So somehow I put the wrong address into the GPS and we ended up at Lehigh Gorge State Park. Well, it wasn’t a big deal. We’d been here before and instead of a hike we got a flat walk along the D&L trail to both Luke’s Falls and Buttermilk Falls. Best part was, no one was here. I think this area out of the Rockport access gets pretty busy in the summer months. I’ve only ever been here in the winter. Today was another warm-ish day with rain and fog. The river was moving pretty fast too. Enjoyed the exercise and the scenery.
My husband and I ventured out Sunday morning to check out the Rockport Area of Lehigh Gorge State Park. I’ve not seen much of the Lehigh Gorge besides the Bald Mountain Loop which we’d hiked last year and really enjoyed. We decided to check out a more popular area of the gorge and take a short walk on the D&L Trail to see Buttermilk Falls. I’m not much for hiking popular or crowded hikes, but I decided to step out of my comfort zone and give it a go. Getting to the falls is an easy walk on a flat gravel surface. From the parking area, the trail takes you upstream to the beautiful, 50 foot waterfall in less then half a mile. I’ve never had a hike to a waterfall be this easy! The forecast had been calling for snow, but not until later that afternoon. As we drove to the gorge, we were in and out of snow showers, but nothing too significant yet. When we arrived at the trailhead, it had started to snow very lightly. I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was only one other car parked in the lot at this very popular destination. I guess we were the only crazy people out braving the potential weather that was yet to come. We made our way down to the D&L Trail that would take us to the waterfall. The gorge was so still and peaceful. That kind of stillness you only get to experience in the middle of a forest just before a snowfall when no one else is around. I could hear the whispers of falling snowflakes as we walked silently along the trail. The fast moving waters of the Lehigh River below us carried large chunks of ice downstream. As we walked I was mesmerized by the towering walls of the gorge which were adorned with icicles. They looked like gigantic swords protecting its high cliff walls. We continued onward being very careful not to slip on the ice that was hidden by a dusting of snow. In no time we arrived at the waterfall. Its icy cold waters tumbled down a 50 foot rocky ledge into a crystal clear pool below. Surrounded by snow and ice, it looked incredibly beautiful, especially with the snow that was falling. By this time it was starting to snow more heavily so after taking it all in, we made our way back to the car and were soon on our way back home to enjoy a nice, hot cup of coffee. It was an easy day, but well worth it to see so much beauty in just a quick walk.
Today we spent the day exploring the Bald Mountain tract of Lehigh Gorge State Park near Rockport. Bald Mountain looked interesting to me because the access point isn’t located near any of the popular areas of the park. We found the turn off to the trailhead which wasn’t signed and if you blinked, you’d miss it. We parked the car and right away I heard the clack, clack, clack of the ravens above. I knew it was going to be a good hike. I have such a soft spot for these birds. They remind me of my hikes in California because they were always around when I was hiking in the higher elevations. We began the trek near Indian Run and crossed over the bridge which lead us into a beautiful forest of pitch pine and hemlock. The wide trail headed east with a steady incline up to the top of Penn Haven Mountain with the Lehigh River flanking us to the north, east and south. There was a junction here and signage for the Bald Mountain Loop. We followed the trail northeast in a clockwise direction being careful not to slip on the ice that was hidden under a thin layer of snow. It was about 30 degrees with about a 12 mph wind which made it seem much colder then it was. The loop dropped us down in elevation and eventually gave us a nice climb back up. It was a beautiful section of trail, although there was a lot of water we had to navigate around in addition to the ice. Once back at the top we found signage for the Vista Trail. The trail narrowed and lead us out to the rocky south facing cliff side of Bald Mountain. Here we had nice view down into the deep gorge and across to Scrub Mountain. We sat for a bit in the sun to warm up, but even in the sun it was still quite chilly. As we made our way back, the winds continued and we kept moving. The afternoon sunlight coming through the trees was absolutely gorgeous! I really enjoyed this hike. It was such a beautiful day despite the wind and I will definitely be back to explore more of this beautiful area.
