Pennsylvania Hiking

Bear Creek Preserve, 7.9 Miles RT, 856' +/-, March 31, 2024

Bear Creek Preserve, 7.9 Miles RT, 856' +/-, March 31, 2024

The day started cold and damp. The kind of dampness that chills to the bone. It had rained the night before and sections of the trail were mud which is mostly to be expected this time of year. But we continued our hike, hoping to see the sun eventually. We hiked through hardwood forest until we descended to the creek. We crossed the bridge and hiked through rhododendron tunnels, hemlock, and white pine. The bridge to return that crosses over Shades Creek further south of where we started was washed away. But I remembered there was another bridge further up the trail and luckily that one was intact. Once on the other side, we hiked to my favorite rocks on the creek's edge and sat down. We got lucky and the sun broke through the clouds. We spent a while there lounging around and soaking it in before heading back in a loop to complete the day.

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Nescopeck State Park, Snow Hike, 3.55 Miles, Januar 21, 2023

Nescopeck State Park, Snow Hike, 3.55 Miles, Januar 21, 2023

The temperatures have been below freezing and there were two snow storms this past week. We drove to Nescopeck State Park with the intention of a snow hike or possibly snowshoeing. When we arrived at approximately 11:15 am, the winds were gusting at around 16 mph, and the temperature was 20 degrees. The wind made it feel colder then it was. I opted to hike with microspikes because I did not do a very good job of checking my snowshoes and realized they’d need some adjustments. The snow level was about 4 inches over ice and easy to walk. I recalled the last time we were here, the Creekside Trail had a lot of mud, roots, downed trees and a few of the bridges were out.

We began the hike walking along the southern shore of Lake Frances heading onto the Nescopeck Trail. It was bitter cold, but the sun was shining, the forest looked lovely, and I warmed up as we hiked. The wind gusts seemed to lessen as we got further into the woods.

Hiking along the Creekside Trail, I heard the ice crack under the snow. I suspected this would be the case remembering that the last time I visited, much of this trail was very muddy. We had to cross the frozen creek a few times to continue the loop because of the bridges that remained broken.

Nonetheless, the waters of Nescopeck Creek were sparkling in the sunlight and glistening snow. I could hear black-capped chickadee in the trees and the forest was beautiful in all its winter glory.

After crossing a bridge that looked to have been repaired, we got on the Fern Trail to continue the loop. This trail took us away from the creek and into hardwoods. We passed a few cross-country skiers enjoying the day.

We took the Hill Trail to the turtle pond on the eastern side of Lake Frances. We stopped to listen to the quite and enjoy the stillness of the winter day.

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A spring hike at Nothstein Preserve and Van Buskirk Farm Preserve, May 31, 2021

A spring hike at Nothstein Preserve and Van Buskirk Farm Preserve, May 31, 2021

Today we revisited both the Nothstein Preserve and the Van Buskirk Preserve, both of which we had hiked in March before the deciduous trees had gotten their leaves and the earth awakened from its winter slumber. We started the day at the Nothstein Preserve. As we began the hike on the now grassy path, it seemed like a completely different world. The brown tones were replaced with hues of green, and the trail once covered in snow was lined with fern and wildflowers. As I was walking and keeping my eye out for wildflowers, I came upon a Red Eft which is the juvenile stage of the Eastern Newt. We saw many of these along the trail today, as they are not hard to find due to their bright orange color. The Red Eft is poisonous to anything that eats it; therefore I assume this is the reason for it not having to camouflage itself. We followed the trail upward to the red rock quarry we had seen last time. Now the oaks and birch trees were filled with bright green leaves. The beautiful pitch pines stood tall showing off their prickly cones, but the views of the ridge beyond were now masked by the leaf covered trees. After exploring the quarry we made our way through a grove of pine where I spotted a Lady’s Slipper Orchid. The genus name of this orchid is “Cypripedium.” It comes from the Greek word Cypris which in Greek mythology is a reference to the Goddess Aphrodite. Pedilon means sandal, and the orchid’s labellum resembles a slipper; hence, the name “Lady’s Slipper”. It was a unique find and a very curious looking flower. Next, the trail took us over a bridge and over Cranberry Creek. I remembered this section from winter because everything here was covered in snow at that time. We followed the trail along the creek. It looked so beautiful with its many cascades flowing over the moss covered rocks, and its False Hellebore strewn banks. When we arrived back at the trailhead, it was still pretty early in the day. We decided to stop by the Van Buskirk Preserve which is just a few miles away. Here again, everything looked completely different covered in lush, green foliage. I remembered back in March, we had passed by a vernal pool full of singing wood frogs. This time, the pool was filled with tadpoles. I guess those frogs we heard in early spring were busy! As we hiked past the ruins of the old Van Buskirk Farm, I could smell the sweet fragrance of flowers from the Black Locust trees. By now the day was warming up and the sun was shining high in the sky. I made a plan to revisit some of the other preserves we had seen over the winter to experience them in a new season.

