Appalachian Trail: Deckertown Tpke to NJ-23 (High Point State Park)

Appalachian Trail: Deckertown Tpke to NJ-23 (High Point State Park)

Hike Type: Out-and-Back
Distance: 10.25 miles
Elevation: 1322 feet
Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
Hiking Challenges: New Jersey Appalachian Trail

The Hike 

I was going to attempt this hike a few days ago after work, but I wasn't in the mood for a 10+ mile jaunt that day, and I am so glad that I waited. The weather on this day is absolutely beautiful. The day started without a cloud in the sky, low-mid 60s, low humidity, and a constant breeze. By the end of the day we were in the 70s with Pixar-style clouds in the sky. Just amazing! Anyway, when I got to the parking area off the Deckertown Turnpike I was the only car in the lot, got suited up, and hopped into the woods!

 

The trail was classically rocky, first dipping down and then climbing back up. There was a hiker log box soon after the trail entrance, and some magnificently orange mushrooms soon after. The AT then crosses the Iris Trail and climbs a little bit higher near private property signs to an overgrown spur path to a view, which was fine. Soon after, though, the trail crossed a clear-cut pipeline area which provided an excellent view of the neighboring farmland of Sussex County. The breeze up there was incredible. 

 

Heading back into the woods, the AT continues to follow the ridgeline, dips down and climbs back up to another junction with the Iris Trail, and then the blue-blaze trail to the Rutherford Shelter (which shockingly, then connects with the Iris Trail. The original plan was to make a loop hike with the Iris Trail, but I had read on njhiking.com that the Iris trail is not mowed on the pipeline and that was enough for me to do an out-and-back (and trend with these hikes). 

 

The trail then continues to follow the ridge line to a couple more great views, the second better than the first. According to the NYNJTC map there is also a rock called "Dutch Shoe Rock" that I must have missed - next time! There are a few more viewpoints noted on the NYNJTC maps, but they are mostly grown-in. The trail makes a very steep descent (I believe the steepest I've encountered on the trail in NJ, maybe except for the climb to Pinwheel Vista?) into a wet area, which was dry due to the rain-less summer. I checked my phone here for a moment, and when I looked up I was started by a juvenile bear running away from me about 30 feet away. It was cute but scared me! The bear stopped to check on me about 60 feet away, but I was clanking my sticks together at that point so it peaced out. I wish I wasn't looking at my phone so I could have gotten a photo! Or maybe it was for the better... 

 

The trail then climbs up a rocky section and slowly levels out, climbing to a view towards Sawmill Lake. There was a nice view of the sky and the neighboring ridge, but the lake was hardly visible. There were some tents pitched up down at the lake, and I believe one person down there brought their dog that barked for what felt like 15 hours straight. 

 

At this point, the trail starts a gentle descent down to where the Iris and Mashipacong trails intersect, which was my turn-around point for the day. Back in February, I had hiked from the AT parking lot on 23-south to this point, and then down to route 519. I had a quick snack of peanut butter crackers, and started my return trip!

 

The return trip, like most in this journey, was fairly uneventful. I passed a few thru hikers who I chatted with about bears and snakes (the bear was not back for my return trip). When I was climbing back up the steep section, I pulled over for a hiker who was coming down, and he very proudly told me that I need to keep coming up since it's hiker etiquette that the person descending pulls over. In my head I said "I know this thank you for explaining it to me I pulled over because I am TIRED and do not need a lecture by a stranger" but my mouth said "ha thank you." Deep breaths got me through that (I was also mildly dehydrated at this point which made me crankier than usual. 

 

One more bout of crankiness set over me when I passed a family of at least 20, who were traveling in 4-ish groups about 100 feet apart. I get wanting quality family time, but geeze. Anyway, the rest of the return trip was quite lovely. I checked out the views again and took a few more photos. I liked the lighting at this point of the day a little more, and the clouds added a nice feature in the photos. I was delighted and surprised to see a tan praying mantis at the pipeline cut! I passed a few more day and thru hikers, and right before I was back I saw the hiker log box with a memorial photo of a passed hiker on the other side with a mini backpack which was really sweet. The photo had words that read "may your love of the outdoors help the weary hiker and the slightly confused find their way" which made me chuckle and smile. Cheers! Back at the car I did my quick change and headed to the brand new Augusta Wawa for lunch!

