View Full Version : Trail from NJ23 to NY 17A
Sorry in advance if this isn't the right area, didn't seem like there were many trail condition threads / I missed them in another forum category if there are. Does anyone have information on trail condition in this area? I have been perusing this and the NJ/NY trail conference forums and cant find anything. Is the snow gone, and how wet is it? I intend to hike it in a few weekends.
colorado_rob
04-09-2015, 14:41
I think this is the right area, and I'm very curious as well as I'm hitting the trail at NJ23 heading NOBO in about two weeks myself.
Anyone know?
iAmKrzys
04-09-2015, 20:06
I don't live near this particular area, but most of the snow in New Jersey is gone - I saw some parking lot leftovers recently but nothing in the woods. Having said this, High Point State Park is at a higher elevation, so I wouldn't be surprised if you found a couple of snow patches, but I think you are a lot more likely to encounter mud than snow this time of the year.
Second Hand
04-09-2015, 20:18
I was hiking in CT near the NY boarder last week and the snow was fairly deep at higher elevation (approaching Bear MT.. The CT one).
If I had to wager, I would say that there may be some snow left, but the bigger hassle will be mud! It's going to be a messy, squashy spring!
I'm heading to Virginia next week to get my hiking in while New England drys out. Hopefully by May I'll be wrapping up NY / NJ. I have 65 miles left to finish the LT and as anxious as I am to finish it, I'm not touching it until August or September.
iAmKrzys
04-09-2015, 21:06
I was hiking in CT near the NY boarder last week and the snow was fairly deep at higher elevation (approaching Bear MT.. The CT one).
I was visiting family in NY near CT border last weekend, and over 2 hours of driving from New Jersey the temperature dropped by 20F. When we got there, it started snowing.
I am not saying that there won't be snow in High Point State Park as it is colder over there than where I live, but I suspect it will be mostly muddy.
I am not saying that there won't be snow in High Point State Park as it is colder over there than where I live, but I suspect it will be mostly muddy.
awesome, I can deal with a little snow, don't think I'll need to bring micro spikes. I can deal with some mud, will have a light pack and fleet feet. Don't have the time to go much further though so end of the day it's going to be what it's going to be and I'll have fun either way!
thanks for the info guys!
iAmKrzys
04-09-2015, 22:27
awesome, I can deal with a little snow, don't think I'll need to bring micro spikes. I can deal with some mud, will have a light pack and fleet feet. Don't have the time to go much further though so end of the day it's going to be what it's going to be and I'll have fun either way!
thanks for the info guys!
This is my best guess. I think if you call the park office ( http://www.state.nj.us/dep/parksandforests/parks/highpoint.html ) they will tell you exactly what conditions to expect.
Separately, microspikes don't take a lot of space, so I would bring them along and if they really seemed unnecessary then you can always leave them in the car. I still keep gaiters in my car although I did remove my snowshoes already.
Thanks IAmkrzys, I called the high point ranger and she confirmed no snow on the majority of the trail, just a few sparse patches here and there. She said it was damp, seemed normally muddy. I couldn't conform how boggy it was cause the ranger was misinterpreting it as foggy, and I had enough info so didn't feel like correcting or re-asking so let her explain how there is fog there now then thanked her and hung up!
Offshore
04-11-2015, 08:21
Sorry in advance if this isn't the right area, didn't seem like there were many trail condition threads / I missed them in another forum category if there are. Does anyone have information on trail condition in this area? I have been perusing this and the NJ/NY trail conference forums and cant find anything. Is the snow gone, and how wet is it? I intend to hike it in a few weekends.
I was in the area a couple of weeks ago. Some snow patches only in the full shaded areas, but the trail was very sloppy. Given the wet weather this week, snow is probably gone but mud season in full swing. In a few weekends from now, the snow will surely be gone but the mud depends on the amount of rain, so keep your eyes on the weather sites.
30526
timothy.hargrove
04-11-2015, 11:24
I live and hike this area often I was out on the trail between Greenville, and Warwick the other day, it was mostly snow free but extremely muddy! I plan to be on it for a 3-4 day hike next week!
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spearmint6989
04-11-2015, 11:45
I live in the area...you'll go right through my town! i went for a short hike yesterday on the trail in Wawayanda and there was no snow and it wasn't really muddy but might be in other places. PS Really nice shelter in Wawayanda!! I wrote a little note in the book there :)
Awesome! Thanks for all the great additional info. I'll be ready for mud. May slow me down a bit but I figure keep to the edges of the trail and out of the boggy area and I'll be okay. Hopefully not too bad so I can still knock out decent mileage!
when the wife tells me she's got the kids and to go hiking for a weekend I try to knock out some miles!
Offshore
04-13-2015, 05:31
Awesome! Thanks for all the great additional info. I'll be ready for mud. May slow me down a bit but I figure keep to the edges of the trail and out of the boggy area and I'll be okay. Hopefully not too bad so I can still knock out decent mileage!
when the wife tells me she's got the kids and to go hiking for a weekend I try to knock out some miles!
Was up on trail near Waywayanda yesterday - trail was in great condition. No mud and no snow to be seen anywhere. Huge difference from two weeks ago.