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Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Dingmans Falls, Hackers Falls, Cliff Trail, March 4, 2021

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Dingmans Falls, Hackers Falls, Cliff Trail, March 4, 2021

Today we headed out early to explore the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Our first stop was Dingmans Falls. This is a popular area with a beautiful boardwalk system that provides safe and easy access leading to two beautiful waterfalls. I was aware that this is a popular destination and can become quite busy, so we arrived just after sunrise. The road to the parking area at the Dingmans Visitor Center was closed (they close it during winter), so we parked in the lot just off the 209 and began a short mile walk down Dingmans Falls Road to the trailhead. The road itself was very scenic as it followed Dingmans Creek past tall pines. As we strolled along I saw a lot of downed trees which I later learned were caused by a violent storm in 2018. Soon we reached the Dingmans Falls Visitor Center where the smooth boardwalk trail begins. It crossed over Dingmans Creek and within just a short distance we were treated to a view of our first waterfall of the day, the 80 foot Silver Thread Falls. Silver Thread is tall, narrow and drops over the rocky cliffs in almost a perfectly straight line; hence the name “silver thread”. As we continued on the boardwalk we passed through large stands of rhododendron surrounding us on either side. It gave the trail a jungle-like feeling. In less than a mile we arrived at the majestic 130 foot Dingmans Falls. This waterfall is noted as being the second tallest in Pennsylvania; the tallest is Raymondskill Falls just a few miles up the road. The fast flowing waters tumbled down a gorge carved into exposed bedrock from the Devonian period 365-405 million years ago. We spent some time taking photos and enjoying the views before making our way up a steep wooden staircase to the top of the falls. The views from above were just as spectacular as below as the water spilled down the 130 foot vertical drop. After taking in the scenery and making sure to grab lots of photos, we decided it was time to start heading back so we could enjoy another trail while it was still early. We walked back to the parking area, hopped in the car and headed north on the 209 to the Hackers trailhead on Raymondskill Road where we planned to hike to Hackers Falls and the Cliff Trail. The Hackers trail began on a gravel path leading uphill. As it leveled off we were taken on a pleasant walk through an inviting hemlock forest. We then reached the junction for the waterfall and descended steeply. As we continued to follow the trail, I could hear Raymondskill Creek off in the distance. Soon we were hiking above and parallel to the creek. Within about a mile we reached Hackers Falls. This waterfall was steep but short and shaped like a feather fan. We spent some time taking photos, studying the rocks and enjoying the small but mighty waterfall before making a gentle ascent back up the Hackers trail through more hemlocks and mixed hardwoods. Next, we reached a junction for the Buchanan trail which ran north along a power line. We passed by an abandoned building and a dilapidated trailer home just before reaching a pond. When we arrived at the junction for the Cliff Trail, it was closed due to nesting Peregrine Falcons. We backtracked onto the Hackers Trail to access the Cliff Trail from the opposite direction. This section was open so we followed the trail to the first vista. From here I could see the Delaware River and across to New Jersey. We continued along the Cliff Trail as it travelled along the Raymondskill Ridge offering sweeping views along the way. Several vultures soared at eye-level as we hiked. It was a beautiful sunny day and by the time we reached the parking area, it was already full with people coming out to enjoy this perfect spring day.

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Nothstein Preserve, Exploring Cranberry Creek and Red Rock Quarry, March 14, 2021

Nothstein Preserve, Exploring Cranberry Creek and Red Rock Quarry, March 14, 2021

