Pennsylvania Outdoors

Worlds End State Park, Loyalsock State Forest, Canyon Vista Trail, 5 Miles RT, 780' +/-, May 18, 2024

May 18, 2024

This was our first Pennsylvania camping trip. It had been a long time, and I think the last time we used our overnight gear may have been when we backpacked the Mt. Whitney trail in the Eastern Sierra. I was excited to experience an overnight in the woods. Our previous overnights were high up in the mountains of California, a completely different experience. But I enjoy the woods and the quiet of the forest. I find being surrounded by lush green forest and birdsong very relaxing. The Wood Thrush and Ovenbirds are back for the season. They are my favorite sounds to hear while hiking through the dense woods.

We planned a night at the campground in Worlds End State Park. The camping here is much more modern than what I’m used to. There are modern bathrooms and even showers. I feel like I could get used to this. We chose one of the “walk-in” campsites. The walk isn’t far from the car but set back enough not to be right on the edge of the road that loops through the campground. We had a picnic table, fire ring, and there was even a tent pad with mulch.

When we arrived in the morning around 11:30 am, we stopped at the visitors’ center. We picked up a map and chatted with a very helpful woman at the center who showed us exactly where our tent site was and recommended some hikes. I’d already done my homework and knew I wanted to start with the Canyon Vista Trail which was the hike she recommended.

We left the center and parked at the campground heading towards Loyalsock Creek to begin the loop in a northeast direction. The first part of the loop took us around Loyalsock Creek just off the side of Route 154 across from the campground. There were fishermen here and the creek looked very pretty. The trail eventually crossed over the 154 and began to ascend switchbacks into a forest of hardwood and fern. Light rain fell off and on, but the temperature was warm. The forest looks like green technicolor in the rain. The trail met up with the Cold Run extension trail loop and we took a short side adventure to explore the impressive boulder formations that made me feel as though I was in Jurassic Park. I wondered how many millions or possibly billions of years old this geology was. We could have hiked the Cold Run loop and added another mile and a half, but with the weather being unpredictable, we opted to stay on the Canyon Vista trail and explore Cold Run another day. The forest had a heavy mist of fog lying low all around us. It was beautiful. When we made it to the top of the trail, there was a viewpoint overlooking Loyalsock Canyon. This is the most expansive forested area I have seen since being in Pennsylvania. Most of the views I have experienced in this state have been blocked by trees or they overlook farms or freeways. It’s been difficult adjusting to the lack of wild spaces like I was used to coming from out West, but Loyalsock was an exception. And while the mountains are not high peaks, the name of this range “Endless Mountains” was fitting. The vista is accessible by car and you can drive up from Mineral Springs Road if you don’t want to hike it. It is also ADA-accessible. After enjoying some time at the vista, we made our way back to camp, got a fire going and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

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Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Dunnfield Creek Natural Area, Sunfish Pond, Appalachian Trail, May 24, 2021

June 02, 2021

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.

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Ricketts Glen State Park, Falls Trail Loop, 9.6 Miles RT, 1,122' +/-, April 19, 2021

April 26, 2021

Ricketts Glen State park is home to the Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark in Pennsylvania. The Falls Trail system that we hiked today consists of 21 incredible waterfalls that flow between steep, narrow valleys known as glens. The tallest waterfall on the circuit, Ganoga, is 94’ impressive feet. Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the most scenic hikes in Pennsylvania. It’s named after Colonel R. Bruce Ricketts who bought land in northeastern Pennsylvania for timbering. When fishermen exploring Kitchen Creek found that there were waterfalls flowing through the deep gorges, Colonel Ricketts spared the land. He hired six men to build the trail system in what is now known as the Glens Natural Area and the project was completed in just four years. Each of the 21 waterfalls has a name. Colonel Ricketts named them after American Indian tribes and also his friends and family.

We began our hike at the trailhead off the 118. From here we had a pleasant walk along Kitchen Creek on a flat path before reaching a junction for the lower and upper trails. The lower trail was marked as difficult, and the upper trail was marked as moderate. Of course we opted for the lower, more difficult path. Both trails meet back up again at waters meet before the beginning of the Falls Trail Loop. The lower trail hugged the creekside going up and down muddy, slippery terrain. It wasn’t particularly difficult, but we had to watch our footing. Soon, we started to see the waterfalls. There are three falls before you reach waters meet: Murray Reynolds, 16’, Sheldon Reynolds, 36’ and Harrison Wright, 27’. All three were absolutely beautiful. When we reached the junction at waters meet, we opted to hike up the Glen Lehigh side first. There are eight waterfalls on this side ranging from 15 to 60 feet. We made our way up the steep rocky gorge crossing over bridges that took us right up and over the top of the falls. It was a spectacular trail which varied between flat, rocky sections along the creek and steep climbs up rocky steps. We stopped at each fall to take photos and spent time enjoying the uniqueness of each waterfall. Once we completed the traverse up the Glen Leigh side, we got on the Highland Trail heading west. The Highland trail would take us to the Ganoga Glen side to see the next set of falls. The Highland Trail was mostly flat, quiet and very peaceful. It took us through a beautiful forest of pine and along the trail I noticed a wooden bench for sitting and taking in the serenity of the forest. About half way through this section of trail, we reached some giant rock formations and passed through two large boulders called the Midway Crevasse. Soon, I began to hear the sound of rushing water again which meant we were coming up on the next set of falls. We crossed over a bridge and were soon making our way down the gorge on the Ganoga Glen side. The rocky steps were muddy and slippery. We had to take extra care coming down the steep sections, as I think it’s harder coming down then it is going up because it’s easier to slip. We passed by three lovely falls before reaching Ganoga, the 94’ waterfall. It was absolutely stunning. As we continued down the Ganoga Glen side, we began to see more people coming out to enjoy the trail. At this point I sort of lost track of which waterfall we were passing and I was spending more time looking at the smaller details like the Trillium blooming alongside the trail, the green fern and bright moss growing above the gorge. There is so much to take in on this trail besides the just waterfalls. When we reached the junction for the upper and lower trails, we decided to take the upper trail for a change in scenery. The trail was an easy flat path that travelled high above Kitchen Creek. Along this trail I saw more blooming Trillium. By now it was early afternoon and the sun had started to come out. The weather up until this point had been cloudy and we even had a light sprinkle of rain. When we reached the final mile that would take us back to the trailhead, I noticed some blooming Trout Lily. It was a wonderful day and Ricketts Glen Natural Area is a really special place.

