Delaware Water Gap NRA, NJ - Blue Mountain Lakes

ABOUT THE PARK:  Blue Mountain Lakes - National Park Service

DIRECTIONS:

• Note that the official parking lot at 41.098289,-74.93503 is not accessible at this time due to the closure of Blue Mountain Lakes Road (shown at Flatbrookville-Stillwater Road on Google Maps).  Click here for information.

• Alternatively, although there is no vehicle access to Blue Mountain Lakes from the Stillwater, NJ side, it is possible to park a few cars where Fairview Lake Road dead ends and walk up to Blue Mountain Lakes, about 2 miles away.

GPS Coordinates 41.087842, -74.909042

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In this picture, taken from the other side of the gated part of Fairview Lakes Road, Fairview Lakes Road comes in from the right and ends.  Directly across (to the right driving in) is a clearing that is posted "No Trespassing/No Parking"

Sign on the gate - be sure not to park in front of the gate.  Walk beyond this gate and up the road to start the hike.

TRAIL MAP:
Southern Kittatinny Trails Map 121 - NY/NJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCES:
Loop to Buttermilk Falls Trail - 11.25 miles
Loop to Hemlock Pond and Crater Lake - 8.75 miles

APPALACHIAN TRAIL SECTION HIKING:
TrailHeadFinder.com - AT section miles 1295.5 to 1298.4

THE HIKE:

Ascending the fire road which is the gated continuation of Fairview Lake Road.

A lot of storm damage along this old road.

Looking back at the gate at the top of the incline.

Paved Blue Mountain Lakes Road crosses over Van Campens Brook shortly before the parking lot.

Blue Mountain Lake

Blue Mountain Lake

Indian Rocks

View to the west from Indian Rocks

A Blue Mountain Lakes woods road.

Hemlock Pond

Hemlock Pond

Turn around for view to the west while ascending the blue-blazed Buttermilk Falls trail.

Appalachian Trail

Crater Lake

Nice views to the east while descending the old, mostly paved, fire road.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Continue beyond the barrier up the fire road
[  0.40]  At the top of the ascent, continue beyond a second barrier; keep left at the fork on the paved road when the right fork goes to Crater Lake; Appalachian Trail crosses over
[  0.50]  Keep straight on paved road when road to right goes to Camp Ken-Etiwa-Pec
[  0.60]  Woods road on left
[  0.65]  Woods road on left
[  1.15]  Short road on right
[  1.40]  Woods road on left with kiosk to Pool Colony; road starts to descend
[  1.55]  Continue beyond gate (closed in winter), Van Campens Brook flows under road
[  1.60]  Woods road on left (not on map)
[  1.70]  Creek flows under road, many old stone walls in woods
[  1.85]  Woods road on right (can be taken to access Blue Mountain Lakes)
[  1.90]  Blue Mountain Lakes parking lot on right, turn through lot to trail; at fork in trail keep left where woods road from mile 1.85 comes in from the right; continue to Blue Mountain Lake and follow trail around lake
[  3.70]  On the other side of the lake, watch for an old power cut, turn right and ascend up power cut all the way to the top crossing over 2 woods roads
[  4.20]  At the top of the power cut veer right and watch for view on left; continue on woods road
[  4.80]  Indian Rocks on left, continue on woods road
[  5.00]  Veer left at fork to Hemlock Pond
[  5.10]  Woods road on left
[  5.60]  Side trail on left (doesn't go anywhere just a trashy littered area)
[  5.95]  At intersection keep left, after a few steps veer right at fork to Hemlock Pond
[  6.05]  Continue left at end of Hemlock Pond to woods road and turn right
[  6.10]  Keep straight at intersection (or turn right to Crater Lake to shorten loop coming out at 8.60 mile point below)
[  6.35]  Swamp on right then rock hop over creek
[  7.15]  Turn right on blue-blazed trail at "Woods Trail" sign
[  7.55]  Turn around for view west nearing top of ascent
[  7.65]  Turn right on white-blazed Appalachian Trail
[  8.60]  Appalachian Trail veers left when orange-blazed trail goes right to Hemlock Pond
[  8.65]  Short trail to left for view of Crater Lake; retrace
[  8.75]  Short trail to left for view of Crater Lake; retrace
[  9.00]  Veer right on AT as woods road comes in from the  left
[  9.10]  Short trail to left for view of Crater Lake; retrace
[  9.15]  AT leaves woods road to the right over rock slab with views to west
[  9.20]  AT crosses woods road
[  9.30]  AT joins orange-blazed woods road to the right briefly then leaves to the left
[10.80]  AT trail register on right, veer left to gravel road when AT turns right
[10.85]  Come out at intersection with Blue Mountain Lakes Road, turn left beyond gate to descend
[11.25]  Back at car

