Stokes State Forest - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to Culver's Gap Parking Lot 41.180132, -74.788000
View Larger Map
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| Culver's Gap Parking Lot |
TRAIL MAP:
Northern Kittatinny Trails Map 122 - NY/NJ Trail Conference (this is the better map)
Stokes State Forest Trail Guide - NJDEP (map is not so good but the paper copy available at the park office has nice descriptions of the trails on the back)
HIKE DISTANCE:
10.2 miles
APPALACHIAN TRAIL SECTION HIKING:
Trailheadfinder.com - AT section miles 1302.3 to 1306
THE HIKE:
At the information board in the parking lot turn left into the woods then a few steps in, left on the white-blazed Appalachian Trail.
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| Turn left on the Appalachian Trail heading towards Georgia. |
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| The Appalachian Trail |
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| A view of Culvers Lake on the way up the Appalachian Trail. |
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| Looking down on Route 206 from the AT. |
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| Fall Foliage to the west from the Acropolis Trail. |
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| The gold/brown blazed Acropolis Trail is mostly a woods road that is not blazed until towards the top of the trail. |
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| Normanook Lookout Tower (to the left of the tall tower on the right) from the Acropolis Trail | . |
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| High Point Monument from the Acropolis Trail. |
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| Large cairn in the middle of the AT at the junction with the Acropolis Trail |
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| The Appalachian Trail ascends to a ridge with views. |
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| View to the west. |
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| Brink Road Shelter |
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| Snacks at Brink Road Shelter |
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| Shay Road |
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| Shay Road blazed with brown/yellow markers. |
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| Hike short distance on Dimon Road to the Stoll Trail. |
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| Trailhead for Stoll Trail |
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| Brown/gray blazed Stoll Trail. |
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| Coss Road connects the Stoll Trail and Jacobs Ladder |
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| The blue/gray Jacobs Ladder Trail starts across Woods Road from where Coss Road ends. |
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| One of many turkey vultures flying overhead. |
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| Normanook Lookout Tower (red and white tower to the left) from the return trip on the AT. |
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| High Point Monument from return trip on AT. |
HIKE SUMMARY:
[ 0.00] At information sign in parking lot turn left into woods, turn left on white-blazed Appalachian Trail
[ 0.35] At Route 206 turn left, cross Route 636, turn right and cross Route 206, veer left behind guardrail at AT signs
[ 0.70] At fork where AT goes left, turn right on unmarked trail uphill to end, right on woods road that soon turns to the left (this woods road is the Acropolis Trail but it is not blazed here)
[ 0.90] Power cut
[ 0.95] Trail turns sharply right at small building, gold/brown blazes now visible
[ 1.05] Views at end of Acropolis Trail; retrace
[ 1.15] Trail turns sharply left at small building (unmaintained trail behind building should connect back with AT but it very difficult to follow and not recommended)
[ 1.40] Keep straight on woods road when side trail you came up on comes in to the left
[ 1.55] At intersection with the AT at large cairn, turn right on the white-blazed AT
[ 1.80] View after ascending to top of ridge
[ 2.15] Views on open rock slab
[ 2.90] Keep straight on white-blazed AT when blue/gray Jacobs Ladder goes right (return route)
[ 4.10] Sign trail register
[ 4.45] Turn right on wide woods road when AT crosses and goes straight
[ 4.65] Brink Road Shelter on right
[ 4.75] Cross Woods Road (cars may be parked here)
[ 4.90] At fork keep right on brown/yellow-blazed Shay Road
[ 5.80] Turn right on paved Dimon Road
[ 6.05] Turn right on brown/gray-blazed Stoll Trail
[ 6.65] When Stoll Trail ends at a woods road, turn right (this is Coss Road on map)
[ 7.65] Keep right on woods road when blue/gray-blazed trail goes left
[ 7.80] Coss Road ends at Woods Road, cross Wood Road to blue/gray-blazed Jacobs Ladder trail; immediately rock hop over creek
[ 8.10] Jacobs Ladder terminates at the white-blazed AT, turn left on the AT
[ 8.80] Views on open rock slab
[ 9.20] Views before AT turns right and descends
[ 9.40] Keep straight on AT at large cairn when Acropolis Trail crosses over
[ 9.60] Veer right on AT when unmarked trail to Acropolis Trail goes left
[ 9.80] Turn left on Route 206 and cross to the right to continue on AT just beyond Route 636
[10.20] Turn right into parking lot
Oh my goodness! Two words... Calorie buster. Not complaining, but Stoll trail and Jacob's ladder trail are a pretty good workout and definitely helping with my hiking goals... Thanks again for a wonderful hike. Whenever I want to get a good hike I look here first.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! Glad you enjoyed the hike.
DeleteDaniela
Is this a loop?
ReplyDeleteIt has been 6 years since I did that hike and I have done hundreds since so I really don't recall but by glancing at the step-by-step directions I posted, it appears to be.
Delete