Parking for your departure point is at the spot where Boulder Creek Rd. actually crosses Boulder Creek. It is a point in the road where the dirt turns temporarily to cement to allow for the creek to cross. Use a Thomas Guide to find where Boulder Creek Road heads north from Descanso.(Caution, the Map Blast on this web site incorrectly calls Boulder Creek Rd, Grove Drive) Though the area is remote, this area of Boulder Creek Rd is considered part of Cuyamaca State Park. You should probably display your adventure pass.
This geocache is not your typical “walk-in-the-park”. If you’re into bagging lots of caches in a single day, this is not for you. The drive alone from San Diego will take 2 hrs. You’re not headed for a park and there is no marked trail. While the hike is not particularly strenuous, tactics and timing are important. You may get your feet wet if you travel in the winter and plan on encountering poison oak in the summer. You will be following Boulder Creek for about a mile and 3/10ths until you reach Penny Mine on the left side of the creek.
The first person to arrive at this cache will find: 5 - $1 gold coins, 3 assorted computer games, keychain knife, some toys, books, and the “Das Boot” travel bug.
For more details and photos see my web page here
Side Note: There are several mines in the area and we recommend that you stop at "No Name Mine" on your way up the creek. It's at waypoint N32 58.011 W116 39.233 and this mine actually goes much further in than Penny Mine. It once provided excellent shelter when we were overtaken by an "earlier than expected" winter storm. You will need a flashlight for this one.
Learn more about protecting our open space:
The Mountain
Defense League and The Cuyamaca Rancho
Foundation