SVRT: Tokul Trailhead Traditional Cache

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Shaddow: It had a good run. Now reducing my cache overhead

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Hidden : 12/3/2009
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


Tokul Trailhead is an unofficial name that I’ve given to this parking area and access point to the Snoqualmie Valley Regional Trail (SVRT).

This is also as this point that the trail takes to surface roads between here and Reining Rd where it again picks up the old railbed and continues to Rattlesnake Lake and connects to the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. To the north the trail continues through Carnation to Duvall. Since Carnation is located about in the middle of this section of the SVT it makes for an excellent location to break a trip into easier two sections. The trailhead in Carnation can be found at this cache

Here at Tokul Trailhead you’ll find plenty of parking on the south side of SE Tokul Rd though unfortunately no amenities such as trash cans, information boards or bathrooms. The trail can be accessed from either side of the road though the far side is best for bikes while the near side has stairs and is therefore best for pedestrians

The Cache

The cache is located up the trail since a multi-cache is located at the parking area making it unavailable. It is medium sized and will hold most trackables. It is not necessary to leave the trail to retrieve.

The Snoqualmie Valley Regional Trail

The Snoqualmie Valley Regional Trail can be accessed by a short walk east along the road. Brochure with map.

The SVT traces the route of the long-abandoned Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad line. The dirt-and-gravel double track trail runs 31 miles and gains less than 500 feet in elevation while winding through rural countryside and second-growth between McCormick Park in Duvall to the city of North Bend.

The idea for the SVT proper was born in 1977 when King County used $400,000 from its Forward Thrust bond initiative to acquire 20 miles of the retired rail route from the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. But dozens of dilapidated trestles coupled with a depleted public kitty meant that the trail remained unusable until 1986, when funding from AT&T -- which needed a good line to run fiber optic cable -- allowed King County to undertake repair work and open a 20 mile stretch of the trail to the public. Additional mileage was added in 1996 and then again in 2000, completing the route of the SVT we know and love today.

Originally conceived as a key link in the Mountains to Sound Greenway, the SVT and surrounding protected lands play an important ecological role as both watershed and wildlife habitat --- salmon, bears and cougars, not to mention the occasional ruffled grouse and other curiosities of nature, have been spotted by observant trail users. A 2004 effort by the non-profit Snoqualmie Watershed Forum allowed for the installation of educational signage and student artwork at select spots along the SVT so users can learn about the importance of regional open space in countering the devastating environmental effects of ever-expanding development.

Currently, ambitious equestrians or mountain bikers can extend their adventures on either end of the SVT by picking up the Iron Horse Trail or the Tolt Pipeline Trail. Planners are still working on ways to connect the SVT with Snohomish County's Centennial Trail, and dream about creating a continuous right of way for non-motorized travel between the Snoqualmie Valley and Whatcom County. by Roddy Scheer, Seattle Magazine

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Oruvaq envyebnq gvr ba fbhgujrfg fvqr bs genvy

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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