 

Step-By-Step

• Park at AT parking lot on Deckertown Turnpike.
• Start hike on Appalachian Trail northbound.
• At junction with red-blazed Iris Trail, continue on AT northbound.
• Enjoy view from pipeline cut.
• At junction with Iris Trail, continue on AT northbound.
• At junction with blue-blazed trail to Rutherford Shelter, continue on AT northbound.
• At junction with blue-dot-blazed trail, continue on AT northbound.
• At junction with red-blazed Iris Trail and yellow-blazed Mashipacong Trail, turn around and retrace steps back to car.

NYNJTC High Point State Park Map

NJDEP High Point State Park Map

Photo Album

Appalachian Trail: Deckertown Tpke to Sunrise Mountain (High Point State Park & Stokes State Forest)

Appalachian Trail: Deckertown Tpke to Sunrise Mountain

Hike Type: Out-and-Back
Distance: 7.9 miles
Elevation: 845 feet
Time: 2 hours, 53 minutes
Hiking Challenges: New Jersey Appalachian Trail; 52 Hike Challenge

The Hike 

The original plan today was to hike from the Deckertown Turnpike parking to NJ-23, but I didn't have a 10 mile hike in me and wanted to be back in time for dinner, so I hit the other side of Deckertown Turnpike and did the shorter hike to Sunrise Mountain! I had been to sunrise mountain in 2020, so this was a hike to connect some of the dots that I had previously missed. There was a pile of water jugs in the parking lot, assumingly for thru-hikers, and only one other car in the lot. I crossed the road to start my hike, took a few photos, and I was off!

 

The trail gently climbs for the first bit of trail and soon pops out at a nice clearing at a shelter. The trail turns right here, and just in case that blaze is missed there is a large sign saying "NOT THE AT" where an access road travels. The trail climbs for a little longer before generally leveling out. I noticed immediately this section of trail is much gentler than the other sections have been. I noticed a side path that could lead to a pond/lake/swamp, so I took the overgrown path and got a very partial view of a grassy wetland area. It looked like I could have searched further for a better view, but I wasn't feeling it.

 

Continuing on, the trail meanders through some beautiful open forest with stone walls and the works, and before I knew it I was back at the spot I've already hiked! I could have turned around here, but this hike has been relatively featureless so I decided I earned a good view. I continued on towards Sunrise Mountain and was very happy I did. There is a short section through a clearing that is mostly grown-in with lots of flowering plants that the butterflies love. I was able to get a truly excellent photo of a Tiger Butterfly here (and I love that I knew it was a Tiger Butterfly - thank you Animal Crossing!). 

 

Soon after the butterfly garden there is a spur path to the Sunrise Mountain Road parking lot, and a very short climb to the Sunrise Mountain summit pavilion! I was lucky enough to have the whole area to myself, so I put my stuff down, took a bunch of photos, and had a nice snack break. I noticed there were storm clouds over PA with rain, but the radar SWORE it wasn't coming my way (thankfully it was correct). 

 

The return trip was more of the same. I noticed a bunch of millipedes again which was cool, but what truly stopped me in my tracks was a long Black Rat Snake chilling in the middle of the trail! It was very content just chilling there, so I made my way around it. I noticed an unblazed path near the Lincroft Farm Trails, and there was another sign clearly stating that it was not the AT. I always appreciate reminders like that, as someone who has been lost on the trails in NJ numerous times. Soon after I was back at the car in dry clothes and ready for dinner!

