Sunday, October 18, 2015

Paradise Price Preserve, PA


ABOUT THE PARK:
Paradise Price Preserve - Brodhead Watershed

DIRECTIONS:
Parking Area 1 - GPS Coordinates 41.13244, -75.26350
Parking Area 1 as indicated on map.
Parking Area 2 - GPS Coordinates 41.12750, 75.23099
Forgot to take a picture but it is off of Route 447 with a small parking lot at a picnic pavillion.

TRAIL MAP:
Paradise Price Preserve Trail Map Pamphlet - Brodhead Watershed
Paradise-Price Preserve, PA at EveryTrail

HIKE DISTANCE:  4.9 miles
Hiked together with Mt. Wismer and Gravel Family Nature Preserves (15 minutes away) - 2.7 miles

THE HIKE:
Parking Area 2 was a straight shot south from the Mt. Wismer hike so that is where I stopped first.  I had hoped, since this is shown as a parking area on the trail map, that there would be a connection to the trails on the other side of Brodhead Creek but there is not.  Unless you want to ford over, and I did not on a 30 degree day, the trail, although quite scenic, is only .1 mile long.
Brodhead Creek
Brodhead Falls
The .1 mile long trail.
So then, off to Parking Area 1 to see if I could reach the other side of the creek coming in that way since I had intended to hike those trails had I been able to get across.
We started on the woods road beyond the yellow gate.
This is one of those chunky rock woods road and it runs parallel to railroad tracks, separated by trees.
I intended to do this loop going by the falls (far right on the map at Parking Area 2) from the other side so I turned right.
That plan soon failed when the trail became overgrown and fizzled out.  Back the other way.
So far so good.
Ugh.  Have I mentioned lately how much I despise helium balloons?  I find them on almost every hike and pack them out when I can reach them.  This one was packed out.
After this fire pit ...
The trail becomes less defined again.  We managed to follow and get through for a while.
But at this point and after pulling 6 ticks off of Shawnee, decided to turn back.
Heading back.
Back at the parking lot, turned right after the gate then right again at a trail with a large boulder...
... and followed that grassy woods road ...
... to the glacial boulder.
Retracing back.


10 comments:

  1. Beautiful photos, and it's a pleasure to see Shawnee still going strong.

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    1. Thanks, Bill. I am always painfully aware that any hike could be her last at this point but she just keeps chugging along and each hike with her is a bonus.

      Daniela

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  2. Really nice pictures. Glad to see Shawnee. Thanks for sharing! Joanne

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  3. The ticks have been insane the past few weeks. I didn't have any trouble all summer and in North jersey it's suddenly insane! Ps love your blog from another hiker with 2 gsds :) one is 8 and I worry one day she won't keep up but your Shawnee gives me hope!

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  4. The ticks have been insane the past few weeks. I didn't have any trouble all summer and in North jersey it's suddenly insane! Ps love your blog from another hiker with 2 gsds :) one is 8 and I worry one day she won't keep up but your Shawnee gives me hope!

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    1. Thanks! Just remember that if your GSD starts having mobility issues with arthritis, I highly recommend Adequan injections. Doesn't work for all dogs but it worked miracles for Shawnee and it is why she is still hiking today, comfortably up to 8 miles but can manage 10 if a hike turns out longer than expected.

      Daniela

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  5. Awesome blog and hikes, Swanee always seem so happy! I hope her surgery went well. I'm planing to do this hike soon, maybe I'll bring the snowshoes if the winter ever comes. When you turned around the first time (wetlands I'm guessing), did the trail seem to continue on the other side? My goal is to find what looks like a lookout spot on the other side of the swap. Also, after the fire pit, did you see the any other trails going south? Seems you stayed more north. Thanks again for the blog and all the work you do to keep the trails clean. Great Holidays to both of you.

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    1. Thank you, Jerry! I never actually turned around because of wetlands rather because the trail became so overgrown and hard to follow. Maybe now that it is winter it might be easier going. I do believe there was another trail going more south but I was trying to hook up to where I was at the waterfalls so I was staying more north. Happy Holidays to you, too!

      Daniela

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  6. Hi Daniela and Shawnee,
    This winter hasn't been kind to my snowshoeing dreams but me and my wife finally attempted this hike yesterday (without snowshoes). We more or less took the same route as you and I'm glad to report that the trail is not only mylar-balloon-free, but also seem to have had some cleanup work done lately. We turned around before we go to the waterfall but had no problem following it to the top of the valley and had a nice picknick with a pretty view of the Broadhead creek valley. Thank you for the inspiration and all the cleanup work, we try to do the same.
    Happy trails,

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    1. Sounds like you had a good hike even with no snowshoes!

      Daniela

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