Today we hiked the Coppermine Trail in the Delaware Water Gap. We’ve done this hike several times and usually combine it with other trails to make a loop and extend the mileage. Today we did an out and back. The trail climbs up fairly steeply through a ravine toward the Kittatinny Ridge. Within the first mile, we passed one of the mines which is closed off to protect bat habitat. There’s also a bridge within this first mile where you can stop and enjoy views of the water cascading down off the mountain. After crossing the bridge the trail narrows and continues to climb with nice views down into the ravine. After reaching the top of this steep section of trail there’s a short spur to another cascade. From here the trail levels out and becomes mostly hardwood with a few small stream crossings. It continues through the forest until terminating at the AT south of the Mohican Outdoor Center. We walked up the road to grab a bite at MOC before returning the way we came. This was the first time we hiked the Coppermine Trail in the opposite direction. I enjoyed the views going down just as much as going up.
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It was a beautiful day and the weather was in the 30s. It was a nice day to hit the trail and take in the sunshine. We hiked from one of our favorite trailheads at Blue Mountain Lake. We followed the Blue Mountain Lakes trail to the northwest side of Hemlock Pond. From here we explored the Wood Road trail which continues onward in a northeast direction. This trail intersects with the trail to Buttermilk Falls which we did not take today. Instead we turned south and climbed steeply up the connector trail to the Appalachian trail to get to the ridge line. At the top of the climb, we looped back heading southwest to Hemlock Pond before returning to the trailhead. I was happy for the climb today and the extra added cardio.
We took a Christmas Eve hike in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey side starting at the Mohican Outdoor Center. The weather was cloudy and damp. We did not see any sunshine today although it tried to peek through the clouds unsuccessfully. From the center we ascended the Rattlesnake Swamp trail connector to the Appalachian Trail to hike the ridge to Catfish Tower. We passed by two other hikers along the AT and the met a large group when we reached the tower. A few from the group were dressed in Santa hats and everyone looked like they were having a fun hike. We made this our turnaround point and headed back to the center for lunch. The ladies working at the center always remember us, and we were treated to a new menu item which was a hot roast beef sandwich topped with horseradish. We had our meal in the lounge. The fireplace was blazing and another group of hikers were sitting on the couches enjoying the warm flames and the ambience of the lodge. It was so cozy decorated with a large Christmas tree and we took our time, enjoyed our lunch and hot coffee before heading home.
It felt so good to be back out on the trail! The humid summer weather is finally starting to let up, and I’ll be able to get back out there and put some mileage on my hiking boots. Today we headed out to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area to the Copper Mine Trail. We’ve done this one several times before, but there are a lot of connecting trails you can pick up and make the day as long or short as you want. We headed up past the mine, crossed the bridge over a small waterfall and then began to ascend up the ravine. It was one of those misty mornings where the sun’s light shines down through the mist, making the trail look extra pretty. We continued to the top of the waterfall and entered into a forest of mostly hardwoods where the trail leveled out. Soon we reached Camp Mohican Road and decided to check out the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Mohican Outdoor Center. It was a nice surprise that we’d never been to before. The center has coffee, food, outdoor picnic tables and also a recreation and rest area for weary A.T. thru hikers. After checking out the center, we decided to head further up the road where we would climb up the Rattlesnake Swamp Connector Trail to the top of the Kittatinny Ridge, follow the A.T. Southwest and then loop back to the Mohican Outdoor Center to get some food. The loop trail Rattlesnake Swamp started out on flat boards crossing a wetland. It soon climbed steeply up to the top of the ridge where we had mostly unobstructed views along the A.T. We followed the A.T. about 1.5 miles until we were back at the road to the Mohican Outdoor Center. I had my eye on the pancakes I’d seen when we were there earlier. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing better than finding a place that serves coffee and pancakes in the middle of a hike. The ladies working at the center were super nice and we chilled out at one of the outdoor picnic tables and ate before heading back on the trail. Before hiking out, we checked out some of the campsites in the area for a future overnight stay. We then headed back along the ridge on the A.T. and took the longer route via the Kaiser trail back to the trailhead. We ended up with about a 10 mile day. It felt so nice to be back out there. Now that the weather is cooling off, I’m looking forward to spending more time doing longer hikes with more mileage again.