ChefATLTCT
04-13-2015, 06:02
oh man should have gone to NJ, yesterday drove out to Berkshires for a few days hike and found that it was still winter out there. Trail covered with snow even at lower elevations.
Offshore
04-13-2015, 07:27
oh man should have gone to NJ, yesterday drove out to Berkshires for a few days hike and found that it was still winter out there. Trail covered with snow even at lower elevations.
Not to rub it in, but it really was a great day. I stepped out of the house early Sunday and scuttled the yard work plans to hit the trail. I had expected and prepared for mud, but found none. Trees are just starting to bud out, some ferns showing on the forest floor. Lots of turtles in Pochuck Creek and a chorus of frogs in Pochcuk wetlands and Parker Lake. No other widllife sightings. The only snow was the melting snow pile in the Waywayanda State Park park office. I am so over the microspikes for the season...
Slo-go'en
04-13-2015, 11:44
but I figure keep to the edges of the trail
Please don't do that. Keeping to the edges of the trail and trying to walk around the mud puddles is what does damage to the trail. That's why hiking during mud season is strongly discouraged.
Hiked Friday and Saturday, great weather, slo-go'en can sleep easy as there were few muddy spots or puddles to walk through. Though admittedly I did jump off the trail when I heard the. Saw a 5-6 foot long 3-5 inch diameter snake slither off the trail. Hands down the biggest snake I have ever seen in person. Scared the begeezus out of me.
Friday had a late start around 1pm from high point, and made it the 13 or however miles to pochuk (sp?) shelter before dark, saw only one other hiker on that whole stretch, but ran into four section hikers at the shelter. The abandoned house water source is by far the sketchiest I've seen in about the quarter of the trail I have done. Saturday was HOT! Managed to finish my 21 or so miles to rt 17A. I was surprised by the short up and downs, and rocks, guess I hadn't researched enough, thought that stretch would have been easier. Tons of hikers out, lots with full packs that looked to be section or overnighters heading south. Ran into one northbound section hiker (seemed to be from Germany, didn't catch his name) headed to main I believe.
forgot about a billion things in a rush out the door Friday morning, including poles, a spoon, my cheese, maps and a bunch of other good things to have but had a great time anyway. Recovering now from probably biting off more mileage than I could chew coming off sedentary office life, and sunburn. Sunburn in April?! What are the chances.
Ugh don't know how to edit a post. Maine, not main, I do know how to spell the great states name.
colorado_rob
04-19-2015, 08:22
thanks for the conditions report Mooney! I'm starting at NJ23 next week, heading north. I realize that I may eventually encounter ridiculously muddy conditions further north, but at least it seems the trail is in decent shape in this section. I had expected to almost own the trail, but it looks like lots of folks are out and about in the area, but of course, your hike was on a weekend, which makes a difference. Again, thanks!
iAmKrzys
04-19-2015, 21:09
Saw a 5-6 foot long 3-5 inch diameter snake slither off the trail. Hands down the biggest snake I have ever seen in person. Scared the begeezus out of me.
Did you take a picture? How did it look like? Was it all black or did it have some pattern? There are 23 species of snakes native to New Jersey but very few are that long. I think most likely you saw a timber rattlesnake that grows long and stocky (coloration will vary) or a black rat snake that is long but not nearly as thick and almost all black.
I would say black rat snake. Black, no if any patterning. Wish I had a photo, I had carried my DSLR and couldn't whip it out in time. It slithered off quick. If I were to say I was less confident of one of my two dimensions I would say thickness, definitely around 5-6 foot long though, maybe slightly thinner. Looking at the arial maps I believe it was right before mt Salem, ferguson road. I know it was after skirting a pond, where a field was to my left, wooded area to the right and soon before some bog bridges and a road.
Looked like this guy.
http://mha.moherp.org/misc/photo.php?TSP2007_p041
iAmKrzys
04-20-2015, 18:56
It is also possible that you saw a northern black racer. They grow up to 5 feet in length and are much faster than black rat snakes. These two species may be hard to tell apart unless you know what to look for. Generally black rat snakes have a shiny body and the shape of the head is a bit different. One time I went to a presentation about snakes and the guy who was talking brought some of his snakes and let them out of the boxes while talking about them. His black rat snake seem really lazy when compared to his black racer and the latter constantly tried to slither off the table. See this picture for comparison: http://www.virginiaherpetologicalsociety.com/reptiles/snakes/northern-black-racer/sp_northernblackracer003.JPG
Very plausible that I saw the black racer. I didn't get a really good glimpse, and my snake knowledge isn't that great so though I know few up here are venomous I couldn't say if it was or not, and it was large so I kept moving and didn't investigate.
iAmKrzys
04-20-2015, 20:53
Very plausible that I saw the black racer. I didn't get a really good glimpse, and my snake knowledge isn't that great so though I know few up here are venomous I couldn't say if it was or not, and it was large so I kept moving and didn't investigate.
There are only two venomous species in New Jersey - northern copperhead ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agkistrodon_contortrix_mokasen ) and timber rattlesnake ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalus_horridus ). Both of them typically have patterned coloration, so you probably weren't in great danger.:)