Native American Trail Trees Locationless, Locationless, Locationless
By Docto & SaxRunner on 28-Oct-02. Waypoint GCA21F

We were out caching in southern Maryland yesterday and unexpectedly came across what we believe may be a trail tree. It is located in Piscataway Park, which is now a State Park, but was once home of the Piscataway Indians. It is a old tree, and it appears that two good-sized branches were bent up. It then looks like some other branches took over and became the main trunks of the tree, which has gotten quite large. It is near where a trail bends, and maybe was meant to mark the change in direction of the trail? Picture with GPSr coming as soon as we can digitize it.

This tree is in my yard, at the edge of my driveway. I never knew that it was intentionally bent, I just figured that it was an abnormality or weather-related. I've seen dozens of them over the years as I have been an avid hiker/backpacker and have walked lots of miles along creeks and rivers in north Georgia, Alabama, and into Tennesee and North Carolina. They are more interesting to me now that I know their history.

The Hall Clan

Found a Native American Trail Tree in Monte Sano Mountain State Park in Huntsville, Alabama. We were hiking along one of many trails in the park when we saw this pointing tree not very far off of the trail. This has a classic look, and the bend of this tree has a "nose" - as described in the southernmuse.com site mentioned above. Thanks for the cache. [N34 44.283 W86 30.627]

We found this first Native American Trail Tree as we were checking on our cache, but didn't get a shot of the GPSr in the picture. The second tree with the GPS in the picture was taken just a few days ago.
Located on the Little Missouri River in Southwest AR. Just a few feet from the river. For more pictures of the area check out this cache.GCHQ2Q
The best Native American Trail Tree that I have seen was at Sheridan AR but I didn't have my camera with me. Thanks for this cache. It has been fun looking for the trees.

Thanks to the Fraygirls for pointing this out to us!! I have actually been here before an didn't realize it was a locationless. Silly me. This guide tree pointed Native Americans to known fishing grounds. As usual, the visitor center was closed when we needed it most!! Thanks for the cache.

Coach Jack and Abby found this cool trail tree while geocaching in the area. It was found in Rock Creek Regional Park, just SE of Gaithersburg, MD. There are many water sources in the area and the tree seems to be pointing towards one. Thanks for educating us on trail trees, if it wasn't for geocaching, we'd never know what these oddly-shaped trees were.

This tree is loacted off of Utica Rd. The Deleware Indians marked a path they used when they fled to Canada after they were relocated and moved west from east coast area. Now there is a factory and other development in this area, but they left this grove of trees standing because of their historical significance.

Found a Native American Trail Tree pointing the way through Pound Gap near the KY/VA border.

I was sure there had to be a Native American Trail Tree near where I live in Northern NH. There are many places here named after Native American chiefs; eg Kancamagus, Chocorua, Pemigewasset. Many of the hiking trails follow old Indian paths. I finally found what I was looking for on a trail near my house in North Conway, NH. The Trail Tree was in an area of very old trees in the foothills of the White Mountains. Most of the trees, including the Trail Tree, had trunk diameters of two feet or more making them old enough. Even more striking was the fact that they were all as straight as arrows except the Trail Tree. In fact, they were so straight and tall, I am surprised the British Navy never found these trees to use as masts for their ships. Also, this Trail Tree was just 150 feet from Lucy Brook, a water source. And if you sat in the bend of the Trail Tree you would be facing a bathing spot in the Lucy Brook known locally as Diana's Bath. Here is a series of pools where Native Americans could have bathed and/or drawn water for their needs.

Found this cool tree while hunting for another cache at Landsford Canal State Park in Catawba, SC.

Have you ever heard or visited the Wisconsin Dells?
It's known as America's Most Waterparks! I have a few caches hidden in "The Dell's". I came across this tree while looking for a hiding spot. It is off the beaten path, and only geocachers get the luxury of viewing this Native American trail tree. The trail tree points to the direction of the Wisconsin River.

Wilmington, NC...Pointing to the Cape Fear River!

Here's an interesting trail tree, which is situated right near one of our cache hides. We had never heard of trail trees before, and a geobuddy of ours suggested that we check out this locationless after hearing our description of the tree. This tree points to the Cape Fear River, specifically to an area that still brings the local fishermen lots of tugs on their fishing lines.

This is our favorite locationless cache so far. It might even be our favorite cache overall, because it has made us aware of such a cool piece of our continent's history -- one that still speaks to us today. We are fascinated by this topic, and hope to find out lots more about it (and to run into more of these trees!). We've also been inspired to create our own trail tree for future generations to contemplate: we're going to manipulate a sapling in the woods behind our house in the hopes that it will grow to resemble a trail tree. It's going to point to a spot where we're going to bury a time capsule/treasure! YEAH!!

