ABOUT THE PARK:
Delaware Water Gap NRA - National Park Service
Hikes on Mt. Minsi, PA - National Park Service
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.979776, -75.141934
View Larger Map
This is the Lake Lenape parking lot at around 1:30 pm on a Thursday. The lot was empty at 8 am. You might want to plan on getting there early on weekends.
TRAIL MAP:
NY/NJ Trail Conference - Kittatinny Trails Map #120
National Park Service - Hikes at the Gap
HIKE DISTANCE:
5.4 miles - Lake Lenape/Mt. Minsi Loop
9.1 miles - Lake Lenape/Mt. Minsi/Totts Gap
HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Although it was the warmest day of the year so far and dry, there was fog on the horizon so the pictures do not do the views justice at all. I-80 traffic noise can be heard all along this hike but it can easily be forgiven by the stunning scenery. The first two miles will be pretty consistently uphill.
Begin by the information boards on the white-blazed Appalachian trail which ascends with views of Mt. Tamanny on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap and Mt. Minsi on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware Water Gap.
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| Mt. Tammany, NJ as seen from Mt. Minsi, PA |
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| View of the Delaware River with New Jersey to the left and Pennsylvania to the right. |
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| Views at the pipeline cut. |
Returning via the unmarked Mt. Minsi fire road, you could continue straight through back to the parking lot but it's worth taking a couple of small detours. An unmarked woods road to the right circles around Lake Lettini:
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| Table Rock |
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| View of the fire road below from just beyond Table Rock above. |
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| Lake Lenape |
HIKE SUMMARY:
Lake Lenape to Mt. Minsi Loop
[ 0.00] Take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail starting at the information boards
[ 0.15] Lenape Lake on the right; trail changes from paved to gravel and ascends
[ 0.35] The white-blazed trail leaves the gravel road to the left as a foot path
[ 0.45] Rock hop over small stream
[ 0.50] Council Rock on left
[ 0.60] Rock hop over small stream and shortly thereafter another; trail ascendsl Mt. Tammany and Mt. Minsi come into view
[ 0.85] Rock hop over small stream
[ 1.05] Cross Eureka Creek
[ 1.20] Keep straight when white trail turns left to view at dead end; retrace and turn left on white trail up stone steps; trail switchbacks uphill
[ 1.75] Turn left on fire road briefly then turn right on white trail
[ 1.80] At unmarked T intersection turn right - white blazes continue ahead
[ 1.90] View of Mt. Tammany to the left
[ 2.15] Pass cinder block shed inside chain link fence and old footings; Mt. Minsi sign on tree on the right
[ 2.20] Unmarked trails to the left to views; retrace steps on white trail
[ 2.50] View of Mt. Tammany to the right
[ 2.60 ] Keep straight on unmarked fire road when white trail goes left at unmarked intersection; follow woods road as it loops around to the left
[ 2.70] Keep straight on unmarked fire road as white trail crosses over
[ 2.75] Rock hop over stream
[ 4.05] Turn right on unmarked woods road (just prior to this turn it looks like a trail goes right then another left but they do not go anywhere - watch for the obvious wide woods road)
[ 4.10] Keep straight as unmarked goes left (may have to hop over blowdowns)
[ 4.20] Unmarked trail turns left
[ 4.30] Lake Lettini on left; turn left at intersection
[ 4.45] Keep straight when unmarked goes left
[ 4.50] Turn right on unmarked fire road
[ 4.60] Turn left on unmarked trail; short unmarked trail to the left to waterfalls
[ 4.80] Table Rock; veer left on open rock surface
[ 4.90] View on right at old chain link fence
[ 5.20] Trail descends towards Lake Lenape
[ 5.30] Turn left at lake and picnic bench
[ 5.35] Turn right over old dam
