Welcome to Chagrin River Park, a 237 acre park located in Willoughby and Eastlake. There are many amenities, but most importantly (for a geocacher) include parking, bathrooms and drinking water. And since this park is part of the Lake Metroparks system, it's open until 11pm, all year 'round.
....which brings me to the next, most important part: No matter how familiar an area is by day, the night lends a whole new aspect to it. Ever wonder what it would be like to geocache in the dark, without being stopped by the cops? Now you can find out first hand.
For those of you that are new to night-caching, here's how it works: Follow the coordinates to the trailhead, and switch on your flashlight. Find and follow the reflective fire tacks. It's that easy! Don't know what a fire tack is? Check it out online so that you know what to look for, or take a peek at the photo gallery for this cache.
Here are the rules for this night cache:
1. This is meant to be done at night. It certainly could be done during the day, but it really wouldn't be as fun.
2. The firetacks are brown in color, to blend in better with the scenery during the day, and can be found on either side of the trail. Since the tacks are brown, they are a little harder to distinguish in the dark. A strong flash-light should help, but they are definitely more visible the closer you are to them. The tacks are approximately between knee-high and head-high, and were placed during the peak of summer. This means that there should be no growth in the way of the tacks at any time. The tacks are placed approximately 50-150 feet apart IN MOST AREAS, with the exception of two areas that will be mentioned further down the description.
3. Stay on the trail until you get to ground zero. I did not observe poison ivy at gz, but I have seen it elsewhere.
4. This cache can be accomplished in all seasons.
5. When you get to the swag hoard, please trade fairly, or don't trade at all. No one likes crap-swag.
Here are the instructions for this night cache:
1. Coordinates will start you on the Songbird Trail, leading across bridge. There you will find your first fire tack.
2. When you get to a trail post, with more than one path choice, you'll find a fire tack next to the choice you're meant to take (see photo No. 1)
3. There is a massive break in fire-tack frequency between Tack 7 and 8. This is due to the nature of the landscape, which basically means that the paved trail is running smack through a meadow, and there is not a winter-friendly area to place a tack in sight. Don't let this discourage you. As soon as you near the woods again, you'll find another tack.
4. When you're nearing ground zero, you'll find a small tree on the right that has three fire-tacks in a small v-formation. This is your cue to walk a little further, and start looking off into the woods with your flash light. When you find the tree with several tacks in a large v-formation, you've found gz!
5. Once you've found your treasure, simply continue down the trail in the direction you were heading. There are more tracks to follow.
6. As you follow the trail, you'll find yourself in a parking lot---but not the one you parked in!!!!! You may have noticed an arrow formation on the fence at the junction of the trail and the lot. Follow this to the trail you'll pick up to lead you back on your way.
7. Please make certain to snap the lid in place firmly, so that the swag is not ruined for the next cacher.
8. Happy caching! If there are any problems or concerns, please let me know as soon as possible so that I can fix it.