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Located at southern end of Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary in Princeton, MA. Terrain is alternating woods and pasture. This is an Audubon Sanctuary--please stay on the trails as much as possible, observe sanctuary hours (Dawn to Dusk, Tuesday to Sunday, CLOSED MONDAYS) and rules. There is an admission fee! $4 per adult and $3 per child. Take Goodnow Rd off Hubbardston Rd, follow Goodnow until you see sanctuary parking area on left. Cache is a green ammo box.
This cache is one of two located in Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA. Morrich's Barrow is named after the lair of a dragon that appeared in a story I wrote once. His name was "Morrich the Claw" and he was a good natured copper dragon that lived in a cavern in "Ainurk Barrow", a low, wide mound adorned with a single great oak tree in the gnomish country of Perro. Morrich was well known to the inhabitants of the towns and villages near his lair, and well liked because his presence helped ensure a peaceful life for those who dwelt nearby. Among his peers he was highly respected, and in his elder years served on the Draconic High Council. He was the mate of "Tiarrel the Rime" a white dragon who lived in a hidden ice cave on a distant mountain glacier, and together they were the parents of the principle character in my story, Abacquer the Belch, the Plastered Dragon.
I chose to name this cache after Morrich's home because in my story Morrich's Barrow was located at the bottom of a long downhill tract of land which was bedecked with thick pine forest and farming communities. To the north the land sloped up to Fraezzle Pyke, the glacier encrusted mountain where Tiarrel the Rime lived. The terrain of Wachusett Meadow reminds me of that mythical stretch of land.
Wachusett Meadow is my favorite Audubon sanctuary in Massachusetts. I discovered it in 1993 after moving to Fitchburg and I've been going back regularly ever since. The scenery is breathtaking and the wildlife rich and abundant. It was maintained as a farm from 1786 until 1956 when the owners donated the land to the Audubon Society. There are about 600 acres of land in the sanctuary and almost 13 miles of trails. I would come to this wonderful place even if there were no caches hidden here because there is so much to see.
The sanctuary has sensitive nesting areas so don't leave the trails until you get close to the cache. Be advised that the sanctuary is open dawn to dusk Tuesday through Sunday, and is closed Mondays. There is an admission fee that you must pay if you are not a member of the Massachusetts Audubon Society ($4 per adult, $3 per child). There are trailmaps at the office you can borrow, and I recommend you grab one.
The parking area for Wachusett Meadow is at 42° 27.327N 071° 54.305W. The hike to Morrich's Barrow is about 0.87 miles, so there and back is a decent walk. From the parking area, I recommend continuing down Goodnow Road on foot past the gate at the end of the road (0.18 mi, 42 27.316N, 071.517W) to the turnoff where Beaver Bend Trail heads off to the south (about 300+ feet after the gate). Follow Beaver Bend trail south here. Shortly you will enter a beautiful pasture, stay on the mowed trail. After crossing the pasture Beaver Bend Trail will turn east, and Pasture Trail will continue south. Follow Pasture Trail through a wooded section, another pasture, another wooded section with a small pond (42 27.014N, 071 54.727W), and yet another pasture which is overgrown with trees. After this pasture you will come to a T-junction in the trail where Pasture Trail heads northwest, and Fern Forest Trail heads south. Continue south down Fern Forest Trail through the last pasture which is so heavily overgrown it doesn't look much like a pasture anymore. (These pastures show, in stages, forest progression--the process by which woods will reclaim open land.) Once you are through the last pasture you will be close to Morrich's Barrow. Midstate trail heads south here and Fern Forest Trail goes east and west, turn right here onto Fern Forest trail. If you reach the quartz boulder at 42 26.842N 071 54.920W you've gone too far.
Morrich's Barrow is visible from the trail, so watch out for muggles!
Note to FTF'ers and other early finders: Morrich's Barrow contains a handful of special finder's buttons for you folks, feel free to take one. I've stocked this cache with some very nice items (at hide time it contained a dragon-themed DVD, a computer game, a pewter dragon figurine and a bunch of other cool stuff.) Parents, the movies and software are probably best for teens or adults, but don't worry there's plenty of stuff in the cache for younger kids (both boys and girls).
The birds through here are wonderful. Look for and listen for Ovenbirds, Bluebirds, Hermit Thrushes, Cuckoos, Grosbeaks and many other species.
This cache was placed with the permission of the sanctuary management, and they welcome geocachers to Wachusett Meadow, asking only that all visitors respect the property and the operating hours and rules thereof.
NOTE: Bring bug spray, the bugs are vicious. Watch for ticks and poison ivy. The trail gets swampy near Rock Fire Pond, so be prepared. Treecover is heavy near the cache... expect GPS drift. Coordinates given were averaged from six readings taken on 2 different visits.
See you on the trails! :-)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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