 

Step-By-Step

• Park at Appalachian Trail parking on Deckertown Turnpike.
• Cross Deckertown Turnpike and enter Appalachian Trail Southbound.
• At junction with blue-blazed Lincroft Farm Trails, continue on AT Southbound. 
• At junction with blue/black-blazed trail, continue on AT Southbound.
• At pavillion, take a break and enjoy the view. 
• Turn around, and retrace steps.
• NOTE: There are unmarked trail junctions not listed here. I only listed blazed trail junctions.

NYNJTC High Point State Park Map

NJDEP High Point State Park Map

NYNJTC Stokes State Forest North Map

NJDEP Stokes State Forest Map

Appalachian Trail: High Point SP Boundary to Route 517

Appalachian Trail: High Point SP Boundary to Route 517

Hike Type: One-Way
Distance: 15.35 miles
Elevation: 1991 feet
Time: 6 hours, 57 minutes
Hiking Challenges: New Jersey Appalachian Trail; 52 Hike Challenge

The Hike

Hike #3, the last hike, and the longest hike of the weekend! We dropped one car at Route 517 just before the AT boardwalk, and drove towards Route 519/Greenville Road, where I had tried to park during the winter but the pull-off was frozen over. Halfway there my body told me that my morning poop was READY, so Gen and I decided we should start the day by driving up to the High Point monument, since she's never been (and there's a bathroom). We didn't realize that the gate was closed until 8:00am, and it was 7:45am. We decided to wait it out, and oof my body was not thrilled. Turns out it was a great idea - we got the whole top to ourselves, saw a beautiful oriole, and got to christen the toilets for the day - PLUS all NJ state parks are free this summer so it didn't cost a thing. After taking care of our business we drove back down to the pull-off on 519 and suited up for our longest day yet.

 

There is a short blue-blaze from the pull-off to the AT, and then the AT crosses 519 into a cut meadow full of wildflowers and then into the woods where we saw two red efts - the "juvenile terrestrial" stage of the red-spotted newt. According to wikipedia, the red efts eventually find a body of water they like and then turn into aquatic adults. After writing the previous two sentences, I learned that we saw one red eft (the bright orange one) and one terrestrial adult red-spotted newt (the one that's more of an olive color). Very cool! Just after this, a couple thru hikers passed us and commented on how great our hair smelled (they were smelling our bug spray) which gave us a good laugh.

 

This whole section of the Appalachian Trail was uniquely beautiful. It continually altered between hardwood forest and open farmlands. Some of the farmlands had wildflowers, some had scattered hay bales, some had boardwalks through tall grass, and all were gorgeous. There was a long boardwalk section through some wetlands, a few road crossings (none too busy), and one long section of trail that was either on old railroad grade or an abandoned road. The best part of this hiking was that we finally broke free of the rocky Kittatinny Ridge - most of this hiking was on soft dirt. Our feet were definitely feeling it after 8-ish miles, but it was nothing compared to the past few days (I also had new insoles and loosened the laces around my toes, but I choose to believe it was the terrain). A few groups of thru hikers passed us slowpokes in the first few miles, but the rest of the day was mostly just the two of us.

 

The final field that the trail skirts around was the most beautiful, with views of Pochuck Mountain and the surrounding hills and farms through the hay bales. The trail then descended to State Line/Oil City Road (both names appear on Google Maps), where the trail followed into New York and for just enough time before I got sick of it. It passes a bunch of homes, some of which were threatening and very clearly not welcome to visitors, but others (I think at least three) welcomed hikers with open arms and had a ton of trail magic. One house had a sign that pointed in one direction to Maine and to Georgia in the other. One woman was hosting trail magic and gave us a wave as we crossed the bridge over the Wallkill River. It was another one of those moments where my heart was full but I also felt like a poser - I waved and smiled back.

 

The next section of trail was also very unique - the Liberty Loop around the Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge. The first side was a long straightaway along a wide, road-sized path. Right when the trail re-enters the great state of New Jersey, there is a phenomenal tree and bench where we took a nice long break. It was here that I remembered I brought a slice of pizza with me, and I nearly peed myself from giggling with excitement. Dramatically, this break saved my life. I didn't realize how badly my feet were feeling until they had some time to rest. The funniest part of this break was the massive sweat stain that my butt left on the bench - whoops!