Skyline Preserve, NJ

NOTE: It is my understanding that these trails have not been maintained in years and that it is no longer possible to follow them.

ABOUT THE PARK:
Skyline Preserve - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.04609,-74.368631

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Pull off parking for 2 cars north side of Weaver Road by bridge.

TRAIL MAP:
Jersey Highlands Trails Map 125 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
North Jersey Trails Map 115 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  3.45 miles

THE HIKE:
From the parking pull off, walk west across the bridge for .2 miles.  Turn left just before the black mail box with number 139 at the Trail Access sign.  Go through a ditch and proceed straight ahead to the 3 yellow markers designating the beginning of the yellow-blazed trail.

Yellow-blazed trail starts after Trail Access sign.

Pass an old wrecked car just before crossing a small creek on logs at a second triple blaze.

At the .5 mile point the trail veers left on to a woods road.  Make note of this turn as there is no turn blaze in the opposite direction for the return trip.  You can see one yellow marker on the tree going the other way and a nail where the second marker used to be so this turn is hard to find on the return trip unless you note where it is.

At .9 miles the trail comes out on a rock slab with Van Nostrand Lake visible ahead.  No markers in this area but look for the back side of a marker for the opposite direction to the left before the boulder on the left.

A pretty pine tree growing out of the rock slab.

Trail goes uphill along Van Nostrand Lake

New York City skyline view from Table Rock

Trail veers left at pretty creek with small waterfalls.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Walk west over bridge from pull off parking
[  0.20]  Turn left at Trail Access sign just before mail box with number 139
[  0.50]  Trail turns left following woods road
[  0.55]  Trail leaves woods road to right as footpath
[  0.90]  Trail comes out at clearing heading towards Van Nostrand Lake
[  1.05]  Trail comes out at Van Nostrand Lake and veers left uphill along the lake
[  1.15]  Trail veers away from lake on woods road after brief downhill rock scramble
[  1.30]  Trail leaves wider path to the right on a more narrow path (start of lollipop loop)
[  1.60]  View of New York City skyline from Table Rock Overlook on right
[  1.70]  Area of heavy blow down to climb over and crawl under; sparse blazing
[  1.85]  Trail clears as it turns left before creek with small waterfalls
[  2.10]  Trail comes out on mossy, rocky woods road
[  2.15]  Keep straight on woods road having completed lollipop loop when yellow goes left from beginning of hike; now retracing first part
[  2.25]  Just before lake trail leaves woods road to right as footpath
[  2.30]  Brief rock scramble up then trail follows along upper level with lake below to the left
[  2.50]  Cross open rock slab with pretty pine growing out of rock
[  2.80]  Trail turns left on woods road
[  2.90]  Trail leaves woods road to right before woods road forks left uphill (this is where turn blaze is missing)
[  3.20]  Cross small creek on logs at wrecked car
[  3.25]  Turn right on Weaver Road
[  3.45]  Back at parking pull out

Tohickon Valley, PA: Ralph Stover State Park and Tohickon Valley Park

ABOUT THE PARKS:
Ralph Stover State Park - Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
Tohickon Valley Park - Bucks County, PA


DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.434401, -75.097524

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Parking at Ralph Stover State Park

TRAIL MAPS:
Ralph Stover State Park - Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
Tohickon Valley Park - Bucks County, PA
Neither map is of much use.  No map exists showing the trails available.  There are many informal trails that shoot off of the more defined trails.  Between High Rocks Vista and the campground at Tohickon Valley Park there are 3 trails that run parallel on different levels:  Yellow (highest level), Red dot on white (middle level), unmarked (lower level).  Knowing this helps make more sense of the layout of the trails.