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Targa Falls, Red Rock Trail to Mt. Sophia, March 15, 2021

March 18, 2021

The first stop on our Sunday adventure was Targa Falls, a natural waterfall found on the Broadhead Creek. The waterfall is easily accessible from a parking area just off the 447, or you can hike to it from the Paradise Price Preserve. I wanted to see and photograph it in the very early morning sunshine, so we chose the easy drive up access for today. Someday I plan to return to hike in from the west side of the preserve. We parked the car and as I stepped out I could hear the loud rushing waters. Just a few steps more and there it was, this incredible flowing creek roaring past me over large, rocky boulders. The early morning sunlight danced on the white foaming rapids, and the tall hemlocks swayed in the breeze on the banks. It was a beautiful sight just a stone’s throw away from the road. At that moment I honestly felt a little guilty having such a natural wonder within such easy reach. Being used to the rugged mountains of Southern California, I’m not used to having this kind of quick and easy access to something so beautiful as a roaring waterfall. I got my hiking legs out west where you have to earn your views by trekking miles into the wilderness and climbing to precarious mountain tops to view such spectacular places; no cell service, no wifi and only your two legs to rely on to get you there and back. Pennsylvanian’s are so very lucky in this respect.

After enjoying the waterfalls, we hopped back in the car and headed to the trailhead for the Red Rock Loop and Mt. Sophia. The Red Rock Trail is part of the Mount Airy Trail Network and sits on lands protected by a conservation easement held by Paradise Township. At the trailhead there’s a helpful map laying out the topography of the hike, and the trail begins just beyond the kiosk. It starts out on a gravel path leading up stone steps. Right away I noticed the beautiful oak trees and not far into the trail we arrived at a vernal pool. I imagined it would soon be filled with salamanders, wood frogs and other critters. The trails here seemed to be very well kept (save for some downed trees), and they were so pleasant to walk on. So much so that I forgot how rocky the Pennsylvania terrain usually is. We soon arrived at a well-marked junction for the Red Rock Loop and decided to continue northwest directly towards the junction for the top of Mt. Sophia. Along the trail there were large stands of mountain laurel which I am so excited to see bloom in late spring and early summer. This will be my first spring on the east coast in over 20 years. Soon the trail became covered with patches of icy snow and we reached the junction for Mt. Sophia. The trail took us up gently graded switchbacks and as we continued upward, there were helpful wooden steps peeking out from underneath the snow. As we approached the summit, an impressive forest of large pine and hemlock came into view. The sunlight radiated through the majestic trees. I spent some time exploring the summit and the views. From here I could make out the ski runs on Camelback Mountain to the south and more views to the north. We followed the trail a little further as it looped us around in a circle with a convenient “Exit” sign pointing back to the direction in which we came. We took our time hiking down enjoying the views through the beautiful pines and the sunshine. We then arrived at a junction for Red Rock Spur #1. It led us to the site of an old car from the 50s that was flipped upside down and settled into a ditch. It made me wonder what its story was and how it even got up there. There were some old logs that looked like they’d make a perfect place to sit down and enjoy the fresh mountain air, so we sat down and took a break. It was a windy day and I was enjoying listening to that groaning, creaky sound the trees make when they sway against each other in the wind. After our break, we continued along the trail and the winds started kicking up even more. We reached a junction for Red Rock Spur #2 (another outer loop) and began a gentle ascent. We passed by some interesting rock formations before noticing a vintage car graveyard nestled below us, deep in the woods. Had this been summer, we would have never even seen it since the trees would have concealed it with their leaves. We decided to move in closer to explore. There were three rusty cars who had clearly been here for a long time; their final resting place nestled into the forest. We took some photos and then got back on route, enjoying more views to the south as we hiked. The trail made its way down some lovely switchbacks until finally we were back at the junction for the Red Rock Trail on which we had started. This was a wonderful day hike. I really enjoyed my time here and again, it felt like wilderness even though we were so close to civilization. I’d like to come back again and explore more of the spurs and see it when the mountain laurel is in full bloom.

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