To find this cache, you will need to first complete the Stroll to Thoreau's House Adventure Lab. If you want to do it at all once, it will be about a 3+ mile walk over varied terrain, and a hide that's a bit challenging at the end. It's also possible to drive and park on Old Concord Road by the Mount Misery trail head.
On your walk to Thoreau's house, you might have noticed the MBTA Commuter Rail steaming by. Thoreau had an ambivalent relationship with the railroad, concerned about its environmental impact and potential impact on an individual's harmonious connection with nature. One of the more interesting experiences you can have at Walden is when the train chugs by and interrupts the serenity.
I chose this spot as I considered Thoreau's relationship with technology. If you were standing here at the edge of Walden Woods on November 26, 1905, you would have seen a terrible calamity on the track. The Montreal Express, steaming out of Boston, ran into the back of the local train. 17 were killed, and 32 more were injured in the wreck.
The station and view in the early 20th century
The burned out train
Photos: Maynard Historical Society
Nearby I found this neat old spot, perhaps once a quarry for the nearby farm.
Please replace cache as found!
FTF: BostonBrewins
FTF after Cache Approval: FormalData