The Deer Leap Letterbox is in a beautiful nature area owned by the Town of Windham, NH. The geology of the area is magnificent, the crowning glory being Deer Leap Cliffs, 60 foot cliffs overlooking Moekel Pond.
Plan on spending an hour. Total walking time will about 30 minutes, less if the mosquitoes are chasing you. The terrain is rocky, uneven, and hilly, but manageable and safe for children, except at the cliffs. There you will need to hold hands with little ones, but it is easy to stand or sit in a safe place and still enjoy the vista.
In spring, be prepared for mud. There are bridges or at least logs over the wettest spots. Don't be alarmed if you hear gun shots; there is a legal, safe gun club within hearing distance. Hunting isn't legal in the area, but in the fall it is safest to wear bright, unnatural colors and be noisy.
To get to the Deer Leap Natural Area parking lot:
From Route I93 in Windham, NH, take exit 3 and turn right onto Route 111.
Soon after, turn right on 111A at Windham Farms.
Go 2.2 miles, then turn left on Marblehead Road. (If you miss Marblehead, take the next left on Hawley, which soon joins Marblehead.)
Go 1.4 miles on Marblehead, past Deer Run Road, then turn right on the narrow dirt road between 72 and 74 Marblehead. There is a small sign for Deer Leap.
Follow the dirt road for a short distance (about 0.1 miles), then park in the small parking lot on the left.
The Trail:
The trail begins at the parking lot. After about 5 minutes walking, notice the old stone cellar hole on the right. Soon after you'll pass through a break in an old stone wall. The path splits here. Bear right, and remember this intersection. You will be looping back from the other side on your way back to the parking lot.
Proceed along the trail for another 10 minutes. You'll glimpse Rock Pond through the woods on the right, then reach the Deer Leap Cliffs overlooking Moekel Pond. This is the place for a break or picnic, and the place for reining in the kids.
Back on the trail, moving southward, you are nearing the letterbox. From Deer Leap, go roughly 250 steps to the highest point on the pass. Stop, turn around, look back down the trail and slightly to the right. From where you are standing at the high point of the trail, notice the 2 X 4 foot rectangular rock at the top of the large rock formation. It is separated from the rest of the formation by a crack a couple inches wide. The letterbox is under that rock, under the side toward the trail. The base of the rock formation is about 25 steps from the high point in the trail, but do not take the shortest route to the letterbox. Instead work your way up on the right side, for safety and so you don't ruin the moss and such on the rocks.
Continue onward to loop back to your car. On the way you will pass one of the biggest boulders in Windham on the left side of the trail. When you reach the T intersection, you'll be back at the beginning of the loop. Turn right through the opening in the rock wall, see the cellar hole again, this time on the left, then follow your nose back to the parking lot.
On your way back to the highway stop at the Johnson's Farm for produce or ice cream. It's fun to see Billy the Bull, ducks, llamas, and other farm animals.
Before you set out, please read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.