I recently learned about Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary which is located not far from where I live. I’ve been doing short hikes and nature walks early in the mornings and sticking close to home because it’s been too hot and humid this summer to do any long mileage or strenuous hiking. This was my first time visiting the sanctuary which is part of Natural Lands, a non-profit organization preserving open space in Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Mariton is absolutely lovely. It sits on top of Bougher Hill and overlooks the Delaware River. There is a small trail system that took me through the woods and along the slopes of Bougher Hill to the River Lookout which on a clear day may have provided views of the Delaware Canal below. The woods were thick with morning mist and being the first on the trails so early in the morning I was breaking through spider silk from the previous evening. The forest was so still and quiet. The kind of quiet that almost hurts your ears. Who knew such a place existed so close to home! I kept my walk short today and didn’t bother to record any mileage. I simply enjoyed the scenery and took these wonderful photos. I will most definitely be back to do more exploring.
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.
