This is a letterbox hybrid. Follow the directions to find the cache.
Enter the Hickory Hills trail going north at the posted coordinates (trailhead).
Go up the hill, passing marker number 2 on the right. This crumbling platform once belonged to the Sylvan Estates Country Club - it was a pavilion complete with a canvas top and picnic tables. As late as 1935 visitors could see 7 lakes from here. Since then the forest has grown - hiding the lakes from view. Continue up the hill and notice a weird bench that overlooks - nothing - Imagine there was once a nice view here.
Step off the cement and head downhill. The forest is close and dark here, but the trail does open up ahead. Continue past number 4 on the right. 130 years ago this valley was covered by forest. Settlers cleared the land to farm, but the glacial soil was poor and most farms were abandoned. The forest is creeping back. Go down wooden steps carved into the hill - You might see Signs of Geocaching nearby (seriously - a multi, GCB9YEH, is nearby).
As you pass marker 5 on the right look to the left and the right. On the left is a mature hickory forest, on the right is a younger growing woods. Continue on the trail, passing markers 6, 7 and 8. Note the big tree down on the left.
Continue downhill along the path to marker 9. This is meant to denote nature's apartment house - a tree with many cavities which provide home for creatures, and sometimes geocaches (but not the latter in this case).
Continue to the bench up ahead to the right. Sit on the bench to rest. Hear the birds chirping, wood peckers pounding. Look around - that log to the right looks like a very large snake - what is near its mouth? Go investigate.
Please note the stamp and ink pad are not trade items. Feel free to use it to stamp your logbook or leave your stamp's mark in the cache logbook, but leave the stamp in the cache.