 

The wetlands in the NWR were gorgeous, but I assume drier than usual due to this uniquely dry summer. There were endless amounts of birds that I could have stared at forever, but it was exceptionally hot at this point so we kept it moving. There were some more beautiful wildflowers, and one final bench before the trail leaves the NWR and starts the last leg of the hike - a brutal climb through Pochuck Mountain and its peaks. We took one final rest, looked back at the meadow to see the final field we hiked around, and headed back into the woods.

 

This section starts on another long boardwalk, but the grasses were a little overgrown which made this one much less enjoyable, but it was very scenic. There is another road crossing, and then the climbing officially begins! In hindsight, I can't tell if it was actually steep or if I was just exhausted from hiking over 10 miles at this point, but these were slow miles. The trail passes the blue-blaze to a shelter and a possible water source (we didn't investigate, even though we should have - we ended up running out of water about 2 miles from the car) and then continues to climb. Looking at the AllTrails recording, this section roughly has 5 climbs, some more brutal than others. All very rugged. The first climb rewarded us with a lovely view back towards High Point, which was an amazing indicator of the progress we had made. 

 

We were definitely feeling gassed out for the last few miles - I didn't even take any photos. There were rolling hills, some steep climbs, woods roads/ATV/mountain biking trails, and a lot of solitude. We only passed one other hiker, and he was a bit of an awkward chatter, but it was no bother. He asked about the stone walls and I was so excited that I actually knew the answer (property boundaries when all of North NJ was farmland)! Crankiness began to set in, but thankfully the mountain rewarded us for our work at the end with an endless supply of wineberries! It was an incredibly poetic bookending to this weekend of hiking. That last mile was one of our slowest just from stopping to nosh every two feet. I was so happy we were able to end this hike on such a fun, positive note. 

 

After we made it back to the car, we headed to the ACME (former A&P) to stock up on liquids and candy, made our way back to my car, and then stopped at the Market Creamery on Route 23 and had what may have been the best ice cream of my life. They had an excellent view with lots of seating/grass and a bunch of animals to gawk at. Such a beautiful ending to a long weekend of hiking! Next up on Gen's visit was a trip to Great Adventure and a Backstreet Boys concert, but for now, sleep.

Step-By-Step

• Stay on the AT Northbound for 15.35 miles.

Map of Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge

Map of Liberty Loop Trail

Photo Album

Appalachian Trail: Route 624 to Tillman Ravine (Delware Water Gap National Recreation Area & Stokes State Forest)

Appalachian Trail: Route 624 to Tillman Ravine (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area & Stokes State Forest)

Hike Type: One-Way
Distance: 9 miles
Elevation: 1234 feet
Time: 4 hours, 16 minutes
Hiking Challenges: New Jersey Appalachian Trail; 52 Hike Challenge

The Hike

Day two of our AT-palooza hiking weekend! I went back and fourth a few times on how to most effectively do this hike - we ended up dropping a car the upper Tillman Ravine parking lot and started the hike at the end of Fairview Lake Road, where there is a gate and the former road steeply climbs up the ridge via switchback. Getting there was a longer journey. Gen and I drove separately to do the car spot, but I didn't know she was stopping for gas so I was slightly panicked when she wasn't at the parking lot, but she eventually landed. I then decided to take the scenic route to Blue Mountain Lakes Road by taking Mountain Road past Buttermilk Falls, which is one of the most beautiful spots in the state. The road leading up to the falls was rough, but not nearly as bad as Mohican Camp Road. At the falls, however, the rest of the road was gated and closed apparently from storm damage this past April. At least we got to see the falls! We then continued to drive to Blue Mountain Lakes Road and found out that it was gated at the Blue Mountain Lake parking lot. I had read that Skyline Drive was closed on weekends, but that didn't start for another two miles! I thought we'd be able to drive to Skyline Drive and park there, but nope. After using those composting toilets, we took another half hour drive around the ridge to Fairview Lake Road, a place where I spent years of my life attending band camp, and parked at the bottom of the abandoned road leading up the ridge (in the past, Fairview Lake Road and Blue Mountain Lakes Road connected via a hairpin turn. Not sure when this closed). After about two hours of driving - it was finally time to start hiking!

