Delaware Water Gap NRA - Pocono Environmental Education Center, PA

ABOUT THE PARK:  Pocono Environmental Education Center

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.171924,-74.914895

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TRAIL MAP:
NY/NJ Trail Conference Northern Kittatinny Trails Map 122
PEEC Trail Map

Be sure to bring some cash with you.  If you are coming from New Jersey over the historic Dingmans Ferry Bridge, there is a $1 toll each way - no EZ Pass as this is a privately owned, old-fashioned kind of bridge.  The PEEC also asks for 50 cents per trail guide - the guides are very informative and highly recommended.  Numbers attached to trees, color coded to the trail and trail guide, are explained in the corresponding trails guides.  If the office is closed there is a display and self pay outside the front door.  For this hike you would need the orange, yellow and blue guides.

HIKE DISTANCE:  7.7 miles with many shorter options available

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
This hike starts on the combined yellow/red blazed trail just to the left of the yellow cabin (Cabin #1) in the picture below.

Stay on yellow as red leaves, merges back in and leaves again.  The trail will follow along, then ascend the ridgeline to the left.

An outcrop on the ridge overlooking wetlands.

Steep descent from the ridgeline.

Looking back up the descent from about 1/3 way down.

Chimney from former homestead.

The red trail joins back in at 2.9 miles after crossing a bridge over small waterfalls.  At the end of the yellow/red trail, turn left on the paved road then left again between any two of the brown cabins.

Walk straight through the field towards the fire pit where you will find the trailhead to the blue Fossil Trail to the left.

At 3.95 miles arrive at the Fossil Quarry.  They ask that you leave fossils for others to enjoy and indeed, there are many displayed on a fallen tree trunk.


At 4.65 miles turn left on orange when orange/blue goes right.

Old fireplace with views of Kittatinny Ridge in New Jersey

View of the Delaware River Valley and Kittatinny Rige in NJ

At 5.95 miles take the side trail to left out and back which descends on steps and switchbacks down to the waterfalls (about .15 mile each way).

 

After retracing your steps back up to the orange trail, turn left.  The trail will eventually merge with the white trail and go through pine plantations, trees planted in straight rows 50-60 years ago after logging, with the intention of harvesting before the land became protected.

The white/orange trail arrives at Pickerel Pond at 7.2 miles and follows along the pond.

A wildlife blind just before crossing the road back to the parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Start at red/yellow trailhead to the left of yellow cabin #1
[  0.45]  Turn left on yellow as red goes right
[  1.00]  At #13 red trail joins briefly, cross creek on log bridge through hemlock forest
[  1.20]  Cross log bridge at #5 and ascend ridgeline
[  1.30]  Wetland overlook at ledge on right at #6
[  1.50]  Steep descent from ridge

[  2.05]  Chimney from old homestead at #10
[  2.85]  Cross bridge to right over creek
[  2.95]  Cross bridge over small waterfalls then immediate left on red/yellow along creek
[  3.15]  Trail veers to the right away from the creek
[  3.20]  Cross over 4 consecutive bridges
[  3.55]  End of red/yellow trail at #18; left on paved road; left between brown cabins; walk straight through field towards fire pit
[  3.65]  Left on blue Fossil Trail at far end of fire pit
[  3.95]  Fossil outcrop
[  4.25]  View of Kittatinny Ridge in New Jersey through trees if no foliage
[  4.65]  Left on orange where blue/orange goes right
[  4.75]  #4 Cedar Knolls with red cedars
[  4.90]  Cross over paved road; rock hop over creek; turn left then right on woods road
[  5.10]  Clearing at site of former landowner house
[  5.25]  Left at fork; trail ascends
[  5.35]  Mixed oak forest
[  5.50]  Stone fireplace with view of Kittatinny Ridge in New Jersey
[  5.80]  View of Delaware Valley and Kittatinny Ridge in New Jersey
[  5.95]  Turn left on side trail at #9 down steps and switchbacks to falls
[  6.10]  Arrive at falls; retrace steps up switchbacks
[  6.25]  Left on orange trail
[  6.40]  Left at intersection at #3
[  6.85]  Woods road through pine plantation
[  6.95]  Keep straight on orange as white joins in from the left
[  7.10]  Trail turns right and crosses two bridges
[  7.20]  Arrive at Pickerel Pond as trail turns left following along the pond
[  7.30]  Red pine plantation
[  7.45]  Cross road diagonally at curve in road to continuation of orange/white trail
[  7.55]  Rock hop over creek
[  7.60]  Cross clearing, turn right at intersection on boardwalk to wildlife blind
[  7.70]  Cross paved road arriving back at parking lot

