DO NOT DRIVE TO THE CACHE.

YOU MUST PARK AT THE PARKING LOT ON ROUTE 273. THESE COORDINATES ARE ON THE CACHE PAGE AND ARE N39 42.129 W075 51.626. YOU MUST PARK AND WALK TO THE CACHE! IF YOU HAVE ACCESSIBILITY NEEDS, REACH OUT TO THE DUTY RANGER TO MAKE ACCOMMODATIONS.

THERE IS ALSO A PARKING FEE THAT IS AN HONOR SYSTEM. 

Fair Hill NRMA

The vision for what we today know as Fair Hill began in the 1920s with William duPont, Jr.’s steady acquisition of 8,000 acres of land in order to create a haven for foxhunting and steeplechasing.

Cecil County was chosen by duPont because it was very rural, close to his home in Pennsylvania (Liseter Hall, which he shared with his first wife), and even closer to his office in Wilmington, Delaware and the estate he later inherited from his father near Greenville, Delaware. This allowed him to enjoy his foxhunting in the morning before going to his Delaware Trust Building office in Wilmington.

When the Depression hit the rural communities hard in 1929, duPont saw the opportunity to increase his Cecil County landholdings and to help the local farmers, whom he saw as good neighbors. He purchased a number of small farms in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and then offered jobs and housing to the farmers from whom he purchased the land, allowing them to continue farming. As he began to tie together all the various farms into one entity, he hired many locals to build fences, jumps, buildings, residences, and much more, utilizing the sawmill on one of the parcels he acquired as part of his overall business operation for the land. He called the Maryland portion of the estate Foxcatcher Farm, Inc. after his Thoroughbred racing stable (the Pennsylvania portion was incorporated as Springlawn Farm).

In addition to the racing stables and steeplechase course, du Pont built a kennel and accommodations for his huntsman and staff so that he could move his pack of American Foxhounds up from Virginia to Fair Hill. This pack became the Foxcatcher Hounds. For most of the rest of his adult life, du Pont hunted three mornings a week from Fair Hill before heading to work at the bank. The kennels and barns are currently used by Fair Hill Stables.

To protect his hounds and territory, du Pont fenced in the perimeter of the 8,000 acres with a high chain link deer fence and took over the maintenance of public roads through the property in order to build many of the bridges and tunnels still used by horseback riders today.

The State of Maryland purchased in 1974, from the estate of William duPont, Jr., the 5,633 acres on its side of the state line for $6 million, using Open Space funds (the Pennsylvania portion was purchased by George Strawbridge). There was an informal agreement that the activities that had previously taken place, including the foxchasing, the Fair Hill Steeplechases and the Cecil County Fair, plus several other small activities, could continue. However, it is important to note that, contrary to rumors and myths, there were no covenants requiring that equine activities remain a part of Fair Hill’s future.

Stage 1 is an orange bison tube that is located on the left side as you approach. Coords are very sketchy in this area. There is a fence upright with an intact metal hinge pin. This has coordinates for stage 2. Stage 2 is just off of the walking path as you approach. Please rehide as well as found or better. 

There are several other caches in the area, including 4 CAM 2023 bonus caches. You can also search for GCGCJ1PN, CAM 2004 - CECIL IN THE TRENCHES and  GC437PC, CAM 2013 - Cecil - A Dam or a Bridge?. There is also a series of 13 caches, starting with F.A.I.R.H.I.L.L., GC9AYF9. 

Access / Hours

• Hours of Operation
  • Sunrise to Sunset, year round
• Entrance Fee
  • $3.00 per car (MD Resident)
  • $5.00 per car (Others)
  • Annual state park passes and senior lifetime passes may be used.