Most of the trails are accessed by crossing the red bridge from the parking lot and following the paved road uphill through a residential area.  The trails start in about .4 miles from the parking lot.  If you reach Tory Road, you missed the trails but not by much.  Alternatively, parking with trail access is available at High Rocks Vista (40.44127, -75.10060) and Tohickon Valley Park (40.43819, -75.07700).

40.44127, -75.10060

40.44127, -75.10060

• YELLOW TRAIL:  Starts on the right side of the paved road about half way up the guardrail which is on the left side of the paved road.  This trail seems to be very well blazed (fresh blazes) the entire length.  The yellow trail follows the highest level along the rim of the valley and seems to be the most heavily used.  It runs for about 2.4 miles to the campground at Tohickon Valley Park.
• WHITE TRAIL:  Starts on the right of the paved road a short distance from the start of the yellow trail.  Not well blazed and blazes are old and faded.  This trail meets up with and joins together with yellow trail in under 1/10th of a mile.  Terminates at High Rocks Vista parking area when yellow continues on as yellow only before joining with red dot on white.
• UNMARKED LOOP TRAIL:  Starts to the left directly opposite the start of the white trail on the paved road.  This is a 1.5 mile loop trail.  The trail forks a few steps in.  Right follows the higher contour then descends to creek level and meets back up at the fork to complete the loop.
• UNMARKED FENCE TRAIL:  At High Rocks Vista an unmarked trail follows along the safety fencing a level lower than and somewhat parallel to the yellow-blazed trail.  This trail ends merging back with the yellow trail when the safety fencing ends. 
• UNMARKED LOWER LEVEL TRAIL:  Beyond High Rocks Vista after safety fencing has ended watch for a fork where a double yellow blaze indicates a left turn of the yellow trail.  It is the only yellow double turn blaze I saw in that direction.  At this fork the red dot on white trail veers right.  A few steps before this fork, watch for an unmarked trail leaving to the right.  This trail descends to a lower level and continues for about 1.3 miles terminating at the red dot on white trail.  Several unmarked trails branch off of this trail but keep to the right following along the contour of the creek to stay on the trail.  This trail seems to be the most lightly used but is the most scenic.
• RED DOT ON WHITE TRAIL:  Starts at the Cedar Overlook sign and runs with the yellow-blazed trail (although only yellow blazes visible after the Cedar Overlook sign) until the double blazes indicating the yellow trail is turning left.  Turn right at this fork and eventually there will be a red dot on white blaze but they are faded and very infrequent initially.  Blazing becomes better towards the end of the trail.  This trail runs about 1.8 miles and ends at the campground at Tohickon Valley Park.  The red dot on white trail runs between the lower unmarked trail and the higher yellow trail.
• UNMARKED TOHICKON VALLEY PARK TRAIL:  From behind the park pool an unmarked trail to the left comes out at Cafferty Road in .3 miles.  Turn right on another unmarked trail before Cafferty Road and this trail leads back to the narrow paved park road to park cabins in .25 miles.  Continue beyond cabin 3 then cabin 4 following an unmarked trail that ascends and terminates at the red dot on white trail at the campground in .6 miles for a total loop of about 1.15 miles.

From the parking lot before crossing the bridge:

• UNMARKED TRAIL TO DOAN'S CAVE:  Turn right before the bridge and walk towards picnic pavilion with the restroom building beyond.  Unmarked trail starts behind pavilion and crosses a bridge.  Rustic trail loops around following creek through rocky area where Doan's Cave is located.  After steep incline, trail terminates at gravel road which is private property but best to retrace from Doan's Cave and before steep incline for total of about .6 miles out and back.

CLICK HERE for my notes where I have referenced the voice recorder track number with the corresponding pictures below if this is of any help in planning a hike without a proper map.

HIKE DISTANCE:
I hiked 12 miles exploring the trails but it is definitely possible to put together loops of various lengths.

THE HIKE:
The pictures do not do this hike justice at all.  I was shooting into the sun so the pictures are not the best.  The scenery is FABULOUS and it's definitely a hike worth doing.  Ralph Stover State Park and Tohickon Valley Park are next to each other and sort of intermingle - hard to tell where the boundaries are.

