Hallowed Ground Mystery Cache

This is a 1.5 mile round trip, off-set cache located in a wilderness area that is open from 8am to 6pm, 7 days a week. The entrance is 7-8 miles west of I-4 on SR 46. There is a $3.00 per vehicle entrance fee so we’ve upgraded the cache a bit. Also, you can get two for the price of one when you visit CacheProwlers96’s "Off the Beaten Path", located in the same area. And, your fees help keep our wilderness areas wild!

You'll need a compass and a basic understanding of same to complete this cache. For info on basic compass use, click here.

In the fall/winter, parts of this area are open for hunting. The section that includes Hallowed Ground is closed to hunters. You can check hunt dates and areas for this location here.

After stopping at the entrance kiosk continue south. There is a parking area on the right side about .5 mile from the main road. This is Parking Lot 1. Directly east of this parking area you will see faint traces of a jeep trail leading over a berm and into the woods. Start your journey here. You'll notice white blazes painted on the trees. You're on the "White" trail. These blazes will lead you into and out of Hallowed Ground.

The trail is clear of obstructions, and composed of soft sand. This is high ground so rain should not cause flooding problems. Off the trail, you may find a couple of small patches of stunted prickly pear cactus. They are clearly visible now, in winter. Just watch your step off trail. There is very little bushwacking involved. You may encounter some high grass at certain points, particularly in spring/summer. Long pants are suggested. It might be a good idea to do a “tick check” after the hike as there are deer and other critters here. I've seen deer, turkey, gopher tortoises, hawks, sandhill cranes, and pileated woodpeckers on previous trips. Keep your eyes and ears open and you might spot more wildlife...log your sightings!

The listed coordinates will take you to what remains of a little town named “Ethel”. It was apparently a small railroad stop in the late 1800’s that became the official post office for these parts in 1890. In 1900 the post office was discontinued and moved to Paola. In front of you is what remains of Ethel.

To find the final cache coordinates, from the Woodmen, walk 340° for 20 steps. Then walk 305° for another 20 steps. The final answer lies here.

The cache itself is a camouflaged ammo box and contains a little something for everyone, including our first TB, Bully the Bull and a special FTF prize. It also contains a disposable camera, so take a pic of yourselves at Hallowed Ground!

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REMEMBER:

• Don't forget to waypoint your car's location.
• Bring water, especially in the summer.
• Bug juice may be needed in the warmer months.
• Cache in, trash out! This area is very clean, let's help keep it that way.

Good luck and Happy Caching!