I’m finding some really great nature preserves here in the Keystone state. This past Saturday we ventured off to explore the Nothstein Preserve located in Paradise Township in Monroe County. The hike took us through a variety of different terrain, along the ravine of Cranberry Creek and up to a red rock quarry with views extending from east to west across the ridge to the surrounding preserves. We started at the trailhead off Cranberry Creek Road and headed north on a wide path in a counter clockwise direction. The forest was mostly hardwood dappled with tall hemlock trees. Immediately my ears were filled with the pleasant harmony of morning birdsong. We passed by marshes, bogs and small tributaries until we reached a primitive bridge crossing over the pristine waters of Cranberry Creek. We took a moment to branch off and explore its banks and the surrounding feeder creeks before continuing on a single track where we began to ascend gently upward. The trail reached an intersection where we turned northwest. I spotted some train tracks above us running parallel to our path. We made several primitive creek crossings over the crystal clear waters flowing down the mountain and over thick, bright green moss. Now the trail began to descend southwest. The forest became dense with hemlock, and I could hear the sound of rushing water flowing just beyond the trees. The path opened up to reveal another bridge crossing over the fast moving Cranberry Creek. Lined with rhododendron just beyond the bridge, the terrain became a snow covered single track leading us upward above the ravine. We made our way up the trail being careful on the icy patches of snow until reaching a vista of the beautiful cascading waters below. I made sure to get some photos from above, but I wanted to take a closer look. We then backtracked and made our way to a section of trail following along the edge creek where we could enjoy a closer perspective of the sights and sounds of the waterfalls and tumbling cascades. Eventually, we backtracked crossing over the bridge once again and up through the hard packed snow back to the top of the ravine. Soon, the trail began to move away from the creek and the forest became even more dense with tall stands of hemlock and oak. We crossed over more small tributaries being careful not to slip on the moss covered rocks. I’m not sure if it was the tall stands of pine or the way the sunlight was shining through, but this section of trail reminded me a little bit of my beloved Angeles National Forest. It was another lovely section of trail. The path widened again and took us under a canopy of pine. The trail became a bed of soft pine needles beneath our feet. As we travelled up the slope we were led to an old stone red rock quarry. Two large ravens suddenly emerged from the trees and soared across the blue sky above. Again, I felt at home as I was reminded of my life in California where there were always ravens to accompany me along my hikes in the higher elevations. As we traversed along the edge of the quarry, we were treated with sweeping views across the gorge and the ridge beyond. I was awe struck at how a place so beautiful can be so close to civilization. We spent some time exploring around the quarry before moving on, back into the hardwoods and finally looping back down to the woodland path on which we started. It was an absolutely amazing day and a beautiful preserve full of wild, natural beauty to explore and admire.

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Hickory Run State Park, Hawk Falls, Orchard Trail, Mud Run, March 6, 2021

Hickory Run State Park, Hawk Falls, Orchard Trail, Mud Run, March 6, 2021

Today our adventures took us to Hickory Run State Park. The last time we were here it was fall when the leaves were showing off their vibrant autumn colors. I was excited to see how it was going to look in winter covered in snow. We got an early start so we could avoid the crowds. This area has become quite popular over the years, and can be very overcrowded on weekends. The parking area for Hawk Falls off route 534 was empty when we arrived. We parked the car, geared up in our microspikes and made our way onto the icy trail. Light snow showers began just as we started the hike. The trail was packed down into a hard sheet of ice. But the path was wide and not very steep, so it was safe to travel with just light traction. A foot bridge crossed over Hawk Run, and we continued past steep rock walls lined in hemlock and rhododendron. We followed a short use trail to a rock outcropping that gave us a nice view of the top of the falls tumbling down the side of the rocky ledge. It looked so beautiful as soft white snowflakes fell from the sky. In just a short .6 miles we arrived at the bottom where the 25 foot Hawk Falls plunged into a clear pool of cascades. We spent some time here enjoying the magnificence of this natural waterfall. Near the falls, we noticed some ice formations along the high cliff walls and decided to explore them. The moss covered ledges and large icicles dripped with melting water. We then got back on the trail and followed along Mud Run until we reached the junction for the Orchard Trail. We turned east and made an ascent up a hill and onto a ridge with nice views that continued through a hardwood forest. Eventually, the trail dropped us down again on some switchbacks into a windy thicket of rhododendron. It led us to a large rock outcrop just above Mud Run where spectacular cascades tumbled over large rocks and boulders. There were many use trails branching off to offer closer views of the beautiful water flow. The trail then turned northeast and we started to ascend moving away from the creek. Now higher above Mud Run the trail was a mix of patchy snow and muddy pools of water flowing down the mountain. Our waterproof boots came in handy here. Eventually, the trail looped west and back into the hardwoods where it was mostly snow. We closed the lollipop loop and made our way back over the ridge and down to the Hawk Falls trail to return the way we came. By this time many people were starting to arrive. We saw several large groups slipping and sliding on the ice attempting to make their way to the falls on the icy trail. When we arrived back at the parking area, there were at least 20+ cars with more lining up to get a spot. I was grateful to have been able to enjoy a quiet morning in solitude along this beautiful trail.

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