Tub Mill Run Trail Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

Keystone: As the owner has not responded to my prior note, I am archiving this listing.

Regards,
Keystone
Geocaching.com Community Volunteer Reviewer

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Hidden : 4/23/2006
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:

Traditional pretzel jar cache along a beautiful section of Tub Mill Run. Short hike is OK for children of all ages, one steep section right at the beginning but the rest of the hike is level.

Our first cache. Twenty five years ago when I was a teenager I used to enjoy hiking along this short trail. Now I'm only too glad to share it with the geocaching world. The cache is located near a small (two foot) waterfall, some rapids and a beautiful grove of Rhododendrums.

The cache and trail are located on public land belonging to Manor Township. Motorized Vehicles (ATV) are not permitted on the trail and several adjacent private parcels of land are posted as no hunting or fishing. If you're hiking this trail any day except for Sunday, and it's hunting season, I recommend you wear safety orange just in case. Bicycles are permitted although I wouldn't attempt this with anything but a mountain bike and knobby tires.

Park at N40 45.244 W79 32.874 or at one of many fisherman's pullouts along the river-side of Rosston/Ford City road. Do not park in the grass next to the trail as this is private property. The pullouts are right next to the river.

You might want to take a short side trip and carefully walk down to the river to enjoy the view. This area has one of the widest views across the Allegheny River in PA and it's worth a look. Sunsets here can be really beautiful. If you have small children, the river rocks seem to be just the right size for them to throw in. There are also an abundance of flat, round stones that skip really well.

A section of the Armstrong Rail Trail ends across from the first pullout and this is where you begin. Cross the road and walk several hundred yards northeast on the trail (towards Ford City). The woods trail begins with an obvious break to your right just after you cross Tub Mill Run at about N40 45.378 W79 32.752.

The trail begins with a short steep climb but then levels out and becomes almost completely flat for the rest of the hike. The trail appears to be made partially from waste glass and cinders from the former PPG Ford City Works 5 plant which was a mile further to your northeast. Some of the glass fragments are quite beautiful but be careful of occasional sharp edges if you stop to collect any. (Most of the fragments are dull enough for my four year old to safely carry ).

When I used to hike this trail back in the 1980's I was told that this was built to run a trolley line from Ford Cliff down to Ford City, and it carried factory workers to the PPG plant. I didn't know if it was true until I ran into a fellow cacher named howardjack. He told me the stories were true and pointed me at the following url. (visit link)

The nearby PPG plant was once the world's largest producer of glass and the nearby town of Ford City was built to house factory workers. My great grandfather was one of those workers and immigrated from The Czech Republic in 1922. My grandmother Albina and grandfather Alphonse both worked in the plant their entire lives.

One final safety note, as you approach the location of the cache be warned the cache is located on the *opposite* side of the trail from Tub Mill Run (the stream). Across the trail from the cache the trail is steep and drops off so if your GPS tells you to walk toward the water - don't go that way for your own safety.

Once you find the cache and are headed back toward your car, look for one of many paths leading down into the Rhododendrum grove near the stream. If you take this detour you will be rewarded with a beautiful view of the waterfall and some rapids.

Enjoy!

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Fghzcrq? Whfg n yvggyr shegure.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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