Palisades Interstate Park, NJ and NY (Bombay Hook - Giant Stairs)

ABOUT THE PARK:  Palisades Interstate Park

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates for Park Headquarters Parking: 40.953333, -73.920545

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TRAIL MAP:
NY/NJ Trail Conference Hudson Palisades Trails Maps 108 and 109

HIKE DISTANCE:
9 miles - this hike is a combination of two hikes starting at the Park Headquarters in Alpine:
     8 miles - Bombay Hook (Forest View Hike) - NJ Palisades Park
     3 miles - The Giant Stairs - NJ Palisades Park
or
     6 miles - Forest View/Closter Dock Trail Loop - NY/NJ Trail Conference
     4.5 miles - Giant Stairs/Long Path Loop - NY/NJ Trail Conference

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Start the hike by heading south along the road from the park headquarters. After a very short distance, the aqua-blazed Long Park veers left away from the road.

In a quarter mile the Long Path veers right through a tunnel.  Turn left and switchback down on the orange-blazed Closter Dock Trail.

At .65 mile turn left on the white-blazed Shore Trail.

Stairs branching off the trail to the left and right are worth exploring.

Stairs to the right led to a dynamite storage bunker in the 1930's

Yonkers, NY across the Hudson River.

Around 1 mile the trail splits. The white-blazed Shore Trail goes right, the unmarked Upper Trail goes left. They converge back together in about .7 mile; for this hike I took the Upper Trail.

Looking down on the Shore Trail below from the Upper Trail.

Back on the white-blazed Shore Trail after the Upper Trail joins back in.

Turn around for a view of New York City and the George Washington Bridge.

Cliffs to the left - the return route is along the tops of the cliffs.

Forest View - picnic area and boat basin abandoned after World War II due to decline in visitors.

The Giant Stairs begin at the 3 mile mark. Do not underestimate the warnings. It is VERY slow going and if you have a dog along plan on it taking twice as long as that.  The actual rock scrambles are about 1/2 mile long - took me over an hour to do it with the dog.  It's challenging to find placement for two feet and you have to find additional placement for 4 paws!

After Giant Stairs, a grand entrance to New York State:

The Tappanzee Bridge will come into view then Peanut Leap Cascade.

Peanut Leap Cascade

The white-blazed shore trail ascends up steps along the cascade to the aqua-blazed Long Path.

The Long Path continues to ascend up stone steps.

The steps bring you to views from the top of the cliffs.

New Jersey Boundary Monument

Women's Federation Monument

View from unmarked trail.

1891 Rock Carving

Waterfall from the top down (much more impressive in real life).

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  .25]  Left on orange when LP goes right through tunnel; switchback down
[  .65]  At end of orange, left on white (sign says Forest View 2.3 miles)
[  .75]  Steps up to the left to old dynamite bunker from 1930's; cross waterfalls
[  .80]  Steps down to river on right to Cape Flyaway dock ruins (small fisherman's hamlet from 19th and early 20th centuries)
[  .90]  Second set of steps down to Cape Flyaway dock ruins
[ 1.05]  At split left on unmarked trail when white goes right (can go either way)
[ 1.55]  Cross bridge
[ 1.75]  Upper Trail merges back together with Shore Trail coming in from right; turn around for view of GW bridge
[ 2.70]  Keep straight on white shore trail when blue/white trail goes left
[ 3.00]  Beginning of Giant Stairs
[ 3.45]  Break in rock scramble
[ 3.60]  More rock scramble
[ 3.65]  End of rock scramble; trail smooths out; through chain link gate into New York
[ 4.05]  Peanut Leap Cascade; trail ascends next to cascade
[ 4.10]  Trail turns sharply left up stairs (WRONG WAY painted on tree straight ahead)
[ 4.35]  White trail ends; turn left on aqua-blazed Long Path and cross bridge
[ 4.50]  Aqua trail turns left and ascends stone steps
[ 4.65]  Through gate in chain link fence, border monument straight ahead along fence
[ 4.70]  At T intersection, turn left on aqua-blazed trail (unmarked)
[ 4.75]  At split take left ford; teal blaze on tree short distance ahead
[ 5.15]  Left on old concrete road to State Line Lookout; retrace
[ 5.80]  Left on "F" trail/aqua-blazed trail (would have seen on right heading towards State Line Lookout)
[ 6.00]  Aqua trail turns left but turn markers hard to see on post
[ 6.25]  At intersection turn left on "A"/aqua where "B" goes straight
[ 6.30]  Cross over road
[ 6.45]  Descend steps; cross bridge; keep right on aqua and blue/white combined as blue/white goes left
[ 6.65]  Women's Federation Monument (castle)
[ 6.75]  Aqua-blazed Long Path goes straight, turn left on unmarked trail then continue along wire barrier to views
[ 6.85]  At T-intersection turn left on gravel road
[ 7.25]  At overlook on rock outcrop rock carving from 1891; continue and merge on to aqua-blazed long path coming in from right
[ 8.20]  Cross over bridge; left on unmarked just past bridge to top of waterfall; retrace
[ 8.25]  Continue left on aqua-blazed Long Path
[ 8.30]  Side trail to left over old concrete bridge to view
[ 8.55]  Cross over bridge
[ 9.00]  Palisades Park HQ parking lot

Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center, PA

ABOUT THE PARK:  Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center - Pennsylvania DCNR

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.782687, -75.292917

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Popular park - this lot was almost full by early afternoon.  There are other smaller gravel lots around the park that are not as heavily used.

TRAIL MAP:
Jacobsburg EEC Trail Map - Pennsylvania DCR

The route for this hike shown in pink.

