Hancock Hill Letterbox
DIRECTIONS: From 93, take Exit 2 for Rt. 138 North. The Trailside Museum parking lot is on the right.

CLUE DIFFICULTY: Easy, a trail map is useful and can be purchased at the Trailside Museum for $1.00.  This letterbox can be linked with the other Blue Hill letterboxes if you like; clues are at http://www.letterboxing.org/ (click on Massachusetts, then Metro Boston). Give yourself time to enjoy the many views and the zoo!
TERRAIN: Moderate 
ESTABLISHED: October 14, 2000
STATUS: Reported in place as of September 2003.

CLUE: Either from the City Lights letterbox or the route of your choice, go to marker 1120.  From marker 1120, continue east on the Green Dot Trail to marker 1141.  From here take the Skyline Trail to the summit of Hancock Hill.  For a view of the Boston skyline, bear left at the point in the trail where the blue rectangle markers turn Right (south) down towards Reservation Headquarters.  At the summit view, stand in a place where you have a view of the Boston Skyline at 030 degrees, and a pine tree is behind you at 270 degrees.  Go to that lovely Pine and look under the rocks at its base to find the Hancock Hill letterbox.  Enjoy the view! 

Ponkapoag Turtle Letterbox
DIRECTIONS: From 93, take Exit 3, the Houghton Pond/Ponkapoag Trail.  Park at the Ponkapoag trailhead parking area at the end of Blue Hill Road.  Don’t block the gates.

TERRAIN: Easy, 3.75 miles. 
CLUE DIFFICULTY: Easy
ESTABLISHED: November, 2000

Give yourself at least 2.5 to 3 hours for this walk.  There is a posted trailmap at the parking area and also posted at various points along the trail. You will take the Green Dot Trail, which loops around the pond.  You will start the walk heading towards the YMCA campgrounds and the golf course.  Near the YMCA campground is the Ponkapoag Bog Boardwalk.  I highly recommend you take the time to include a sidetrip on the boardwalk.  It’s a beautiful cedar bog, full of pitcher plants and other carnivorous plants, dragonflies, a nice mat of sphagnum moss, and a view of the pond.  After you pass by the golf course, you will make your way to Fisherman’s Beach. This is a nice place to take a rest and it has a calm, beautiful view of the pond and Blue Hills. The Green Dot trail then continues to loop around the pond and you will pass some nice little cabins.  Continue on the Green Dot trail as it becomes one with the Orange Rectangular trail.  Between marker 5365 and marker 5343 you will find the letterbox.  When you come to a wonderful rocky area, stop at a tree on the right that has green and orange markers.  At this point there will be boulders on your right and just ahead of you on the trail will be log planks crossing over a small stream.  You will see that the trail heads uphill towards marker 5343.  At this green and orange tree, turn right to face north. Head off trail, walking up to the big boulders on your right.  Go right behind the second larger boulder.  Stand with your back to the gap in the boulder. A low rock with a shaggy tree to the left is 2 steps in front of you.  Carefully shift the top layer of this rock to reveal the Ponkapoag Turtle letterbox.  After you have stamped in, you can continue on the green dot trail to go back to the parking area.   .

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