Appalachian Trail - Lusscroft Farm to Sunrise Mountain (High Point State Park and Stokes State Forest, NJ)

ABOUT THE PARKS:
High Point State Park
Stokes State Forest
Lusscroft Farm
Sunrise Mountain (NJ1K.org peak)

TRAIL MAP:
Half of the hike on each of the following maps:
NY/NJ Trail Conference Northern Kittatinny Trails Map #123 (Lusscroft Farm trails on back)
NY/NJ Trail Conference Northern Kittatinny Trails Map #122

DIRECTIONS:
GPS coordinates to parking lot off of Deckertown Turnpike (Route 650) 41.252618, -74.690083
At the time I hiked this, as I turned on to Deckertown Turnpike a sign indicated no thru traffic as the road was closed 3 miles ahead.  The parking lot is before the road closure so it was accessible.  Deckertown Turnpike goes uphill.  Once it starts to descend the hill, watch for a paved road to the right which takes you directly to a paved parking lot that holds about 8 cars.  There is no sign indicating this is a parking lot so watch closely.

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HIKE DISTANCE:  7 miles out and back without Lusscroft Farm trails; with Lusscroft Farm trails it would depend on trails taken through the farm.

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
This is a very easy way to reach Sunrise Mountain without much change in elevation.  The hike starts up high and follows the Appalachian Trail along a ridge with some minor ups and downs.  Lusscroft Farm trails do go steeply downhill so that would be the part requiring climbing.

Pick up the white-blazed Appalachian Trail directly across Deckertown Turnpike from the parking lot.

After a short distance, arrive at a shelter where the Appalachian Trail makes a sharp turn to the right:

You will soon be walking along a smooth rock surface with limited views to the west.  Turn around and you will be able to see High Point Monument to the north.

At 0.75 miles the Appalachian Trail merges on to a woods road that comes in from the right.  A short distance ahead a trail goes to the left while the white-blazed AT continues to the right.  The trail to the left is the trail to Lusscroft Farms although you won't see blazes until you are a little farther along that trail.  You will be on the blue-blazed Explorer Trail.

At the first intersection the blue-blazed Explorer Trail forks.  Turning right would take you back to the AT.  Left continues to the rest of the Lusscroft Farm trails.  A short distance ahead the blue trail turns to the left leaving the woods road which continues straight as an unmarked trail so this turn is easy to miss unless you are paying close attention.  From this point forward, although well-blazed, the trails become very overgrown.  That in addition to seeing a young bear in a tree the same time he saw me made me abandon my plans to hike farther into the Lusscroft Farm trails.  The bear skittered down the tree and took off in the direction I was heading so I turned around and went back to the AT.  The farm trails might be better explored during the winter when they are more passable.

At just a little over 3 miles (not counting Lusscroft Farm trails) ascend a few stone steps heading towards Sunrise Mountain.  Watch for an unmarked trail on the left after the steps.  This trail comes out at a bench with great views to the east.

Backtrack to the AT, turn left and continue to the pavilion at Sunrise Mountain.

View to the east.

View to the south.

View to the west.

Retrace your steps back along the white-blazed Appalachian Trail back to the parking lot to finish the hike.

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