Evansburg State Park, PA

ABOUT THE PARK:
Evansburg State Park - PA DCNR

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.200286, -75.401290

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This is a parking area at the Visitor/Nature Center.  I had intended to park in one of the other lots but trail signage is virtually non-existent so if you don't know where the trail is, it's hard to find from other lots.  I ended up heading to the Visitor Center where it was easier to pick up the trail.

TRAIL MAP:
Evansburg State Park Trail Map - PA DCNR

HIKE DISTANCE:
Skippack Creek Loop Only - 5 miles
Northern out-and-back trail - add 2.6 miles
Southern out-and-back trail - add 1.5 miles

THE HIKE:
The trails in this park are inconsistently blazed - sometimes lots of different blazes, other times no blazes at all.  There are very few signs with trail names and no signs at intersections.  But don't let that dissuade you.  This is a gorgeous hike, feels unbelievably remote, and once on the trails, they are well maintained and easy to follow.

To find the trail, walk towards the visitor center ...

... then turn left into the garden to pick up the Old Farmstead Trail (not on map)

The Old Farmstead Trail exits the garden, crosses a long bridge, then descends behind the Visitor Center.  There are some round trail markers but they are not consistent.

The Old Farmstead Trail meets up with the Skippack Creek Trail at Skippack Creek.  This is the only intersection sign.

The trail follows closely along Skippack Creek.

The trail crosses a wooden bridges, merges to the right with a horse trail, then leaves the horse trail to the left after a short distance.  There are no signs but there is a post and some blazes, you just have to watch for it.

The trail comes out into a field and abruptly ends.  There are no signs.  Turn right along the field back towards the creek then left along the creek on the horse trail.

The horse trail is going to be a lot muddier than the hiking only trail.

There are several stream crossings on the horse trail.

Shortly after crossing a power cut, there is a fork in the trail.  To continue on the Skippack Loop Trail, veer right, work your way around the guardrail and cross Skippack Creek on the Kratz Road bridge where there is plenty of room to walk.  The trail continues to the right through the parking lot at the far end of the bridge.  There are no signs.  Or keep left to continue on the horse trail along Skippack Creek for an out-and-back before continuing the loop.

An alternate way to the Kratz Road bridge is to keep left at the fork a short distance, then turn right on the old paved road which ends at Kratz Road, then right on Kratz Road to cross the bridge.  Cross the olf paved road to continue on the horse trail.

The horse trail continues along Skippack Creek.  It is very pretty and quiet in this area.

It is pretty obvious where the trail ends - this is where you would need to ford this side creek then Skippack Creek to get to the trail on the other side going back - if you were a horse or on one.  But without that option, retracing is the only way.

Heading back.

Crossing the Kratz Road bridge to continue on the Skippack Creek Loop Trail.

Skippack Creek from the bridge.

After the bridge, turn right into the parking lot then continue between the kiosk and the interpretive sign.  There are no signs or blazes indicating that this is the continuation of the Skippack Creek Loop Trail but it is.

The trail becomes even more scenic in this area.

The first flower on the first day of spring.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

The trail ends at a paved road.  No signs, nothing.  On the map it looks like the trail continues parallel to the road.  Turns out, the road is the trail.  No cars passed us to it's not a high traffic road at all.

This pedestrian bridge over Skippack Creek signals the end of the road walk and the continuation of the Skippack Creek Loop (no sign) or ...

... continue straight for the southern out-and-back portion.  The map shows this as a horse trail but it is actually a hiking trail.

Mourning Dove

Mallard Ducks

The trail continues to follow along Skippack Creek all the way out.  When the trail ends at a horse trail it's time to turn around.

Belted Kingfisher

I did not see these on the way out but they were all over the place on the way back.

Now rejoining the Skippack Creek Loop on the pedestrian bridge over Skippack Creek.

At the other side of the bridge turn right on a footpath (no sign, no blazes) which leads to an intersection with all kinds of blazes.  Turn right and this will be the Mill Race Trail, mostly blazed in light blue.

Pass behind this sign then the blazes become white diamonds and sometimes yellow rectangles.

Some views from the top of the Skippack Creek gorge.

And back down to Skippack Creek for a last opportunity to wash off some of that mud picked up along the trail.

The trail connects back to that intersection with the name post from the beginning of the hike.  Turn left on the Old Farmstead Trail to return to the Visitor Center.