TRACK #1:  Access trails by crossing the bridge with the covered sides from the parking lot.

TRACK #2:   Paved State Park Road from bridge ascends with Tohickon Creek to the left through residential area to trails.

TRACK #8:  Unmarked loop trail that starts to the left of paved road opposite white-blazed trail.

TRACK #19:  Unmarked trails follows along left bank of Tohickon Creek.

TRACK #26:  White-blazed trail starts on right from paved road opposite unmarked loop trail.

TRACK #27:  Yellow merges in from right; trail continues as white/yellow to High Rock Vista.

High Rocks Vista parking lot with porta potty left before bridge; yellow continues across bridge or right goes to unmarked trail along safety fence at views.

The yellow-blazed trail branches off to the High Rocks Vista parking lot.  This is a view coming from the parking lot.  Turn left on yellow to cross small bridge, keep straight to unmarked trail at safety fence for views, came in from the right on white/yellow.

TRACK #32:  Chain link safety fence at views.

TRACK #34:  Argillite Overlook.  There supposedly 4 named overlooks but the only signs I saw were for the Argillite and Cedar Overlooks.

TRACK #36:  Wrought iron safety fence.

People walking on unmarked trail along safety fence as seen from the yellow trail.

One of the valley views at High Rock Vista.

TRACK #37:  At Cedar Overlook, a red dot on white blaze with a yellow blaze indicating from this point both trails run together but red dot on white blazes will be sporadic along this section.

At the overlooks, turkey vultures fly by at eye level.  This is how close they come and the level of detail visible.  You almost look each other in the eye.

If you get there early before other visitors have scared them off, the turkey vultures might even put on a show for you.  They let me get closer than I have ever been to a turkey vulture.  Maybe they know that safety fence was keeping me and my dog (who could have cared less about them) from getting too close.

It was incredibly awesome to be able to hang out with them for a while and take pictures!

Turkey vultures hanging out on the cliffs by the chains the rock climbers use.

To give you a better idea just how high up those chains are.

A rock climber going down the cliff face.

TRACK #39:  Turned right on an unmarked trail just before the double left turn blazes for the yellow trail at a fork where the red dot on white trail goes right.  This unmarked trail starts high but descends gently to a lower level running parallel to Tohickon Creek.

TRACK #47:  In a hemlock grove, a trail goes downhill to the right for a short out and back to the bank of Tohickon Creek.

TRACK #56:  Lower level unmarked trail follows along the bottom of rock walls.

TRACK #59:  One of the many rock hops over a feeder creek.

TRACK #60: The unmarked lower level trail terminates at the red dot on white middle level trail.

TRACK #63:  The red dot on white trail terminates at two posts with blazes on each at a camping/picnic area.  Pit toilet on right open in winter.  From this point if you look to the left, you see where the yellow trail terminates at the campground.

TRACKS #73 and #85:  If you take the loop that starts behind the pool in Tohickon Valley Park, watch for the turn just before paved Cafferty Road where my dog is standing.  This brings you down to a bend in the paved park road at the cabin area - turn left following the park road as it curves to the right towards cabins 3 and 4.  A trail continues beyond cabin 4 and ascends to meet up with the red dot on white trail for the return trip.

TRACK #91:  Looking back at Cabin #4 right at Tohickon Creek.

Heading back on the red dot on white trail.

TRACK #114:  Rock ledge along red dot on white trail with unmarked lower level trail from earlier visible below.

TRACK #120:  Blazes become very faded and less frequent.

TRACK #124:  Rock hop over feeder creek with a small waterfall.

After crossing back over bridge with covered sides to parking lot, turn left to find unblazed trail to Doan's Cave behind the picnic pavilion.  Trail crosses a foot bridge,  goes through swampy section, then becomes rocky.  The trail is not all that well defined but it is possible to follow it.

When you come to this memorial for Sullivan James Burd who apparently died here at the age of 20 on 9/9/2010, retrace a bit and go down to the lower level beneath the memorial to find Doan's Cave.  To continue on, the trail becomes more difficult to follow and ends at a gravel road on private property so best to retrace from this point.

Doan's Cave

HIKE SUMMARY:
CLICK HERE for transcribed trail notes.