We walked up the gated/washed out road to the top of the ridge, which was about as eroded as I remembered, but a little more grown in. There's a nice stream that parallels the upper half after the hairpin turn. The top of the road has a very partial view of the valley below through a power cut, and there is a short road walk to where the AT crosses Blue Mountain Lakes Road. There were some cars in the AT parking lot, which made me curious. Maybe they were park workers? Maybe backpackers? Who knows! The trail is clearly marked in white paint where it crosses the road, so we headed into the woods and officially officially got the day started.

The trail here was very nice and mellow with rolling ups and downs through open woods. The rocks were still present, but not as deadly as the day before. There was one steep descent, but other than that this section was generally uneventful. At the end of the descent there is what appears to be a dried up swamp/pond near Long Pine Pond. It was a very interesting area, I wondered if it is usually like that in July or if it was because of the drought. Soon after this area, the trail officially enters the Crater Lake area with a short scramble, intersecting old woods roads from the Tocks Island Dam controversy, and a view of the surrounding area. We ran into a thru-hiker right before the scramble who we realized we had seen the previous day which was fun. I didn't realize that the AT never actually provides a view of Crater Lake. If I had known this (aka done research) before, I probably would have added a side trip to the main parking area. I recognized the area once the Hemlock Pond Trail appeared, and this section of trail was very forgiving with its terrain. 

The trail continues on towards Rattlesnake Mountain, but first passes the trail junction with the Buttermilk Falls Trail and another series of old woods roads. I had originally thought I hiked to the top of Mt. Paradise, but now looking at the map I haven't! There used to be a NJ1K hiking list, but it seems its no longer maintained. Maybe I'll make my own... Someday! Either way, we climbed moderately and steadily to Rattlesnake Mountain where there were nice views. It was very humid this day (like all of my AT hikes this summer...) so I was SOAKED (also as per usual...). We had a nice break and pretended we weren't overheated beyond belief. Had a nice meat stick break and Gen surprised me with a rice krispy treat which probably saved my life. 

The final stretch of new trail was a descent down Rattlesnake, a short climb up the viewless Bird Mountain, and then crossing the boundary back into Stokes State Forest to the top of Blue Mountain, which had beautiful views just like last time. I was a little bummed that the day's haziness prevented views into the Catskills, but I got over myself and enjoyed what I could. At this point, I had already been on this stretch of trail so it was smooth sailing down to the junction with Brink Road, which we turned onto to slowly make our way back to Tillman Ravine. The road was wide and well traveled, passed what appeared to be a really nice elevated shelter area, and then made it to a junction with another woods road. The NYNJTC Map has parking areas labeled on this road which makes me wonder if/when the gate is ever open. The NJDEP map does not have any parking areas there, which makes me even more curious.

Anyway, we continued on Brink Road which immediately crossed a beautiful meadow and then reentered the woods for the remainder of the hike. The rest of the road was gentle, eroded, and overall featureless. I was delighted to see that it was not overgrown. We could have taken the Red Maple Trail, but this way saved us some miles and terrain, which we needed because we had an even longer hike planned for the next day. Brink Road terminates back at Dimon Road, which led right to the parking area. Hike #2 done!

"Crater Lake Trails" from Kittatinny Trails, 2004

        "Local mythology claims that Crater Lake was created by a meteorite sometime during the 19th century. It seems more likely this beautiful mountain feature is another glacial lake like nearby Sunfish and Catfish ponds, despite its crescent shape and the high bluffs on the northwest side.

