Serenity Springs Geocache Traditional Cache
newbury: This area is off limits with many no trespassing signs posted. We know people have been fined by the sheriff along with receiving parking tickets on their cars.
Serenity Springs Geocache
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Difficulty:
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Terrain:
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Size: 
(regular)
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This cache entails an easy hour round trip walk through the Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve to a quiet and restful spot. Comes complete with babbling brooks and bubbling underground springs.
You shouldn’t have much trouble getting to the waypoint: stay on established trails (no need to head off on a deer trail or go trail blazing through the woods) and keep following your GPS. The trails are easy with only gentle changes in elevation, but beware of poison oak growing on and near the trail (it is easily avoidable; just be sure you know what poison oak looks like). As you get close to the cache, reception is poor. When you cross the creek, you are there! If you have any trouble finding the cache itself use the clue. Each set of two lines narrows the location down a bit closer. The cache is a few feet off the trail but in a well-traveled area and may be found without disturbing any plants or rooting around in the duff. Please replace the cache as you found it.
Now, some rules: First, park in the lot at N 37 03.056, W 122 08.288 and TAKE WATER. Parts of the trail are hot and dry. Keep in mind that this is an ecological reserve maintained for the preservation of rare and endangered species. To this end, do not pick or disturb any plant, as it may be one of the endangered ones. Also, you may bring your dog, but please keep it on a leash since it’s hard to explain to dogs why they should stay away from endangered plants. No bikes are allowed on the reserve. Also, please be respectful of the private property along the reserve boundaries.
Original cache contents:
Tiny Trinkets: Glass tree, glass bell, glass leaf, metal wizard.
Twiddlestix keychain
Gold Keychain
Miniature Sorry! Game
Artist’s wooden model
Coaster set
Hot wheels car
Original glass sculpture by Bryce
3 Pokemon cards
Earth-tone beads and buttons
Electro Dice
Gel candle
Lego Rock Raider travel bug
Lego Racer travel bug
Finger puppet
Loopy feather
Here are a few things to look for on your way to or from the cache just for fun (how many “bonus points” can you get?):
The twisted tree (near rusty pipe).
The rusty pipe (old well casing).
The waterfall. (I like to imagine how this would have looked before the reservoir was built in 1900. It still supplies water to several households in the area.)Salamanders like to swim in the springs. How many can you spot?
The Reggiardo hot spot where many of the rare and endangered Ben Lomond wallflowers bloom (they are protected from browsing deer by wire cages). Needless to say, do not go off the trail in this area or disturb the plants.
There are 4 different kinds of manzanita on the reserve. How many varieties can you find? Unless you explore other areas of the reserve away from the cache (a worthwhile endeavor), you will probably only see two varieties on your way to the cache.
Santa Cruz Cypress tree (another endangered species).
Two different types of pine trees: knobcone pine and ponderosa pine.
I like to look for animal tracks on the sandy parts of the trail. Besides people and dogs, snakes and lizards are the most common. How many kind of tracks can you find?
Botanical notes: The spring that is set back from the main trail is surrounded by native azaleas that bloom in the late spring and are very fragrant. The Santa Barbara Sedge that grows here is thought to have been transplanted by Native Americans. Near the trail to the southwest of the springs you can see a tall shrub called Labrador Tea that is rare in the Santa Cruz area. The silver-leaved manzanita and the Santa Cruz Manzanita (heart-leaved manzanita) are federally protected species. This area is one of only two places in where Ponderosa pine trees grow indigenously outside of the Sierras (the other is in and near Henry Cowell state park along Graham Hill Road).
Geological notes: The sandy areas of the reserve are formed of 15-million-year-old marine deposits. This creates a unique “sand hills” environment for specially adapted plants.
Historical notes: Trees on the reserve were harvested for a nearby lumber mill that was built in 1851. Some of the timber was used for fuel for the nearby limekilns. Other uses of the land include vineyards, orchards, a resort, a Christmas tree farm, gold prospecting, and movie making. In the 1960’s some areas of the reserve were used for racing dunebuggies up the sandy hills, and in the process destroying much vegetation and causing much erosion in the sandy soils. Since usage has been restricted the area has recovered well.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Orgjrra gjb fcevatf gung obvy naq ohooyr
Lbh’yy svaq guvf pnpur jvgu yvggyr gebhoyr
Pyvzo gur onax n yvggyr uvture
Gb napvrag gerrf ybat fpnerq ol sver
Fgvyy pna’g svaq vg? Qba’g fgneg fvtuvat
Frg lbhe fvtugf uvture, gura xrrc gelvat.
Treasures
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