Went back to the DWG again today. I like the NJ side of the Gap. The trails all connect and you can piece together different hikes depending on how long or short you want. We started at the Fairview Trail just off Old Mine Road. From here we hiked to the intersection with the AT and the Holly Springs connector. We took the connector down to Dunnfiled Creek, then back up the hillside to Sunfish Pond. From there we picked up the Appalachian Trail and followed it back to Fairview. It was about an 8 mile loop. I enjoyed hiking along Dunnfiled Creek. The terrain was more interesting as was the scenery with the tall Hemlock trees and Rhododendron and Mountain Laurel. We rock hopped across the creek several times and there were a few little rock scrambles along the way. After you pass the backpacker’s camp at the junction for the Douglas Trail and the AT, the trail gets super rocky. Not the fun scramble rocks, but the ones that jut out and trip you. With the leaf debris it’s hard to tell where you’re stepping. Overall, it was a nice day, sun was out and the cooler temperature made for good hiking weather.
Today we hiked up the Copper Mine Trail on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap. From there we got on the Appalachian Trail and followed it out to Raccoon Ridge. Nice view point from the ridge. Came back down the Kaiser trail to close out the loop at about 8.5 miles.
Another day in the Delaware Water Gap. We hiked from Garvey Springs up to Sunfish Pond. Perfect weather and lots of rock hopping along Sunfish pond. Took the AT to the Douglas Trail to close the loop. Nice day and not too many people out and about on the trails.
It was a beautiful Monday morning and we headed to the Delaware Water Gap to the Dunnfield Creek Natural Area. The trailhead was right off the 80 Freeway, so there was a lot of traffic noise at the beginning of the hike. But as we moved further into the woods, the traffic noise was washed away by the sound of the running creek and birdsong. The trail started off on a wide path following along Dunnfield Creek and crossed over a wooden bridge. I noted wild geranium and other wildflowers in bloom along the way. In less than a mile we crossed another wooden bridge and arrived at Dunnfield Falls, a small waterfall just off the side of the trail. From here the trail became single track and gently made its way up into a forest of emerald green. I noticed fallen blooms of yellow poplar on the ground and more wildflowers amongst the bright green foliage of the abundant fern covering the forest floor. We passed by the Pahaquarry Trail which leads to the top of Mount Tammany, another very popular hike in this area. The trail began to get more rocky the further on we hiked and I saw tiny flower buds starting to form on the mountain laurel. We then reached the Holly Springs connector trail that could take us back in a loop along the AT. We weren’t ready to turn back yet, so we decided to continue on Dunnfield Creek Trail to its termination at Sunfish Pond. The trail crossed the creek several times before making an ascent leading away from the water. Soon we arrived at Sunfish Pond, where we stopped for a snack and listened to the bullfrogs calling back and forth to one another. After our break, we made our way back on the A.T. Along the way we crossed paths with a large Eastern Black Rat Snake who was sprawled out along the trail. We passed by her slowly so as not to disturb her as she made her way back into the woods. We ended the day with about 9 miles. When we arrived back at the trailhead, the parking area was full. I can only imagine how packed it must be on a weekend. Nonetheless, this was a beautiful area and I would love to visit again.