        Crater Lake is far off the beaten track. Its large parking area and picnic grounds are at the end of a 2.4 mile long gravel road (Skyline Drive) which starts at the end of Blue Mountain Lakes Road. These roads dead end 5.5 miles from Old Mine Road.

        The AT crosses at the point where Blue Mountain Lakes Road turns into Skyline Drive.

        Buttermilk falls is the highest falls in New Jersey, about 200 feet high. It is best viewed in spring since at other seasons the water volume is quite low. The falls are at the western end of the Buttermilk Falls Trail, which is several miles from Walpack on the gravel Mountain Road."

Step-By-Step

• Drop car at upper Tillman Ravine parking lot.
• Drive to the end of Fairview Lake Road and park other car.
• Walk past gate and up the road to Blue Mountain Lakes Road.
• At top, follow Blue Mountain Lakes Road for short distance to Appalachian Trail.
• Turn right onto Appalachian Trail northbound. 
• Be sure to follow blazes throughout this whole section as there are many old woods roads. I will note junctions with blazed trails, but there are many more intersections than just these.
• At junction with orange-blazed Crater Lake Trail, continue straight onto AT.
• At second junction with orange-blazed Crater Lake Trail, continue right onto AT/Orange trail.
• Orange trail leaves toward Hemlock Pond, AT continues on.
• At junction with blue-blazed Buttermilk Falls Trail, continue on AT.
• Summit Rattlesnake, Bird, and Blue Mountains.
• Descend Blue Mountain, turn left onto Brink Road toward AT shelter.
• At shelter, continue on Brink Road.
• At gate, cross woods road and continue on Brink Road.
• Cross meadow on Brink Road, continue to gate at Dimon Road.
• Turn left onto Dimon Road to Tillman Ravine parking lot.

DWGNRA Blue Mountain Lake Map

DWGNRA Appalachian Trail Map

Appalachian Trail in DWG Webpage

NYNJTC Stokes State Forest South Map

NJDEP Stokes State Forest Map

Photo Album

Appalachian Trail: Mohican Camp Road to PA State Line (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area & Worthington State Forest)

Appalachian Trail: Mohican Camp Road to PA State Line (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area & Worthington State Forest)

Hike Type: One-Way

Distance: 10.7 miles

Elevation: 899 feet

Time: 5 hours, 0 minutes

Hiking Challenges: New Jersey Appalachian Trail

 

The Hike

The first hike in a series of three to kick off the weekend! Gen came down from New England for a few days (three days spent hiking, one day for Great Adventure, and then most importantly, a Backstreet Boys concert) and she agreed to help me out with some hikes by car spotting and being another human. I had been really looking forward to this one. The plan was to drop a car at Kittatinny Point Visitor Center and then drive to Mohican Camp Road for the one-way hike. I had hiked in Worthington State Forest plenty of times, but never made it to Sunfish Pond before. I had also always wanted to walk out to the state border, so this was the day!

 

There is a small pull-off on Mohican Camp Road where we parked. Mohican Camp Road is a gravel road in ROUGH shape. Lots of deep potholes and ruts. My CRV was fine going slow, but I can foresee a car with lower clearance having troubles. The parking area is right at the Appalachian Trail at what appeared to be either a tentsite or a large clearing with room for tents, whether or not its allowed. This first part of the trail is mostly in the woods and climbs steadily and gently. The views start soon after, mimicking the gorgeous section of trail on the other side of Mohican Camp Road. After the junction with the blue-blazed Kaiser trail, the Appalachian Trail officially leaves the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and enters Worthington State Forest, and the beautiful Racoon Ridge is soon after. 

 

I'm still trying to figure out if the names Mount Mohican and Raccoon Ridge are interchangeable or if Raccoon Ridge is a section of Mount Mohican, but either way the views were beautiful and there was a large summit cairn to mark the area. According the NYNJTC Map #120, this area is also a birding hotspot. There was a thru-hiker sitting at the cairn, so I didn't take a photo of it, but we did enjoy the views of the river and valley in one direction and the ridge along Mt. Tammany in the other.