Thank you for an awesome cache!

The City of Clarksville recently received a grant to expand a little used trail in town. I walk this trail for exercise every M-W-F from work to the local post office. The round trip is 3.25 miles. Near the eastern end of the trail this tree stands near the trail. It possibly points to the nearby Spadra creek or a shale bluff the has a water flow most of the year. Nothing else is known about this tree.

This tree "jumped" at me because I was suspecting a hiding place for an other cache there (which of course was not the case). Vienna, Austria.
Beutelteufelweibchen

Found this tree while we were out on a geocaching day on and near the Pinellas Trail in western FL. The tree appeared to be pointing toward the water (bayou) in that area. Tarpon Springs is the nearby city.

#759

I spotted this Native American Trail Tree when I was on my hike to this [url=http://www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?LUID=cf2601e6-e2d7-4c34-9cbd-ca34b9fbe07d]cache[/url].
It's appropriately titled "Short Boat Ride or Long Hike". It was the longest hike (so far) for one cache. For me a total of 5.48 miles round trip.
I happened to spot this uniquely twisted tree and instantly thought of this reverse cache.
I checked with the cache owner that the tree is indeed old enough to be a NATT.

TFTC,
Boutin

Found this tree in Monte Sano State Park in Huntsville, Alabama. This tree is bent so much that it seems to be pointing downward. That may seem odd, but one of the listed sources, http://www.southernmuse.com/history/histtree.htm, stated that these trees not only pointed to water and caves but even to “buried treasureâ€. Native Americans did frequent this area. If this is indeed one of the pointing trees, then we have an example of a Native American Indian “caching†tree! Thanks for the hide and history lesson.

Found this one at Columbus lake, in Columbus, MS. This is on a nature trail just off the side of the park. We weren't looking for it; it just caught our eye. Definitely out of place growth. It had to have help.

This trail tree is found in Fox Hill Nature Preserve. When the ice-glacier went through here, she dumped a Hill which is called Fox Ski Hill now, and two lakes: Big Cedar Lake and Little Cedar Lake. This trail tree is located at the bottom of fox ski hill and inbetween both lakes. Currently, the Cedar Lake Conservation Foundation took over possession of 5 acres here and put in trails for everyone to enjoy. I grew up 11/2 miles from here. I still dressed myself and children in blaze orange because my day used to deer hunt here before the Conservation foundation took over and I wasn't going to take any chances!

I've been wanting to log this Trail Tree for a while now. This Trail Tree is in my yard. It seems to be pointing towards the James River. My own Trail Tree, pretty cool!

I found this one while searching for an other cache in the Wood quarters (Waldviertel) of Austria. It almost points to the hiding place of a cache, but just don't trust that direction too much

Beutelteufelweibchen

Whats this? A trail tree! Wow, didn't expect to run into this today! Found in Rchmond Virginia on Belle Isle.

This tree is in the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Florissant, Colorado. According to the Park Ranger the entire area is dotted with Ute Indian Trail Trees like the one in the photo, but in addition to marking trails, they also all point toward Pikes Peak, called "Shining Mountain" by Native Americans. This one was broken low, and stands next to a trail now used by the National Park Service, but evidently hundreds of years old. Vort

Found this Trail Tree in Nokesville Park, Nokesville, VA. Note the "organ pipe" vertical growths that grew from the bend. The tree points the way to the Plains of Virginia, an old gathering/gaming area for various Indian peoples east of the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge. TFTC

Chumash water marker in Ojai California. It has long been in local history about this sycamore tree being a marker for the creek it bends over. Once over the creek it dips in a serpentine manner following a well known trail for about 300 horizontal feet.

This trail tree is located off the Ed Dodd Trail in the Chicopee Woods Nature Preserve in Gainesville, GA. I don't know quite what the tree points toward, but a ranger in the preserve identified it to us several months ago as a trail tree. This was once Cherokee Indian territory. We just got back today with a camera and the GPSr so we could log the cache.

We found this tree while in Oak Mountain state park near Birmingham, Alabama. We where in the area looking for other caches before the AGA 2nd birthday celebration.

I found that tree as I walk by in a nature parc in Montreal Quebec.
Thank's
alafort

I found this one on a trip along the Natchez Trace Parkway about a month ago. It was located at the edge of the Kennedy Cemetery, but being that this is along the Natchez Trace, it is most likely that this points to something more important(though I am not certain what). I had just jumped out of the car to take some photos of the cemetery when I saw the tree. As I was alone, I did the best I could to get myself and the gpsr in the same photo. I got one where ya can't hardly see the tree and the top of my old Geko101, and a better one with me and one with the Geko and the tree, and then the tree alone. I hope all of those together will work! Taking self-pix with arms as shorts as mine is just not easy!
By the way, I seem to see these trees alot now, but I had never really noticed them-thank you for the history lesson, I think they are awesome now!!!

