Sunday, August 8, 2010

Copper Mines/Raccoon Ridge/Sunfish Pond, Delaware Water Gap NRA & Worthington State Forest, NJ


ABOUT THE PARK:
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - NJ Hikes/Coppermines
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection - Worthington State Forest

TRAIL MAP: NY/NJ Trail Conference Southern Kittatinny Trails Map #120

DIRECTIONS:
I-80 to New Jersey exit 1, north on Old Mine Road for 7.5 miles to Coppermines parking on left. GPS coordinates to parking area: 41.03738, -75.02915

HIKE DISTANCE:
Coppermines to Kaiser Road Loop: 6.2 miles
Coppermines to Raccoon Ridge and back to Kaiser Road: 8.2 miles
Coppermines to Raccoon Ridge to Sunfish Pond and back: 11.3 miles
Coppermines to Raccoon Ridge around Sunfish Pond and back: 12.5 miles

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
This hike description and mileage is for the 11.3 mile hike. The hike starts out at the red-blazed Coppermines trail which begins directly across Mine Road from the parking lot. Keep right at the fork that you come to early on. (The left trail goes to a lower mine from which you will need to backtrack.) The red-blazed Copper Mines trail involves a steep uphill climb but it's so pretty you don't realize just how much climbing you are doing. I have found it to be the best in April when the waterfalls are really flowing. The water was just a little trickle this time of year in August. Click here for April pictures of the Coppermines Trail.

The Coppermines Trail terminates at the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. Turn right and follow the white-blazed Appalachian Trail. You will soon see some views to the east.



At 3.9 miles you will pass the Kaiser Road trail on your right. Turn right here if you want the 6.2 mile hike, otherwise continue straight ahead following the white-blazed trail.


At about 4.5 miles you will leave the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and enter Worthington State Forest. Soon thereafter there will be views of the Delaware River to the west.


Views to the east and west will open up more as you approach Raccoon Ridge indicated by a huge rock cairn in the center of the ridge.





North view of the Kittatinny Mountains:


For the 8.2 mile hike, turn around here following the Kaiser Road directions below, otherwise continue south along the white-blazed trail to Sunfish Pond.

Arrive at Sunfish Pond at 6.4 miles. Take the turquoise trail to the left for a short distance to a rocky area overlooking the pond.



On this particular day, this was as far as we could go due trail closures resulting from a forest fire at the south end of Sunfish Pond. Click here for fire report.


The Appalachian Trail along with the Turquoise trail and a woods road form a loop around the lake for the 12.5 mile hike.

Head back passing over Raccoon Ridge into the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area at 8.5 miles to the junction of the Kaiser Road trail at 9 miles.


At 10 miles you have the option of taking a short spur trail back over to the red-blazed Copper Mines Trail where you would turn left to return to the parking lot.


Or continue on the blue-on-white blazed Kaiser Road trail to the second spur trail at 10.6 miles. Turn right on the spur trail and arrive back at the Coppermines trail at 11.1 miles, turn left and arrive at the parking lot at 11.3 miles.

Monday, August 2, 2010

North-South Lake/Escarpment Trail, Catskill Forest Preserve, NY


ABOUT THE PARK: North-South Lake, New York State DEC

TRAIL MAP: NY/NJ Trail Conference Northeastern Catskills Trails Map #141

DIRECTIONS:
NY State Thruway exit 20 (Saugerties); 32 North for 6 miles; left on 32A for 1.9 miles; left on 23A into Haines Falls, right on North Lake Road (Rt. 18) for 2 miles, just before the North-South Lake campground entrance, turn right on Scutt Road (sometimes shown as Schutt Road) to parking on right. GPS coordinates to parking lot: 42.20004, -74.05873

HIKE DISTANCE: 10.3 miles

HIKE DIRECTIONS: The first 8 miles of this hike follow the blue-blazed Escarpment Trail. Trails are well-defined, well-blazed and there is detailed signage at all intersections.



At 1.2 miles arrive at the Frank Layman memorial:


The trail now makes a sharp left and soon passes several views.



At 1.8 miles arrive at Sunset Rock and shortly thereafter Inspiration Point:



At 3.8 miles arrive at Split Rock:


At 4.0 miles, Boulder Rock. If you continue on the unmarked trail at Boulder Rock, you will come out at better viewing spots that should also be less crowded. It did not look like the unmarked trail would meet back up with the Escarpment Trail so you will need to backtrack to continue on.



At Boulder Rock as well as other places along the hike, you will find engravings in the stone dating back to the mid 1800's:

There will most likely be many other people over the next couple of miles as these areas are easily accessible from the campground.

