Take Rt. 195 in Mansfield Center to Clovermill Road. This will be a left hand turn. Follow this road to the gravel parking lot on the right. There is a good sized sign telling you that this is Schoolhouse Brook Park. The parking here is good. The lot can hold about 10 cars possibly a few more. You can get a printout of a trail map for this section of the park by clicking here: Schoolhouse Brook North This map can be very handy on your hike.

Go to the Northwest corner of the lot to the only trail that leaves this parking area. This is the Road Runner trail. You will pass over 4 two plank bridges which help you over a small intermittent stream and wet areas. Photo 1 When you come to the intersection of Road Runner and Nipmuck trails, bear northwest on the Road Runner trail and go uphill. Keep going until the trail passes through an opening in a stone wall. Follow the wall to the right at 70 degrees. Quickly it comes to a corner and you turn left. You are now on the backside of the wall which is the East side. Follow the wall north until you come to a tree which is less than 3 feet from the wall and is 7 feet in circumference. From the tree, take a reading of 190 degrees and look 5 feet at the bottom of the wall. In the wall, behind some wood and sticks, is the Dumbo letterbox. To find out more about Dumbo, click here: Dumbo

Go back to the trail and continue north. You will come to an open area and see Bicentennial Pond. Photo 2 Standing at the Road Runner wooden post, take a reading of 305 degrees and go in that direction to the top of the earthen dam. Cross the dam and come to a T. Take the trail at 300 degrees. Come to the intersection of another trail Stand at the tree with two blue marks and 1 white. It also has a 5 inch by 5 inch square piece of metal nailed to it. At that tree, take a reading of 90 degrees and go 24 steps into the woods to a fallen tree. Behind the fallen tree, under a flat rock, is the African Elephant letterbox. Find out more about the African elephant by clicking here: African Elephant

Go back the way you came to the dam. This time go east on the Nipmuck blue blazed trail. Come to an intersection. An old dam is on the right. Photo 3 Take the Nipmuck Trail at 160 degrees down the steps and along the stream. You will pass a Nipmuck Trail Post on the left and quickly come to a stone wall on the left at 70 degrees going uphill. Go uphill along the left side of the wall. On top of the hill you will find two fireplaces. Go to the fireplace that’s opening is facing 160 degrees. Photo 4 Stand on the flat rock in front of it and take a reading of 90 degrees. Take 35 steps to the tallest part of the wall. On the bottom, behind the flat rock, is a hollow area with a block of wood and the Babar Letterbox. To find more information about Babar, click here: Babar

Go back the way you came, alongside the wall, to the trail. Go left and quickly come to an intersection. Go left onto Juniper Trail until you come to Tamarack trail on the right. Go down Tamarack passing 3 stone walls that come to the edge of the trail, on the right. Come to a sign that says Tamarack and continue on the trail which bears left. Come to a place where the trail passes between a stone wall. Follow the stone wall on the right, Southeast side of the wall, 16 steps and look at the bottom of the wall. See a man made board in the opening of the wall. Under the board is the Shep Letterbox. Find out more about Shep by clicking here: Shep

Go back to the trail and continue in the same direction you were going. You will come to Juniper trail. Go left on juniper trail. It will merge with the Nipmuck and you will go west over a 4 plank bridge. Photo 5 The stream under it runs north to south. You will come to the intersection of Roadrunner and Nipmuck trails. You passed through here at the start of your trip. Bear left onto Roadrunner, which leads you back to the parking lot.

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