Red Town Trail and return you to your car. I suggest stopping by the Meadow restoration project on the Red Town Trail. And even more interesting is the Ford Slope Mining exhibit. It can be reached by a short side trip down the Rainbow Town Trail. There are pictures of the area when it was a mining town and a mining car full of coal! This trail will also return you to the Red Town Trailhead and the Parking Lot.

Some of these trails are also for equestrian use, so beware of “horse apples”! If you are on horseback, you can get both letterboxes. For #1 you can follow the clues as written. For #2, you will need to take the Red Town Trail to the Quarry Trail and from the sign at the Coal Creek Falls Trail, backtrack south 50 steps to the rock on the left side of the trail. (Coal Creek Falls Trail is not for equestrian use)

--Amanda from Seattle
To email me with comments or questions about a letterbox: samanark@yahoo.com

To Return to Amanda's Clues Page Click HERE

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