HIKE DISTANCE:
8.4 miles

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
The orange Henrys Woods Trail is the only trail in the park other than the yellow trail around Boulton Historic Site that is for hiking only.  The other trails are multi-use and are heavily used by mountain bikers and equestrians.  I found all mountain bikers to be very courteous and excellent about announcing their presence.  I only saw one group of horses during the entire hike but watch where you step - there is ample evidence that many horse hoofs have pounded these trails.

The hike starts across the bridge from the parking to the lower level of the Henrys Woods Trail through hemlock forests along Bushkill Creek.

Bridge from parking lot to Henrys' Woods Trail, restrooms on left across bridge.

The red-blazed Jacobsburg Trail, then the yellow/green-blazed Sober's Run Connector Trail bring you over to the western section of the park.

The green-blazed Sober's Run Loop Trail is a wide rail trail sort of path which forms a loop around the western section, part of which parallels Sober's Run.

The red/green-blazed Explorer Trail provides footpaths through the woods and along Bushkill Creek.

It is necessary to walk a very short distance along a paved road with traffic in order to form a loop without backtracking and missing an important section of the park.  In the picture below, just around the bend to the left is a gravel parking lot.  After walking through the parking lot, a trail continues on the other side of the road.

From the blue-blazed Homestead Trail, which is mostly a woods road except for an unmarked footpath section, you can look to your left to see Blue Mountain where the Appalachian Trail runs along the ridge.

A yellow-blazed trail loops through the Boulton Historic Site which focuses on the Henry Family and their small arms industry, which played a key role in the American Industrial Revolution.

The final par of the hike, the upper level of the orange-blazed Henrys Woods Trail which travels just below the ridge up above the Bushkill River gorge.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  From parking lot cross bridge (restrooms on left) then turn right on the orange Henrys Woods Trail
[  0.30]  Keep right at fork
[  0.80]  Left on red trail
[  1.05]  Cross Belfast Road; red barn on right
[  1.15]  Keep straight at intersection
[  1.25]  Right at intersection, cross bridge; stay left at split
[  1.35]  Veer right at "Danger Quarry Area" sign
[  1.55]  Keep left on red trail as a trail joins in from the right
[  1.65]  Keep left as a trail leaves to the right
[  1.75]  Power cut
[  1.80]  Keep left at split
[  1.90]  Cross bridge then immediately turn right yellow/green; cross smaller bridge
[  2.10]  Keep right at fork; cross State Park Road
[  2.35]  Cross Jacobsburg Road
[  2.60]  Cross Belfast Road
[  2.75]  Turn right at intersection on yellow/green (goes straight also but ends at Bushkill Creek with no crossing)
[  2.90]  Power cut
[  3.00]  Left over bridge
[  3.10]  Walk past kiosk and turn left on green trail
[  3.30]  Straight on green at power cut when green goes right
[  3.50]  Straight on green where yellow/green comes in from left (goes to Bushkill Creek with no crossing)
[  3.70]  Turn right on red/green at power cut (intersection unmarked) and proceed uphill
[  3.75]  Keep right at fork (marker on tree ahead - first red/green marker seen)
[  4.20]  Turn left on green
[  4.60]  Veer left on unmarked trail where green trail goes right
[  4.75]  Keep right at unmarked intersection
[  4.80]  Right on green trail few steps then left on mowed grass trail
[  4.85]  Left on red/green trail (unmarked at turn) along Bushkill Creek towards old abutment; keep straight
[  5.00]  Cross over small bridge, keep straight uphill towards split rail fence when another trail goes left; at split rail fence, turn right and follow creek
[  5.10]  Keep straight when mowed trail comes in from left; power cut
[  5.15]  Turn right at bridge and cross over; turn left on red/green running parallel to Sobers Run on the left
[  5.55]  At T intersection, turn right
[  5.90]  Turn left at fork; cross Belfast Road, turn right and walk on road across bridge; veer left through gravel parking lot
[  6.10]  At end of parking lot turn right to cross Belfast Road to unmarked trail
[  6.15]  At power cut turn right on blue trail
[  6.30]  Blue trail veers sharply left away from road; at top of hill turn left on foot trail (trail not on map) while blue trail goes right
[  6.65]  Right at fork where woods road comes in from left (not on map)
[  6.75]  Keep straight when trail comes in from left (not on map)
[  6.80]  Keep straight on blue trail (woods road) when unmarked foot trail (post saying no horses, no bikes only, trail not on map) goes left
[  7.20]  At intersection keep left on blue trail (woods road)
[  7.25]  Danger sign at orange trail intersection; turn right on orange/blue trail
[  7.35]  Keep right on yellow/blue trail where large bridge is to the left; turn left at old barn on yellow trail and follow around historical area back to barn
[  7.65]  Back at barn, left on blue/yellow trail
[  7.75]  Straight on orange when yellow goes right over bridge
[  7.80]  Right on orange at danger sign
[  8.25]  Descend steps; pass amphitheater on left
[  8.40]  Parking lot

Mt. Minsi, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, PA

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. 

Mt. Tammany, NJ as seen from Mt. Minsi, PA

View of the Delaware River with New Jersey to the left and Pennsylvania to the right.

If hiking on to Totts Gap, the Appalachian Trail continues as a pleasant, fairly level woods road before veering off as a foot path with more uphills and downhills:

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:

A little farther along the Mt. Minsi fire road, an unmarked trail to the left will go to waterfalls,  Table Rock, along an escarpment and around the back of Lake Lenape to return to the parking lot.

Table Rock

View of the fire road below from just beyond Table Rock above.

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