I bought my first backpacking gear about 30 years ago and tried it out at the Castle Rock campground, then hiked to Saratoga Gap. I decided to revisit the trail, starting from Saratoga Gap this time. One of the first signs I saw was aimed at discouraging my intended route: “Hikers to Castle Rock Campground are encouraged to use the Skyline Trail to the Loghry Woods Trail.” Next was a sign that said the trail passed through private property and that hikers should stay on the trail. When I got to the private property boundary, the signs got even less welcoming:

The passes apparently haven’t been used in a while since there were none available. The road has been paved since I was last here, and there are a number of houses along it. The residents may be more friendly than the signs, since I got a wave from the one car that passed me. The hike along the road lasts for a mile or so, then the trail re-enters state park land. The cache is hidden along a section of the trail that has some nice views to the south.