Wawayanda State Park, NJ - Applachian Trail: Pochuck Mountain to Wawayanda Mountain

ABOUT THE PARK:
Wawayanda State Park
Pochuck Boardwalk
Wawayanda Mountain (Stairway to Heaven and Pinwheel Vista)

DIRECTIONS:
Glenwood Road Parking (room for 2-3 cars):

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There are other parking options at Route 17 and Route 94 (much more crowded and heavily used) which shorten the hike .

Glenwood Road parking area - not heavily used

Rt. 517 Parking  - cars parked as far as you can see

Rt. 94 Parking - lot full (7 cars) and cars parked along Rt. 94

TRAIL MAP:
Pochuck Boardwalk Online Map
NY/NJ Trail Conference North Jersey Trails Map #116 (Wawayanda Mountain)

NEW JERSEY 1K CLUB HIGH PEAK:  Wawayanda Mountain
(summit not included in this hike - requires additional hiking)

HIKE DISTANCE:
Glenwood Road to Pinwheel Vista out and back - 10 miles
Route 517 (Pochuck Boardwalk) to Pinwheel Vista out and back - 7 miles
Route 94 to Pinwheel Vista out and back - 2.50 miles

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
From the Glenwood Road parking area, cross over Glenwood Road and proceed up the stone steps heading north on the Appalachian Trail.  The first 1.5 miles of the trail travels up and down over Pochuck Mountain on foot trails through woods.  Enjoy the solitude through this section because that will soon come to an end.

At 1.50 miles cross over Route 517 to the beginning of the easy and level Pochuck Boardwalk which runs for .9 miles.  Expect this section to be very crowded unless you are there early in the morning.

At 2.2 miles cross over on the suspension bridge:

The boardwalk ends at 2.4 miles.  At 2.8 miles arrive at Canal Road which is a gravel bike trail.  Turn right following Canal Road and cross over the iron bridge.

 

Turn left at 2.85 miles where the Appalachian Trail leaves Canal Road.  Cross another bridge at 3.0 miles.  At 3.4 miles climb over the first of four stiles.  At 3.55 miles climb over the second stile, immediately cross railroad tracks, then climb over the third stile.  You will be walking on boards through a swampy area, passing through a field with cows.

At 3.75 miles carefully climb over the 4th stile as it puts you directly on Route 94.  Cross Route 94 and proceed through the AT parking lot continuing along the white-blazed Appalachian Trail towards Wawayanda Mountain straight ahead.

At the rocky base of the mountain, begin ascending rock steps on switchbacks (Stairway to Heaven) all the way up the side of the mountain. 

At 4.9 miles watch for a blue-blazed side trail to the left which leads to Pinwheel Vista.  It is very easy to miss as the blazes are painted in navy blue which is very difficult to see.  Watch for the rocks piled up around the tree.

If you arrive at the Old AT Vista Trail, you have gone too far.  (This is the trail I took to what I believe to be the actual summit of Wawayanda Mountain.  If you want solitude, there will most likely be nobody on this trail.  It follows mostly along the ridge of Wawayanda Mountain.  This is an unmaintained trail but there are a few blue blazes here and there.)

Back at the blue-blazed side trail to Pinwheel Vista, take that out a short distance to views over the entire valley.  This is a very popular vista so chances are you will have to share.

High Point Monument barely visible in the distance.

New York, the Gunks and the Catskills to the North

Retrace your steps back to the Glenwood Road parking area.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Glenwood Road parking area; head north on white-blazed AT via stone steps
[  1.50]  Cross over Route 517; begin west end of Pochuck Boardwalk
[  2.20]  Suspension Bridge
[  2.40]  East end of Pochuck Boardwalk
[  2.80]  Right on Canal Road bike path; cross over iron bridge
[  2.85]  Appalachian Trail leaves Canal Road to the left
[  3.00]  Cross over bridge
[  3.40]  Climb over first stile
[  3.55]  Climb over second stile; cross railroad tracks; climb over third stile
[  3.75]  Climb over 4th stile; cross Route 94
[  4.90]  Left on blue-blazed side trail to Pinwheel Vista
[  5.10]  Right on white-blazed AT after retracing steps from Pinwheel Vista
[  6.25]  Cross over Route 94 and climb over first stile
[  6.45]  Climb over second stile; cross railroad tracks; climb over third stile
[  6.60]  Climb over forth stile
[  7.00]  Cross over bridge
[  7.15]  Right on Canal Road bike path; cross iron bridge
[  7.20]  White-blazed AT leaves Canal Road to the left
[  7.60]  Begin east end of Pochuck Boardwalk
[  7.80]  Suspension bridge
[  8.50]  Pochuck Boardwalk west end; cross Route 517
[10.00]  Arrive at Glenwood Road parking