 

There was a power cut right after the main viewing area that offered more views, and then the trail returned into the woods towards Sunfish Pond. There was a good amount of bear evidence (read: poop) on the trails surrounding the pond, which makes sense considering the endless blueberry bushes all around. The trail gets very rough and rocky after the Sunfish Pond Natural Area sign, which slowed us down. There are a few areas to view the pond from the trail - we ended up taking a break about halfway along the pond on a rocky field surrounded with blueberry bushes that were probably just a week or two from being ripe. The pond water was still with the occasional bird or fish splashing about, but otherwise it was incredibly peaceful. 

 

Closer to the western edge of the pond, the trail is right along the water and we had the opportunity to gawk at some beautiful frogs, fish, and tadpoles. The trail finally becomes more forgiving/less rocky at the western edge of the pond, where we took one last look before starting the next leg of our hike. Between Sunfish Pond and I-80, the trail appears to follow an old woods road that varies from lovely, rolling, and gentle, to rocky and disrespectful. The woods are generally beautiful and open, where you can hear the distant sound of Dunnfield Creek. We passed someone's homemade 1300-mile sign out of rocks (an AT milestone) and had to cross two blowdowns - one was a hop over and one had a herd path around.

 

Toward the trail junction with the Dunnfield Creek Trail, a stick fell from the sky, nearly smacking Gen on the head. I looked up, expecting a rude squirrel to be giggling about, but instead found a porcupine at least 30 feet in the air munching on its dinner - first time I saw one in NJ! We also saw our only snake of the trip - an Eastern Ribbon Snake. The woods part of the trail terminates at the Mt. Tammany/Dunnfield Creek parking lot, and then the road walk begins!

 

The trail passes under I-80 and then follows the road leading to the Kittatinny Point Visitor Center. I noticed some raspberry-like berries along this route, so I took out the "Seek" app and found out that they were Wineberry bushes, and they were edible! Gen and I had a mini feast along this section. They tasted like raspberries, but more sweet than tart. The road in this section was rough - which reminded me about the "No National Park" group mentioned the deteriorating infrastructure in this park. Anyway, we made it back to Gen's car, dropped our bags, and got ready for the last bit of trail we had left for the day. 

 

The walk to the NJ/PA border was along the road, and then on the I-80 bridge. Very straightforward, but our feet were feeling the burn from an afternoon hiking on rocks. The sun was setting, providing nice views of Mt. Tammany and Mt. Minsi, and it was fun to look down into the river from the bridge. We soon made it to the border, took a few photos, joked about not wanting to spend too much time in PA, and made it back to the car! We headed back to Mohican Camp Road to get my car, and then headed to the Hibernia Diner for a classic NJ dinner.

 

Step-By-Step

• Start hike on the Appalachian Trail Southbound from Mohican Camp Road. 

• At junction with red-blazed Coppermine Trail, continue on AT Southbound.

• Trail joins blue-blazed Kaiser Trail.

• Trail leaves blue-blazed Kaiser Trail.

• Trail enters Worthington State Forest.

• Trail crosses Raccoon Ridge. 

• At junction with orange-blazed Garvey Springs trial, continue on AT Southbound. 

• At junction with blue-blazed Buckwood trail, continue on AT Southbound. 

• At western end of Sunfish Pond, continue on AT Southbound. 

• At junction with blue-blazed Douglas Trail, continue on AT Southbound. 

• At junction with yellow-blazed Fairview (Beulahland) Trail and red-blazed Holly Springs Trail, continue on AT Southbound.

• Continue to follow white blazes to Dunnfield Creek Natural Area parking area and along road walk.

• Follow blazes along road to I-80 bridge, and then to NJ/PA State Line. 

• Turn around, follow blazes back to car.

"Worthington State Forest" from NYNJTC Map #120

        "Located within the boundaries of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, but administered separately by the State of New Jersey, Worthington State Forest contains some of the most rugged terrain in the state. Comprising the southern part of the Kittatinny Ridge, the state forest extends approximately seven miles along the ridge and includes 6,660 acres.