Next arrive at the site of the former Catskill Mountain House. Make note of where you enter the field by the information board as the continuation of the Escarpment Trail is to the left of the trail you come to the field on. (There are several other unmarked trails leading from the field.)
View From The Mountain House by W.H. Bartlett, 1836:

2010:


From Catskill Mountain House, continue on the blue-blazed Escarpment Trail to North-South Lake. When you reach the parking lot, the trail continues straight ahead but if you make a short side trip to the right, you will see where the Otis Elevating Railway used to be.
Otis Elevating Railway in 1904 from the bottom up:


2010 from the top looking down:


At 5.3 miles arrive at Artist Rock. You can see 4 other states from this point - Massachusetts and Connecticut straight ahead, Vermont and New Hampshire to the left.


At 5.8 miles turn right on the yellow-blazed trail for a short out and back to Lookout Rock and Sunset Rock:

After returning to the blue-blazed Escarpment trails there should be fewer people as you will be moving farther away from the campgrounds.

Continue on the blue-blazed Escarpment trail to Newman's Ledge at 6.4 miles:


At 7.0 miles, arrive at Badman Cave which was supposedly a hideout for outlaws:


At 7.7 arrive at the intersection of the red-blazed Mary's Glen Trail. This is the trail to take back to the parking lot but .25 miles further along the blue-blazed trail is North Point which offers the best views. There are, however, a few steep vertical uphill scrambles and if you are hiking with a dog, it will be challenging to get the dog up the trail at a couple of points along the way. We managed but it was not easy.


If you went on to North Point, retrace your steps and turn right on the red-blazed Mary's Glen Trail.

At 9.0 miles, turn right on the yellow-blazed trail at this sign:

Although the sign says Haines Falls Road, that is the same as North Lake Road so it is the correct trail.

At the road, turn left and walk briefly to Scutt Road, turn right on Scutt Road then 200 feet back to the parking lot on the right.

Monday, July 19, 2010

Slide Mountain and Giant Ledge, Catskill Forest Preserve, NY


ABOUT THE PARK: Slide Mountain Wilderness - New York State DEC

TRAIL MAP: NY/NJ Trail Conference Southern Catskills Trails Map 143

DIRECTIONS: NY State Thruway I-87 to exit 19 (Kingston). West on Route 28 for about 30 miles, left on County Road 47. At the hairpin turn make note of the parking area for Giant Ledge on the right if you want to hike that afterwards. About 2 miles beyond the hairpin turn, the Slide Mountain Parking area is on the left. Porta potties are in both lots. The drive was about 2 1/2 hours from Central New Jersey.

HIKE DISTANCES:
Slide Mountain (highest peak in the Catskills at 4,180 feet): 6.8 miles
Giant Ledge: 3.2 miles

HIKE DIRECTIONS: For the Slide Mountain hike, followed the NY/NJ Trail Conference directions which I highly recommend. It is longer than the direct route but much more interesting and pretty. The direct route, which the rest of the world takes (so you will run into more people), is pretty boring. It's OK for the return trip but going out, I would go as follows:

Start on the yellow trail from the parking lot:




At .7 miles at the intersection which says to take the red trail to Slide Mountain, keep straight on the yellow trail. (You will be coming back on the red trail - that is the more heavily traveled, more boring trail.)


At the next intersection at 1.5 miles, turn left on the blue trail: (This is the reverse side of the sign, not what you see in the direction you would be heading.)


At the beginning of the trail you will see a monument to the left which commemorates Bill Curtis and Allen Ormsbee, hikers who died on Mount Washington, NH in an ice storm in 1900. The blue trail is named after them.


There will be some rock scrambles but nothing overly difficult.


And you will go through fragrant and cool spruce-fir forests.


Just before the 3,500 foot elevation sign, there will be a scenic overlook to the left.




A little farther up the trail on the right are more views but they seem to be more obstructed by foliage in the summer:


Just after 3 miles there is a fork in the trail. Keep left; the right trail goes to a camping spot. Shortly thereafter at the intersection, turn right on the red trail. This intersection was not clearly marked like the others and I did not notice any red markers all the way to the summit although I did see some on the return trip going the other way.

At about 4 miles you will come to a scenic overlook on the left. I found this to be the best place for views along the entire route. Views at the summit at not that good.



A short distance ahead is an old fire tower footing which is supposed to be the summit although it looks like there are some higher areas around it.


A little farther ahead is a huge rock with views at the top. Follow the trail around to the right of the large rock to find the plaque in memory of John Burroughs.


Here is a picture of John Burroughs at that rock in 1900 compared to my picture in 2010:



I continued on out the red trail for a bit and caught a glimpse of Ashokan Reservoir through the trees:


After that point I turned around and headed back as the trail starts to decline very steeply and I was afraid my dog would not be able to get back up. So going back it's the red trail all the way to the yellow trail, right on the yellow trail back to the parking lot. We then hopped in the car and drove the two miles over to the Giant Ledge parking area. The trail starts on the other side of the road to the right of the porta potty.


You simply follow the signs up, yellow trail to left on blue trail. It's a long, steep, rocky climb up but very worth it for the views.


Once you get to the views at the top, the trail flattens out and you can go on about another 1/4 of a mile to various view points to the right before turning around and heading back.