We started our day with an early morning hike on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. We parked at the trailhead for Blue Mountain Lake and planned to hike to Hemlock Pond and then on to Crater Lake, a natural glacial lake left behind from the Wisconsin Glacier approximately 22,000 years ago. It was a beautiful spring morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing as we headed onto a wide, grassy path which was once a former road for a housing development. The easy trail took us along the northern side of Blue Mountain Lake offering lovely views along the way. At about 2.5 miles, the mostly hardwood forest became a green canopy of tall hemlocks. Soon we reached the shores of Hemlock Pond. The landscape here was incredibly picturesque. We spotted a milk snake sunning itself on the rocks and also noticed a den full of black snakes which if I had to guess were either water or rat snakes. After taking in the scenic landscape and the wildlife, we continued around Hemlock Pond until reaching the connector trail to Crater Lake. The trail made an ascent on a rocky, single track before reaching the Appalachian Trail where we found a vista point with some views. From here we began to circle around Crater Lake then followed a short spur trail down to the shores for a closer look. We then continued on the main path and found Lake Success on the southeast side. The banks of Lake Success were filled with fragrant Lily of the Valley. I know these are not native, but the aroma is amazing and they are also one of my favorite flowers. In the middle of the lake I spotted a beaver dam. As we continued the loop, we crossed the trailhead and parking area for Crater Lake. There were some inviting picnic tables here, so we decided to sit for a bit, have a snack and enjoy the peaceful setting before moving on. When we were ready, we got back on the trail and headed back towards Blue Mountain Lake. This time we hiked along the inner loop trail which took us directly to its peaceful southern shores. I couldn't believe there wasn’t any one here except for one lone fisherman who we had seen at the trailhead very early in the morning. It was such an amazing day. We ended up hiking a little over nine miles which always seems to go by so fast when there’s so much beautiful scenery.
I’m really loving the Delaware Water Gap. There are so many trails here to link together to make the most out of your day. I admit it’s been hard for me to find the challenges I had hiking out west, but I’m finding that there are some places, such as the DWG, where you can get a little climbing in and also link up trails to add some decent mileage. Today we hiked to Sunfish Pond, a 44-acre glacial lake located on the Kittatinny Ridge. It lies within the Worthing State Forest on the New Jersey side of the DWG. We took the steepest, shortest route up to the lake via the Garvey Springs Trail which has a respectable gain of 1,058’ in 1.2 miles. There’s a more gradual ascent up the Douglas Trail from the same trailhead, which we planned to take on the return. Laurel Falls is also a nice feature to see that’s right at the start of the Douglas Trail if you go up that way. It was a somewhat chilly morning, but the sun was out and the ascent got us warmed up fast. The trail leads through a hardwood forest, and I saw some patches of bluets (wildflowers) along the path. As we hiked, two wild turkeys crossed the trail up ahead. The trail became more and more rocky as we got closer to the top of the ridge. We leveled off for a short distance and Sunfish Pond came into view. Next, we made our way onto the Appalachian trail which runs along the western and northern shores of the lake. The trail here was mostly rock hopping large rocks and boulders with a few breaks in between. There were some campsites on the way to sit on a log and enjoy views of the serene lake. There were also some alcoves to climb the rocks out onto the water to get a closer view. I very much enjoyed the scenery here and hiking along the shores. On the western side of the lake there’s a stone monument and a plaque marking Sunfish Pond as a registered natural landmark. We continued following the AT as it moved away from the lake on a wider path that was much less rocky. We reached a backpacker campsite where there were several campers. We then connected to the Douglas Trail and began to descend. When we reached the junction with the Rockcores Trail, we decided to take it northeast and then connect back to the Garvey Springs Trail. The Rockcores Trail passes Laurel Falls on the drainage from Sunfish Pond. There was a steep use trail that made a beeline along the drainage, but I wanted to hike further so we kept on following Rockcores until linking back up with Garvey Springs. It was now about 11:30 am and as we approached the trailhead, I could see that parking was already at maximum capacity. I looked over at Laurel Falls and there were some hikers trying to climb on top of the waterfall. One of them slipped and fell, but luckily was okay. It always makes me wonder what makes people do the things they do. As we made our way to the car, someone was already asking for our parking spot. We packed up our gear and headed out. I had a really nice time on this hike. It had a little bit of a challenge and the lake was a beautiful early morning destination.