[ 5.40] Trail veers away from lake towards houses; turn right at gravel road which leads to parking lot
Lake Lenape to Mt. Minsi to Totts Gap
[ 0.00] Take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail starting at the information boards
[ 0.15] Lenape Lake on the right; trail changes from paved to gravel and ascends
[ 0.35] The white-blazed trail leaves the gravel road to the left as a foot path
[ 0.45] Rock hop over small stream
[ 0.50] Council Rock on left
[ 0.60] Rock hop over small stream and shortly thereafter another; trail ascendsl Mt. Tammany and Mt. Minsi come into view
[ 0.85] Rock hop over small stream
[ 1.05] Cross Eureka Creek
[ 1.20] Keep straight when white trail turns left to view at dead end; retrace and turn left on white trail up stone steps; trail switchbacks uphill
[ 1.75] Turn left on fire road briefly then turn right on white trail
[ 1.80] At unmarked T intersection turn right - white blazes continue ahead
[ 1.90] View of Mt. Tammany to the left
[ 2.15] Pass cinder block shed inside chain link fence and old footings; Mt. Minsi sign on tree on the right
[ 2.20] Unmarked trails to the left to views
[ 3.50] White trail leaves woods road to the left at a cairn
[ 3.75] Pipeline cut
[ 4.00] Pass tower on right
[ 4.05] Gravel road at Totts Gap (sign on tree before gravel road); turn around and head back
[ 4.35] Pipeline cut
[ 4.60] White trail joins woods road
[ 5.90] Views at Mt. Minsi; continue on white trail
[ 6.20] View of Mt. Tammany to the right
[ 6.30] Keep straight on unmarked fire road when white trail goes left at unmarked intersection; follow woods road as it loops around to the left
[ 6.40] Keep straight on unmarked fire road as white trail crosses over
[ 6.75] Rock hop over stream
[ 7.75] Turn right on unmarked woods road (just prior to this turn it looks like a trail goes right then another left but they do not go anywhere - watch for the obvious wide woods road)
[ 7.80] Keep straight as unmarked goes left (may have to hop over blowdowns)
[ 7.90] Unmarked trail turns left
[ 8.00] Lake Lettini on left; turn left at intersection
[ 8.15] Keep straight when unmarked goes left
[ 8.20] Turn right on unmarked fire road
[ 8.30] Turn left on unmarked trail; short unmarked trail to the left to waterfalls
[ 8.50] Table Rock; veer left on open rock surface
[ 8.60] View on right at old chain link fence
[ 8.90] Trail descends towards Lake Lenape
[ 9.00] Turn left at lake and picnic bench
[ 9.05] Turn right over old dam
[ 9.10] Trail veers away from lake towards houses; turn right at gravel road which leads to parking lot
Thanks for posting this! It is exactly the hike I want to take on Tuesday. Thanks again. Joe
ReplyDeleteGreat! I am sure you will love it. I like to do this hike mid-March because with the pines and rhododendron there is a touch of green to make it feel like spring yet the foliage is still down so views are not obstructed.
ReplyDeleteDaniela
Thank you very much for landmarks. I will be using it this Sat. Great post!
ReplyDeleteWe did the shorter version of this hike today, arriving at 2pm. The parking lot was almost full at that time. As we headed up, we met several groups returning from their hikes. The only downside to this hike was the car noise from route 80, though this was less noticeable on the second half of the hike. The hike had nice views, and the rhododendrons were really pretty. We felt like we were hiking in rhododendron tunnels - so nice to have green in February. We didn't have the NYNJTC map, so we used the national park service map. We did end up missing the detour you had at the end - there were several unmarked trails crossing the fire road - and these weren't shown on the national park service map, so we weren't exactly sure which one to take. We'll be purchasing the NYNJTC maps for this area :)
ReplyDeleteLynn & 2 border collies
Nice hiking! Great for children too. We did the 5.4 mile loop with our 4 and 5 year olds. We had to hold their hands at times but they were able to do it with ease. We even saw the newts which our kids love.
ReplyDeleteI bet you had some tired children afterwards!
DeleteDaniela