Stonetown Circular Hike, Ringwood, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
The Stonetown Circular Loop passes through 3 different properties:
     - North Jersey District Water Supply Commission
     - Long Pond Iron Works State Park
     - Passaic River Coalition - scroll down to page 11, Tory Rocks

DIRECTIONS:

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From Stonetown Road, turn on to Mary Roth Drive which ends at the Stonetown Recreation Area with a large parking lot.

TRAIL MAP:   NY/NJ Trail Conference North Jersey Trails Map #115

NEW JERSEY 1K CLUB HIGH PEAK:  Windbeam Mountain

HIKE DISTANCE:  10.5 mile loop

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Walk out of the recreation center on Mary Roth Drive the way you drove in.  At Stonetown Road, cross over, turn right and walk along the road a short distance to the guardrail.  Turn left into the woods just before the guardrail.

You will be following the red triangle on white markers throughout the entire hike.

At .60 miles the teal diamond-blazed Highlands Trail joins in from the right and you will be on the combined paths for the next 6 miles following double markers:

The Highlands Trail leaves the Stonetown Circular trail at the Harrison Mountain summit.

This is said to be the most strenuous hike in New Jersey.  You will be climbing and descending four different mountains with lots of ups and downs in between.  There are many woods roads crossing through this hike so be sure to pay close attention to the markers.  The trail is very well marked throughout.

Bear Mountain seen from Windbeam Mountain

Wanaque Reservoir (very low after summer drought) seen from Windbeam Mountain

August 2010 Fire Damage on Windbeam Mountain

Monksville Reservoir seen from Bear Mountain

View from Bear Mountain

Monksville Reservoir from Board Mountain

View from Harrison Mountain

Tory Rocks

Descending Tory Rocks

Lots of leaves down covering the rocky trail

HIKE SUMMARY:
See NJ Hiking's Stonetown Circular page - their notes are much better than mine were.  I was too busy trying to keep my footing on slippery leaves that had come down and covered rocks on the trail.

Shenandoah National Park, VA - Mary's Rock Via Appalachian Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:  Mary's Rock - Wikipedia

DIRECTIONS:
Thornton Gap Entrance to Skyline Drive, south to Pinnacles Picnic Area parking between mile posts 36 and 37.  Look for the Appalachian Trail sign between the restrooms along the northern end of the parking lot. 

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TRAIL MAP:  Panorama Area Road and Trail Map

HIKE DISTANCE:  7.20 miles out and back

HIKE DIRECTIONS:
From facing the Appalachian Trail sign between the restrooms at the north side of the parking lot, turn right and follow along the edge of the parking lot which is the Appalachian Trail. 

As the Appalachian Trail goes through the woods behind Jewell Hollow Overlook it follows along a ledge with views of the Shenandoah Valley and mountain to the north.  It was hazy on this particular morning so nothing was visible to the east when there should be views on a clear day.

The trail will descend between the mountains then ascend again heading towards Mary's Rock.

At 3.5 miles turn left to Mary's Rock .1 miles ahead when the Appalachian Trail turns right.

Mary's Rock

View to the North

View to the West

Thornton Gap Entrance Station from Mary's Rock

View to the West

Retrace your steps back to finish the hike.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[0.00]  Take the white-blazed Appalachian Trail north from the Pinnacles Picnic Area
[3.50]  Turn left to Mary's Rock; Appalachian Trail turns right
[3.60]  Mary's Rock
[3.70]  Retrace steps turning right on white-blazed Appalachian Trail
[7.20]  Arrive back at Pinnacles Picnic Area