Today we decided to check out more of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. This time our plan was to explore some trails on the New Jersey side. We arrived at the trailhead off Old Mine Road which had recently reopened after being closed during the winter months. We geared up then made our way over to the map at the kiosk to formulate the day’s plan. We decided to hike the Copper Mine Trail up the west side of Kittatinny Mountain to the Appalachian Trail where we would follow it southwest along the ridge before looping back on the Kaiser Trail. We crossed the street and headed out on our adventure. Not far into the trail we reached a fork that took us to the first mine. I saw some stone ruins along the way before the first mine quickly came into view. It was fairly large and would have been easy to access, but it was blocked by a metal grate. I shined my headlamp inside to take a look and wondered how far back it went. The Pahaquarry Copper Mine is said to date back to the 1750s, but it was never successful due to the ore extracted being of too low concentration of copper. After checking out the first mine, we got back on the main trail which began an ascent along the ravine. We spotted the second mine nestled into the hillside up above the trail, and I climbed up to take a closer look. This mine was much smaller than the first, but it too was inaccessible. We then reached a wooden bridge crossing over the creek. Now the path narrowed and became much rockier. We climbed steeply along the ravine enjoying views of waterfalls flowing down the mountain. We came upon a spur trail leading down to the bottom of one of the accessible waterfalls so we decided to explore. Next, we got back on the main trail which moved away from the creek and into a forest of mixed hardwoods. We passed by blooming wildflowers and a vernal pool then crossed over another wooden bridge leading to a parking area. We checked the map, got our bearings and headed onto the Appalachian Trail. We climbed in elevation navigating over large boulders until reaching the top of the ridge where we had views of New Jersey on one side and Pennsylvania on the other. Soon we came to a vista point overlooking Lower Yards Creek Reservoir. Here, we met another hiker who also happened to be from California. We chatted about the mountains and shared stories about our hikes out west before continuing on our way. When we reached the Kaiser trail, it began to rain. We had to stop and put on our rain gear, but the rain didn’t last. The Kaiser Trail has two different spurs to link back to Copper Mine, so we opted to take the longer route to extend our day. We descended steeply enjoying the views of the Delaware River before finally connecting back to Copper Mine. Before heading home, we took a quick walk down to the shores of the river where I saw wildflowers of Trillium and Dutchman’s Breeches. It was a great day of hiking, and I’m looking forward to continuing to explore more of this section of the Delaware Water Gap.
This weekend I went back to Stoney Valley to find the old coal mining cemetery. I parked just off Gold Mine Road and began the 3.5 mile walk to the junction with the AT on the Stoney Valley Rail Trail. This time I detoured off the main trail and made my way down to the Evening Branch Beaver Swamp to get a better look at it. I saw some frogs, but no luck seeing any beavers. I walked back up to the rail bed and veered off again when I reached Sand Spring. Sand Spring is true to its name with its sandy waters flowing out of the mountainside. It was a lovely day and temps were in the low 60s, perfect for hiking. When I arrived in Rauch Gap, I headed south on the AT in search of the cemetery. It wasn’t too hard to find. There’s a junction off the AT with a sign. Last time I was here I just didn’t hike in far enough to see it. There are only three readable headstones left in the cemetery; however, there are 100s buried here. These old coal mining towns have such a fascinating history. I can only imagine what it must have looked like in the 1800s. Along the way back up to the AT, I veered off trail again to check out more ruins of the town. I found lots of old stone building foundations hidden away in the woods. Once back on the AT I decided to check out the water crossing at the Beaver Dam. There’s a diversion to get around it about 1.6 miles east on the Stoney Valley Rail Trail for thru hikers. On the way to the crossing, I saw another hiker who said she tried to cross the dam but was unsuccessful. It was obvious, because she was wringing out her clothes! When I reached the beaver dam, I could see what an ordeal it would be to try and cross. Lots of deep mud and not exactly a short crossing either. There were trees growing up out of its waters and all kinds of wildlife including a couple of otters. Beaver swamps are a very strange sight to see coming from California where everything is so dry. This isn’t something I’d see too often (if ever) along the west coast trails, but on the east cost wetlands seem to be quite common. The light here was amazing as it changed and reflected off the murky waters. I spent a good amount of time here walking around exploring my surroundings before heading back up to the AT where I found a couple of campsites. I stopped near the creek to have a snack and enjoy the peacefulness of the wilderness. It was a quiet day and it was a while before I saw any other people pass by. After the break, I went back up to the rail trail and up to the Summit Siding rail bed which I had visited last time I was here. I followed it further out this time until I got tired of hopping over boulders and trees. It was very overgrown. Since I was here, I went back down to see the bridge piers at Rauch Gap again before getting back on the main rail trail. There was one more trail I’d seen last time that I wanted to check out before heading back. I found the red blazed trees off the rail trail and got on the path. I followed it north until finding a sign on the ground that said “to upper rail trail”. I am guessing this would have taken me up to the original rail bed. This trail was even more over grown, so I decided to turn around and head back. It was a really great day. There is still much to see in this area, so I’m sure I’ll be back again.