        Worthington was once called Buckwood Park, a private deer preserve of engineer Charles Campbell Worthington. His retirement home, Shawnee-on-Delaware, was later developed as a resort. Buckwood Park was first leased to the state as a game preserve in 1916, and was purchased from the Worthington estate in 1954. Among the forest's features is a glacial lake, Sunfish Pond, which was restored to the state after a long fight by conservationists defeated a planned pumped-storage utility project there.

        At the southern end of the forest is the Dunnfield Creek Natural Area. The creek tumbles over a waterfall on its way from Mount Tammany to the Delaware River, and it is one of the few in the state to support native brook trout. Overlooking this rocky stream are stands of hemlock, maple, and birch. Mountain laurel adds color to the area when in bloom. 

        For more information, contact Worthington State Forest, HC62, Box 2, Columbia, NJ 07832; (908) 841-9575; www.njparksandforests.org."

 

"Trails in Worthington State Forest" from NYNJTC Map #120

        "The trails in Worthington State Forest are among the most heavily used in the entire state, with the summit of Mount Tammany and Sunfish Pond being popular destinations. The Appalachian Trail runs through the center of the forest, and many other trails connect with it, making possible a variety of loop hikes. One popular hike combined the Mount Tammany (Red Dot) and the Pahaquarry (Blue Dot) Trails to make a 3.8-mile loop to the summit of Mount Tammany from the Dunnfield Creek parking area - a strenuous hike, with an elevation gain of over 1,000 feet. [...]."

 

"Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area" from Appalachian Trail Guide to NY - NJ, 18th Ed.

        "The largest federal recreation area in the East, this 70,000-acre preserve extends along 40 miles of the Delaware River in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. It was originally planned as part of a hydroelectric dam project; the recreation area would have been along the shores of the lake. Many dwellings were destroyed and hundreds displaced in the farming country along the river before plans for the dam were shelved after intense opposition. Beginning in the 1980's, the National Park Service began developing beaches, roads, boat launches, picnic areas, and trails and preserving the remaining structures."

 

Excerpt from Guide to the Appalachian Trail from the CT-NY State Line to the Susquehanna River, PA, 4th Ed.

        "The trail follows a general southwesterly direction over Mt. Mohican with good views to Sunfish Pond. From Sunfish Pond (1,378 ft.) picturesquely located near the summit of the ridge, trail descends to Dunnfield creek. This part is heavily wooded and affords no views.

        In this section of the trail, many changes have occured. The land of the Rossiter Realty Company, which was known as the Worthing Estate, has been sold to the State of New Jersey and will be used as a hunting and fishing preserve. In addition, they plan to build a car and trailer campsite in the near future. It will not be necessary as in the pasat to be a member of a club associated with the NY-NJ Trail Conference to cross this land. 

        The old AT over Mt. Tammany and down the old macadam road has been abandoned due to the construction of the new Route 611. A high fence has been built on the boundary of Camp Weygadt but there still is a gate where the old trail emerges on the highway. The elimination of this trail and the rerouting of the AT over the new bridge saves an 8.3m. trip. Before one to go to Columbia, cross over the covered bridge (washed away) into Portland and back on the west shore of the Delawre.

        Part of the old AT has now become the Mt. Tammany Trail (Indian Head) and it cannover be overpraised as a side trip. This trail, 2.4 m. long, reaches the top of Mt. Tammany where from the overlook a wonderful view of the Delaware River, the Pocono Mtns. and Mt. Minsi just across the river can be obtained. From the overlook, this trail descends steeply along the face of the mountain to Route 611 in about 200 yds. north of the Camp Weygadt fence.

 

DWGNRA Appalachian Trail Map

NJDEP Worthington State Forest Map

NJDEP Worthington State Forest Zoomed Map

NJDEP Worthington State Forest Map (Older)

NYNJTC Worthington State Forest Map

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