Back at the bridge to the Visitor Center.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Walk towards the visitor center, turn left on the Old Farmstead Trail through the garden just before the building, exit garden fence and continue across long bridge
[  0.30]  At intersection with trail name post, turn left on Skippack Creek Trail
[  0.40]  Cross footbridge, keep right on horse trail with some yellow blazes
[  0.50]  Watch for the footpath to leave the horse trail uphill to the left
[  0.70]  Turn right at open field
[  0.75]  At end of field keep right to footpath leading down to Skippack Creek
[  0.80]  Turn left and follow horse trail along Skippack Creek
[  1.60]  Pass through power cut
[  1.65]  Keep right at fork to Kratz Road Bridge for Skippack Creek Trail, keep left to continue on horse trail
[  1.75]  Cross old paved road; keep right at fork downhill and cross small creek
[  1.90]  Cross Kratz Road and proceed right along field (trail shows on wrong side of Kratz Road on map)
[  2.20]  Trail meets back up with Skippack Creek
[  2.25]  Trail goes through power cut
[  2.65]  Rock hop twice over side creek
[  2.95]  Retrace when trail ends at creek
[  3.60]  Trail goes back through power cut
[  4.00]  Cross Kratz Road
[  4.10]  Turn left on old paved road then right on Kratz Road and cross Kratz Road Bridge
[  4.25]  Turn right into parking lot other side of bridge and continue on hiking trail between kiosk and interpretive sign
[  4.30]  Cross through power cut
[  4.65]  Some yellow blazes where hemlocks start, then follow white painted arrows to the left

[  5.25]  Trail turns left and crosses horse trail
[  5.60]  Cross horse trail
[  6.00]  Trail ends at paved Water Street, turn right and walk on paved road
[  6.20]  Pass large parking lot on left
[  6.40]  Turn right on pedestrian bridge or continue straight on hiking path (shown as horse trail on map)
[  7.15]  Continuing straight, turnaround point is when hiking trail runs into horse trail, retrace
[  7.90]  Turn left and cross pedestrian bridge
[  8.00]  Turn right on footpath after crossing bridge; keep left at fork
[  8.10]  Keep right at intersection with various colored blazes, now on Mill Race Trail
[  8.60]  Parking lot and restroom building on left, continue straight on trail past picnic tables
[  8.80]  Keep right at unmarked intersection
[  9.00]  At trail name post, turn left on Old Farmstead Trail
[  9.30]  Back at visitor center and parking lot

Nockamixon State Park, PA - Mink Trail and Church Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Nockamixon State Park - PA DCNR

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.469517, -75.189309
(Be sure to check a map because my GPS could not get me there from State Park Road.)

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Large parking lot at the end of Mink Road (Googlemaps shows Mink Road as Fairview Road.)

TRAIL MAP:
Nockamixon State Park Map - PA DCNR

HIKE DISTANCE:  7.6 miles

THE HIKE:
This isn't very clear on the trail map but the Mink Trail is a loop and the Church Trail is a loop and they connect at the Old Ridge Road parking lot so you can get from one to the other. 

I had to stop the car on Mink Road to get out and shoo this little guy/gal off to the side.  This is a Chukar and males and females apparently look the same.

Mink Trail starts opposite the parking lot.

It was a very foggy morning and although the Mink Trail follows along the lake, there wasn't much to see.

Mink Trail

Red paint blazes indicate permitted trail uses, not which trail it is.  Trail names are on posts.

A lot of Sandy clearing had already taken place.  It is very obvious that this park had a tremendous amount of damage.

An early spider web.

The Mink Trail connects to the Church Trail at the Old Ridge Road parking lot.

The Church Trail is a woods road along the section closer to the lake.

The fog is lifting a little at the lake.

The Church Trail goes through the park cabin area.

Before the Church Trail loops back around, another opportunity for a lake view.

Where about 85% of the Mink and Church Trails has been cleared of Sandy damage, there were still some blowdowns to navigate.

Much more to see with the fog gone.

Haycock Mountain in State Game Lands 157

Instead of taking the other side of the Mink Trail loop back, I retraced on the side I had come in on, closer to the lake, since I missed all of the lake views in the fog.

Mink Trail along Lake Nockamixon.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  From parking lot cross Mink Road to Mink Trail
[  0.15]  Keep right at fork
[  0.25]  Keep right at fork
[  0.70]  Keep right at fork and continue downhill
[  1.20]  Keep left on trail, right is lake access
[  1.65]  At Old Ridge Road parking lot veer to the left then turn right on Church Trail
[  2.15]  Cross gravel road
[  3.00]  Continue through parking lot then turn right on road to lake
[  3.10]  Bench and views at lake; retrace
[  3.15]  Turn right on unnamed trail in power cut
[  3.20]  Turn right on gravel road briefly then left on Church Trail at post
[  3.95]  Turn right at kiosk to lake view; retrace
[  4.15]  Return to kiosk and continue to welcome sign, take Church Trail heading back (Elephant Trail starts to the right)
[  4.75]  Turn left at intersection (can continue straight but at this time too many blowdowns)
[  4.90]  Cross through parking lot, lake view with bench to the left, take Church Trail on the left
[  5.40]  Keep left along lake at intersection
[  5.70]  Turn right briefly on gravel road then left
[  6.00]  Veer left on Old Ridge Road then right on Mink Trail at parking area for Mink Trail along lake
[  7.60]  Back at parking lot