Delaware Water Gap NRA, PA - Mc Dade Trail from Bushkill to Egypt Mills

ABOUT THE PARK:
McDade Recreation Trail - National Park Service

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.09013, -75.00386

Large parking lot at Bushkill Meeting Center on both sides of building with composting toilets.  If this lot is full when something is going on at the meeting center, there is another lot just a little farther along Route 209 which had a connecting path to the composting toilets.

TRAIL MAP:
Kittatinny Trails Map #121 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

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HIKE DISTANCE:  8.7 miles (4.35 miles each way)

THE HIKE:
Shawnee was much improved after her chiropractor appointment and Vitamin B12 and Adequan fixes so with no rain, I took off work and we went hiking.  Joining us was Shawnee's friend, Al the poodle, who stays with us sometimes.

To the left of the composting toilet is a kiosk ...

... and a connector trail to the other parking lot and the MRT.

Greeted by an American Redstart early on.

The other parking lot that the connector trail leads to where we pick up the MRT and turn left towards ...

... the back of an old building and ...

... Route 209.

Crossing the Route 209 bridge over Bush Kill Creek.

Just after the guardrail, the trail heads back into the woods.

Indigo Bunting

The darned camera did not focus and I only had one shot at him but looks like it might be a Great Crested Flycatcher.

Bushkill Access

One of the few views of the Delaware River along this stretch.

This is how she was picking up ticks :(  I forgot to check the calendar and her flea/tick preventative was due the previous day.  Took care of that the minute we got home!

So many wildflowers everywhere.

It was a cool, cloudy day but the two of them were drinking a lot of water.

Al couldn't even wait his turn so he tried to help himself.

The trail follows farm fields for a stretch before our turn around point.

Haven't found a balloon in a while.

After leaving the fields and entering the woods ...

... the trail goes steeply uphill to Route 209 ...

... then across the bridge over...

... Toms Creek.

Just the other side of the bridge is the lot we will be parking in next time for the next section.

On the way back, a side trail down to Toms Creek.

Then a stop at that bench we passed ...

... for a break.

Heading back.

Northern Mockingbird

Somepups are getting tired.

Male and female Baltimore Orioles.

Gray Catbird

Baltimore Oriole

American Redstart

Field Sparrow

Scarlet Tanager

Back at the Bush Kill Creek bridge.

Hitching a ride on Al.

To the right is that other parking lot ...

... to the connector trail ...

... to where we parked at the Bushkill Meeting Center.

Al wasted no time going down for his nap.

But we had to make a stop at the first convenience store ...

... for a bottle of water because I had run out of water for the dogs.  That never happens but they both drank a lot on this hike.

Now they can relax for the ride home.

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