The multi-cache leads you through my favorite trails in Mendon
Ponds with many scenic overlooks. Be sure to stop and enjoy the
scenery as you follow this cache. While on the East Esker Trail
(Green blazes) “you will pass through woods of spruce, pine, black
walnut, oak, quaking aspen, maple, shagbark hickory, sassafras and
black cherry trees [...]. During this hike you will be hiking kames
and an esker, and pass a kettle hole pond, all glacial formations
left behind by the Wisconsin Ice Sheet that left this area 11,000
years ago. At trail marker #23 you will be on the top of a kame and
the highest point in the park (820 feet).”
For maps of Mendon Ponds Park, visit the Monroe
County Parks web site.
The trails, though flat and wide, are hilly and steep in spots.
The trails do not tend to get excessively muddy. Be sure to bring
water and bug spray if attempting in spring, summer or fall. There
can be high grass in parts so if you are worried about deer ticks,
wear appropriate clothing and bug repellant. There can be a lot of
mosquitoes on some parts of this trail in the right times of the
year.
The best parking for this cache is off of Pond Road near
Ad-En-On kennels at N43 00.618 W077 33.814.
The first waypoint in this multi-cache is a peanut-butter jar
that contains trail maps and the coordinates to the second waypoint
written on the lid (Or since I just had to replace the first
waypoint and forgot a marker, they are hidden under a flap of tape
on the side). The final waypoint is a black painted .50 cal ammo
can. Some of the microcache waypoints are cunningly hidden (if I do
say so myself); however, none are far from a trail. Very little
bushwhacking should be involved. This cache will be challenging in
the winter; however, I have attempted to keep each microcache
locatable in the snow.
The trails are well used by runners, horseback riders and
hikers. Please be stealthy when locating the caches as someone is
likely to come along. Leashed pets are welcome in this section of
the park. No horseback riding in the winter (when snow is on the
ground). This trail is also used heavily by cross country skiers in
the winter.
If you haven't done the
GPS-O (Mendon Ponds Park) cache yet, you will be passing near
many of the markers while hiking these trails. There are also
several other fine caches you will pass within a few tenths of a
mile of.
Please be a friendly Geocacher. All microcaches are visible from
the correct angle; though, the angle may not be one at which a
normal person may be viewing. Please do not tear up the
surroundings looking for the micro caches and please take care to
replace the caches in the same condition and location you found
them.