I didn’t plan on a 10 mile hike today, but over the course of the day, that was my mileage total. It felt good to finally have a nice, long day out on the trail. I started my day at Swatara State Park parking at the Trout Run Trailhead and making my way over to the AT at Green Point. I began heading southbound in the direction of the Waterville Bridge. Along the way I passed a few geared up backpackers which really made me miss backpacking in California. I haven’t done any backpacking, camping or even any long day hikes since February when I was still on the west coast. I don’t know enough about Pennsylvania yet to find the more challenging trails, but I’m working on it. Today was all about exploring. I hiked the AT for a few miles. This section is very close to the 72 and there was quite a bit of traffic noise, but it was still very beautiful. But what I really wanted to see today was Rauch Gap, an old mining town from the 1800s. When I got back to the trailhead, I got back in the car and drove over to the parking area just off Gold Mine Road for the Stoney Valley Rail Trail in SGL 211 (St. Anthony’s Wilderness). Rauch Gap is about 3.5 miles in on the trail, and I knew there would be ruins to explore and also an old cemetery. It’s fun being back in Pennsylvania because when I was a kid, I used to love exploring all the old cemeteries. There are a lot of them here. The Stoney Valley Rail Trail is beautiful. It’s about 20 miles long and runs through three counties. Eastern Hemlocks tower above and shade the duration of this section of the hike. There were a lot of rocks and boulders on either side of the trail so I wonder if that’s how “Stoney Valley” got its name. On the north side of the trail at about .5 in is the Evening Branch Beaver Swamp. There’s a deer path that goes around the swamp, but I decided to save that adventure for another day and continue on my quest to Rauch Gap. When we got to the bridge, I went off trail to begin my quest for ruins. I love visiting places that have so much history, even if only their ruins exist. On the north side I found a use trail which took me up to what looked like it had been an old rail bed. When I got back home I did some research and found out that this was the original rail bed for Summit Siding. At the creek I found two large stone structures which apparently were the bridge piers. I travelled up the creek a bit further to find some small waterfalls and then decided to head back down to the opposite side and see what I could find there. The AT has a junction here and so I got on it and followed it for a ways. I found more ruins here and some deep holes with foundation dug into the ground that must have been some sort of buildings. I never did find the cemetery, but when I got home and did more research I found out it was still there, but I hadn’t gone far enough. So of course now I need to come back to complete my mission. And perhaps I’ll find more ruins along the way. There’s a lot to explore here. Especially if you’re into some cool history.
Today I wanted to hike some of the Appalachian Trail. I figured it would be a nice way to experience more of the terrain and try out the rock scrambles because that seems to be a common thing here. After I got on the road, I realized that I’d forgotten my camera. Ugh. So all of my photos were taken with my mobile phone.
I started this hike at the Fox Gap trailhead and did the Wolf Rocks Loop. The hike starts out mostly flat, but the terrain is rocky in most parts so you have to watch your step or you’ll stub your toe like I did about a million times.
The trail meanders through beautiful groves of fern and it looks like something out of a fairytale at times. There isn’t much elevation to gain until you reach the boulders where you’ll scramble your way up to the ridge to the overlook. Once on the ridge you’ll boulder hop your way across. You can pick any of the outcroppings to climb up and check out the views. I could see a little above the tree line and make out some of the area’s high points, one of which is called Pimple Hill, a summit in Monroe County that stands at 2,197’. What a funny name. We sat for a bit on the boulders and enjoyed the cool morning breeze before heading back. It was a fun early morning hike and we saw only a few people on this trail. I would like to come back to this trailhead and next time hike it northbound from Fox Gap towards the Delaware Watergap.
