Sunday, October 4, 2015

Damascus Forest, PA


ABOUT THE PARK:
Damascus Forest - Damascus Township
Trails of the Upper Delaware River Valley - National Park Service

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.635278, -75.062915
Large parking lot at the trail head.

TRAIL MAP:
Damascus Forest, PA at EveryTrail

HIKE DISTANCES:
These four hikes all done in one day along with a scenic drive from one to the other.
   SGL 316, PA - Cobey Pond - 2.5 miles
      drive 9.3 miles/20 minutes to
   Damascus Forest, PA - 1.5 miles
      drive 26.4 miles/53 minutes to
   Bouchoux Trail - Jensen's Ledges, NY - 2.5 miles
      drive 34.5 miles/57 minutes to
   Tusten Mountain Trail, NY - 3.5 miles

THE HIKE:
Straight ahead to the left of the board to access the trail.
Entrance to the forest.
View in the power cut.
Trail in the power cut.
Majestic hemlocks.
A race?
Descending to the wetlands.
Wetlands on the right.
Back through the power cut.
Old growth hemlocks on the right.
Coming up on the end of the trail.

State Game Lands 316, PA - Cobey Pond


ABOUT THE PARK:
Trails of the Upper Delaware River Valley - National Park Service

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.558605, -75.077427
I had parked in this lot because I could not see that there was more parking up ahead closer to the gate.

TRAIL MAP:
Two slightly different versions of the map yet there were more trails and parking lots than shown on either map.

Pike Outdoors brochure page 9.
State Game Lands 316, PA - Cobey Pond at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCES:
These four hikes all done in one day along with a scenic drive from one to the other.
   SGL 316, PA - Cobey Pond - 2.5 miles
      drive 9.3 miles/20 minutes to
   Damascus Forest, PA - 1.5 miles
      drive 26.4 miles/53 minutes to
   Bouchoux Trail - Jensen's Ledges, NY - 2.5 miles
      drive 34.5 miles/57 minutes to
   Tusten Mountain Trail, NY - 3.5 miles


THE HIKE:
Beautiful drive early in the morning.
Entering the SGL, you cross over scenic Masthope Creek.  The map shows a trail along the creek.  Must go back!
We had to walk farther on that hideous chunky gravel than we had to as to the right (left facing the gate) is a parking lot that can't be seen when  you pull in.
This is called the Cobey Pond Trail but there is nothing that says that, no markers, no blazes, nothing.  I went right here since I could see there was none of the gravel to the left and figuring that was the return route, wanted to get the gravel out of the way first.
The foliage was pretty.
But that gravel was icky for both of us and I was becoming very disappointed with this hike.
Finally some room off to the side with no gravel.
Good morning!
Ah ha, the source of all of the annoying gravel.
And Cobey Pond beyond that but first to the dock.
Starting a counter clockwise look with just a little more gravel ...
... and it ends before the bridge.
Looking back at the dock.
Easy going here.
Now we were enjoying this hike and it turned out to be quite nice.
This gentleman must have been in his late 70's and he JOGGED right by us!
After going around 3 sides of the pond, take the right fork.
A look back at the pond.
At the next fork, veer left.
End up back on the chunky gravel and turn right to...
... the gate and ...
... the parking lots beyond.