Harriman State Park, NY (File Factory Hollow/Panther Mountain)

ABOUT THE PARK:  New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

DIRECTIONS:

GPS Coordinates:  41.185122 -74.07385

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Diltz Road Hiker Parking

TRAIL MAP:  NY/NJ Trail Conference Southern Harriman Bear Mountain Trails Map 118

HIKE DISTANCE:  5.45 miles

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
From the hiker parking lot on Diltz Road, take the red dash on white trail beyond the barrier.

A short distance ahead turn right and follow the red on white trail along the power cut.

When the red on white trail leaves the power cut, stay with the red on white trail briefly then turn right on the unmarked trail to the left of the power cut; cross over a creek at .95 mile.

On the other side of the creek turn left on the unmarked File Factory Hollow trail which will run parallel to the creek. 

After rock hopping over the creek twice, the trail is intermittently marked with old horse trail disks. (According to the 2010 publication of the map, horses are no longer allowed in the park.)

At 1.8 miles turn left on unmarked Woodtown Road...

Then at 2 miles left on the yellow-blazed Suffern-Bear Mountain Trail:

The trail will now become more challenging with rock scrambles.

At Panther Mountain, views of the Hudson River and the New York City skyline:

At 3.9 miles turn left on the red square on white trail:

At 4.55 miles turn left on the power cut trail back to the parking lot:

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Start at red dash on white trailhead beyond barrier at Diltz Road hiker parking lot
[  0.20]  Left on red dash on white then immediately right on unmarked
[  0.95]  Cross over creek; turn left on unmarked File Factory Hollow
[  1.20]  Rock hop over creek; take either fork; rock hop back over creek
[  1.40]  After huge rock boulder on right, keep straight at intersection ***
[  1.80]  Left on unmarked Woodtown Road
[  2.00]  Left on yellow-blazed Suffern-Bear Mountain trail
[  2.10]  Keep right on yellow as red arrow on white starts to the left
[  2.80]  Cross over red Tuxedo-Mt. Ivy trail keeping straight on yellow
[  3.00]  Cross over unmarked trail at cairns keeping straight on yellow
[  3.70]  Views at Panther Mountain
[  3.90]  Rock hop over creek; left on red square on white as yellow/red square goes right
[  4.40]  Turn right on red square at power cut (no access to power cut trail if you turn left without going through thick growth of thorny vines)
[  4.55]  Turn left; where red square goes right at a large cairn, turn left on power cut trail
[  5.40]  Turn right on red dash on white
[  5.45]  Arrive back at Diltz Road parking lot

***  In case you are wondering what lies to the right of the intersection beyond the huge boulder at 1.4 miles...

A right turn on the unmaintained Iron Mountain Trail would bring to you an intersection marked (as of this writing) by orange tape and three blue blazes in a vertical line on the other side of the tree at .4 mile. 

Turn right here and follow the trail for .4 miles, sometimes marked by old white disks and some cairns, to views of the Hudson River and the New York City skyline (almost the same views you get at Panther Mountain).

I had originally intended to loop around here from the trail along the power cut but once the trail left the power cut, I lost it and had to backtrack.