Found tree while hiking the Evitts Mountain Homesite Trail in Rocky Gap State Park, Cumberland, Md. Tree is located near to and below the trail, pointing SE, perhaps to stream below. Also found another unique tree approx. 100 feet below the first. Not sure of Native American history here but Evitts homesite, circa 1730's, is located at summit of Evitts mountain on Homesite Trail.

I think I found a trail tree. It's on UPenn's campus in Philadelphia PA. The tree is pointing right at the Schuylkill River.

Found this amazing trail tree along the pathway at the 3rd Annual Hampton Roads Geocaching Picnic Event. Heard one of the children holler "Look at that tree" and could not believe our eyes! This is a beautiful example of a trail tree in Northwest River Park. It can be seen from the gravel pathway, so we encourage anyone that is near Chesapeake Virginia to stop by here and spend a moment thinking about how long it has stood in this spot.

Hope to see you on the trails (or at least in the logs!)
Team WRK&FSH

This tree is located high on the east side of the Allegheny River across the river from Freeport, PA. It is on the Baker Trail that runs along the top of the cliff in this area and overlooks about 8 miles of the river as well as the town of Freeport. It is an awesome view and the trail is well maintained. The tree itself appears to have died many years ago, but can still be seen high on the edge of the cliff trail from the Freeport side of the river. Thanks for the cache - we learn something new every geocaching day! Keith and Susan

Found this tree in Westmount Park, Montréal, Québec, Canada, is central to many City events and programs. As the city's first public park, it has also established itself as a landmark within Westmount. a serpentine waternay flows gently beneath aged willows and past shady benches. The Westmount Arena and swimming pool lie at its southwest corner, with the Library and Victoria Hall in the northwest.

I have seen pictures of these trees and I knew what they were, but never did I dream of actually finding one myself. We were on Mackinac Island during Labor Day weekend. Mackinac Island is directly between the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Lower Michigan on the Straits of Mackinac. It was inhabited many years ago, by Ojibwe and Huron Indians. During my 8.2 mile bike ride around the island it caught my eye! It was pointing towards Lake Huron. I'm not sure if it marked a trail that led to the Lake, or if it was marking the fact that there was water nearby, or for all I know it could have marked a good fishing spot. I was thrilled to find it!

Find on a island on the thousand islands river.

I found this tree on a trail on Indian Ridge near Hanover, NH. I thought it was fitting that it was named "Indian Ridge" and there still is a active trail there. The tree points to the right to indicate a turn in that direction.

I've hiked this section of the Oak Ridges Moraine trail for years, always marveling at the strange looking trees... now I understand! Thanks to a fellow cacher who pointed me to this cache, I've come to realize that these strange trees were actually trail markers following the old Toronto Carrying Place Trail. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Carrying-Place_Trail) This particular Trail Tree is located 100 meters past the North end of 7th Concession near Nobleton, Ontario, where the ORM Trail continues on.

Thanks for the great cache!
TOMTEC

Found this baby while night caching. This tree is along an old RR bed that is now the WO&D bike trail. So it is actually along a real trail that has been used for years! The closest town is Sterling or Ashburn Virginia.
Flyingmoose

Thank you Docto for taking the time to verify my find. We have had our perspective changed by trying to be more aware where Indians would have lived and the way of life indicated by using nature as tools. My girls were pleasantly surprised that they are 1/16 or 1/32 Native American Indian in an Omaha, Nebraska tribe.

This tree is located in Craig County Virginia USA. It is on the trail of GCP49Y Hoop Hole Hide which is a beautiful 4 or 9 mile loop in the Jefferson National Forest. I believe it may be a Native American Trail Tree. Thank you for the Adventure!!
1BuzyMom with Anastasia, Audrey and Aimee

I am trying again to correctly log this locationless.

This tree is located in Craig County Virginia USA. I believe it may be a Native American Trail Tree but will post as note until I here from the owner whether I can change to a find. Thank you for the Adventure!!
1BuzyMom with Anastasia, Audrey and Aimee

This is on Catawba Mountain in Roanoke Virginia USA.
I think this is a Native American Trail Tree but will post as note until I here verification from cache owner. My young daughters and I have seen so many things in the woods that I would not have seen if we had not been looking for these historic trees. 1BuzyMom with Aimee, Audrey and Anastasia

Douthat State Park, Bath and Alleghany counties in Virginia USA. I think this is a Trail Tree. I will change to find once I hear from owner. This has been educationally enjoyable. Thank you 1BuzyMom