Back at the intersection with the orange tape, left would bring you to a no trespassing sign .5 mile ahead just before Woodtown Road.  This is not indicated as a restricted area on the map but apparently it is. In case the sign was maybe old and randomly left there, I turned left on Woodtown road heading towards Second Reservoir only to find many more NO TRESPASSING/KEEP OUT/WATERSHED PROPERTY signs so I turned around and headed back.

Norvin Green State Forest, NJ (Manaticut Point - Lake Sonoma - Long Hill)

ABOUT THE PARK:  
NY/NJ Trail Conference (this hike is in the "North of West Brook Road" section)

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates:  41.09134,-74.319981

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There is no parking lot - park along the north side of Crescent Drive at the curb.

Crescent Drive parking heading towards Burnt Meadow Road

TRAIL MAP:  NY/NJ Trail Conference North Jersey Trails Map 115
The yellow-blazed Manaticut Point trail is a new trail that is not on this version of the map.  Sections of the trail are shown as a dashed line.

NEW JERSEY 1K CLUB HIGH PEAK:  Long Hill

HIKE DISTANCE:  8.5 miles

Some other options:

• 4.5 mile Lake Sonoma/Overlook Rock/Manaticut Point Loop
• 6.7 mile Lake Sonoma/Overlook Rock/Manaticut Point Loop

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Walk on Crescent Drive back towards Burnt Meadow Road and watch for the start of the yellow-blazed trail on the left.  (Where the yellow-blazed trail comes out at the end of the hike is in the opposite direction a short distance beyond the curve in Crescent Drive.)

New yellow-blazed Manaticut Trail

Lake Sonoma

Overlook Rock

View From Overlook Rock

Lake Sonoma from Overlook Rock

Blue-Blazed Hewitt Butler Trail

Long Hill Summit at Ugly Power Cut

View from Manaticut Point

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Walk on Crescent Drive towards Burnt Meadow Road; left on yellow trail
[  0.85]  Stay left on yellow when orange joins in from the right
[  0.95]  Turn right on orange when yellow leaves to the left
[  1.10]  Lake Sonoma on the right; trail follows Lake Sonoma
[  1.35]  Trail turns left away from Lake Sonoma, goes uphill, crosses unmarked woods road
[  1.45]  Rock hop across stream, trail turns left on woods road then right on foot trail
[  1.85]  Keep straight on orange/white when white comes in from the right
[  1.90]  Orange ends at large rock on left, Overlook Rock with views; retrace steps on orange/white back to where white trail joined in, turn left on white trail
[  2.20]  Cross over badly eroded woods road
[  2.50]  White trail joins woods road; crosses stream, leaves woods road to the left
[  2.60]  Scenic Overlook
[  2.90]  Cross straight over power cut on woods road; other side of power cut white leaves woods road on foot trail into woods; while trail ends short distance ahead; turn right on blue
[  3.80]  Scenic Overlook; turn around and head back on blue
[  4.65]  White goes left; keep straight on blue
[  5.15]  Overlook to the west
[  5.45]  Summit of Long Hill
[  7.25]  Yellow joins blue from the left; continue on yellow/blue
[  7.65]  Manaticut Point; left on yellow when blue leaves to the right
[  8.40]  Yellow trail ends at Crescent Drive, left on Crescent Drive back to car

Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Westchester County, NY

ABOUT THE PARK:  Ward Pound Ridge Reservation, Westchester County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS coordinates:  41.247751,-73.594673


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These directions take you into the park where you may need to pay a parking fee (currently $8) year round on weekends, every day from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  After the toll booth turn right at the sign for Michigan Road.

TRAIL MAP:
Online Trail Map
This map does not show newer trails within the park which are part of this hike.  Apparently you can get an updated version at the park but I was not able to locate one.  I crudely drew in the new parts of the Rock Trail (blazed black RT on white squares) in black along with new intersection numbers on the map below.

HIKE DISTANCE:
This hike of 10.35 miles incorporates both the Leatherman Trail and Rocks Trail.
Many loops of varying distances are possible.  Here are some other options:
6 miles - Leatherman's Cave and Spy Rock
7 miles - Rocks Trail

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
From the Michigan Road parking area, head towards the cul-de-sac where you will find the trailhead to the right.

Although this has been a park where hunting is prohibited, a sign on the information board indicates this has changed.

This hike captures most of the points of interest of the southern half of the park.

Overlook

Side trail to Leatherman's Cave

Leatherman's Cave

Click here to read about the Leatherman.  My dog in the cave - it's more spacious than it looks from the outside.

Most of the original trails are woods roads.

But once on the RT (Rock Trail), a newer trail, which incorporates 6 named rocks within the park, the woods roads will become footpaths which are more fun and challenging to hike and not heavily used like the woods roads.  This new part, drawn in on the map above, follows the ridge line so in the winter it's a scenic hike from high up above.

The named rocks the RT trail passes:

Spy Rock

Castle Rock

Raven Rocks

Indian Rock Shelter

Dancing Rock

Bear Rock Petroglyph

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Shortly beyond info board at the trailhead turn right on red/green at intersection 70
[  0.35]  Keep right on red/green at intersection 53 where green goes left
[  0.40]  Keep left on red/green at intersection 54 where white trail goes right
[  0.55]  Turn right on LL trail at intersection 31 where red/green goes left
[  0.85]  Keep straight on LL at intersection 26 where LL also goes left
[  1.05]  Turn left on LL at intersection 27 where white goes right
[  1.20]  Trail goes up rocks to bench at overlook
[  1.55]  Just before intersection 29 make a sharp right on white trail to Leatherman's cave
[  1.60]  Return all the way to intersection 29 and turn left on LL where unmarked goes right
[  1.75]  Turn right on white trail at intersection 28 where LL goes left
[  2.15]  Turn left on unmarked for short distance then right on red/green at intersection 30
[  2.40]  Keep straight on red/green at intersection 32 where white goes left
[  2.60]  Keep right on red/green at intersection 34 where white goes left
[  2.95]  Turn right on white at intersection 38 where red/green goes left
[  3.10]  Keep straight on RT at intersection 39 where RT also goes left
[  3.55]  Arrive at Spy Rock; continue down from Spy Rock on RT trail
             **From this point forward new sections of RT trail not shown on map.**
[  3.90]  After steep descent and through hemlock grove, left on RT which is woods road
[  4.10]  RT trail leaves woods road to right as foot path
[  4.15]  Cross over brook
[  4.55]  Cross over brook
[  4.65]  Cross over power cut; just after power cut Castle Rock on left
[  4.90]  Keep right on RT at intersection 59 where white goes left
[  5.55]  Raven Rocks
[  5.65]  Turn hard right on RT at intersection 48 where red goes left and right
[  6.20]  Turn left on RT at intersection 58 where right goes to a bridge
             **New portion of RT trail reconnects with trails on map.**
[  6.45]  Turn left on RT at intersection 49 where white goes right
[  6.60]  Turn right on RT at intersection 18 where white goes left; Indian Rock Shelter on right
[  6.75]  RT trail ends at intersection 19; left on yellow/red trail
[  6.85]  Straight on yellow/red at intersection 20 where white goes right
[  7.00]  Keep straight on yellow where red goes left (did not see intersection 33 sign)
[  7.25]  Turn left on beginning of RT at intersection 22 where yellow goes right
[  7.45]  Keep straight on RT at intersection 36 where red goes left and right
[  7.80]  Turn left on white at intersection 37 where RT goes straight
[  8.00]  Dancing Rock; continue following white to loop around back to RT
[  8.25]  Left on RT at intersection 60
[  8.40]  Trail follows power cut briefly
[  8.60]  Bear Rock Petroglyph on right
[  8.70]  Right on white at intersection 39 where RT goes left
[  8.90]  Turn right on red/green at intersection 38 where white goes left
[  9.35]  Left on green at intersection 35 where red goes right and white sharp left
[10.05]  Right on red/green at intersection 53 where red/green also goes left
[10.35]  Arrive back at Michigan Road parking lot