View Full Version : Best places to see/hike in PA??
I will be @ the Poconos for a week in August for my honeymoon and am wondering what are some nice scenic places to visit or possible do a small day hike (8-10 miles) along the AT? Any input, descriptions, or stories would be great!
Park at Blue Rocks Campground. Hike blue? blazed trail from campground to Pulpit Rock on the AT, follow AT north to Pinnacle, back down yellow? blazed trail to Blue Rocks Campground. This may be a bit longer than 10 miles, but definately day hike loop material.
Time To Fly 97
06-26-2007, 14:29
I concur with Lyle's suggestion to try the BLue Rocks Campground. Reserve your spot early if possible. Great place and the Pinnacle is one of the best overlooks on the trail. you are also in close trail proximity to the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (although you'll see more on the Pinnacle). Cool caves below the Pinnacle also that go pretty far in.
Another possibility would be to stay in Delaware Gap Village and hike up to Mount Minsi (PA side of Delaware River Gap). This is a beautiful climb with many overlooks along the way, places to picnic, etc. There is a pond near the beginning that has tons of lilies that you can watch open each day. A short 5 minute drive across the Delaware and you are right at Worthington State Forest. There is a really nice 4 mile hike (with swimming holes) from the parking lot to Sunfish Pond - Perfect to spend an afternoon.
Happy hiking!
TTF
Time To Fly 97
06-26-2007, 14:32
There is also Splatter at Jack Frost Mountain right near the Poconos - Little paintball for the honeymoon? LOL
Congrats!
TTF
Time To Fly 97
06-26-2007, 14:35
Another idea for you... Canoeing down the Delaware River. This is tame, you can swim a lot of it, there are campsites. Look for Kittatinny Canoes if this is on target: http://www.kittatinny.com/
TTF
It's not on the AT but Ricketts Glen State Park is well worth the trip. There's a 7 mile hike with great views of many waterfalls.
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateParks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx#directions
Cookerhiker
06-26-2007, 15:08
If you want a workout, drive to Lehigh Gap and hike north up (and I mean up) the Trail. Thanks to the zinc factory, the slope is largely deunded so you'll get impressive views of the Lehigh Valley including the aforementioned now-defunct factory.
I'll second cookerhiker. The Lehigh Gap section was, sadly, the nicest part of PA (and climbing up the rocks is a lot of fun).
Also, there are some really nice stretches in the first 20-30 miles of NJ. The details escape me a bit, but I think some of the most scenic sections could be accessed by hiking south a few miles from Culvers Gap.
Cookerhiker
06-26-2007, 17:06
.....Also, there are some really nice stretches in the first 20-30 miles of NJ. The details escape me a bit, but I think some of the most scenic sections could be accessed by hiking south a few miles from Culvers Gap.
North from Culver's Gap is Sunrise Mountain, a nice viewpoint. South is a side trail to Buttermilk Falls which I've never seen but is supposedly the most scenic falls in NJ. That's too far for what MHussey wants in a day hike but he could get there from Blue Mountain Lakes Rd.
And then as previously mentioned, there's Sunfish Pond, accessible via a day hike from DWG.
If you find early U.S. history interesting, you might find it worth your time to travel to Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania and visit Conrad Weiser Homestead (http://www.conradweiserhomestead.org/). A few miles from where I live, it's one of the most-visited attractions in The Green Diamond (Berks County). It's not far from the A.T. at Pilger Ruh, just east of PA 501.
Daniel Boone Homestead (http://www.danielboonehomestead.org/) is also located here.
Grey Towers National Historic Site (http://www.fs.fed.us/na/gt/) at Milford was Gifford Pinchot's home. He was our first Chief of the USFS during Teddy Roosevelt's administration and later served twice as governor. I've never visited myself, but it's been on my list of things to do for some time.
Here's a link (http://www.fs.fed.us/na/gt/local-links/historical-info/gifford/gifford.shtml) from the website above about Gifford Pinchot's contributions to the U.S. conservation movement in the early part of the 20th century.
Grumpy Ol' Pops
06-26-2007, 23:25
Want an easy one? Travel north along the PA side of the Delaware River to Bushkill Falls. 8 waterfalls along a 2 mile trail of bridges and stairs. See if you can handle the Red Trail!!!
An easier hike would be go to fox gap, on rt191 out of strgs.pa then hike north to deleware water gap;lot easier going down mt. minsi than going up, also go to camelback water park, some nice trails there on top of big pocono state park, watch for rattle snakes. and go to snyderville diner for good food;)
Here are the links for Blue Rocks Family Campground (http://www.bluerockscampground.com/) and Hawk Mountain Sanctuary (http://www.hawkmountain.org/) for those who may not know how to Google them. Are there still such folks these days?
I was just on the mountain before lehigh gap and it is a nice view but do the blue blaze on the north side of the mountain. Start at bake oven knob road where there is gameland parking but approach it from the south as the road going north sometimes is washed out. The first overlook is bake oven knob. Nice overlook! then hike north about 6 or 7 miles but at the radio towers take the blue blaze and you will get very nice views of Palmerton and the mountains north of.The blu blaze is only 2 miles but well worth it.The blu blaze will rejoin the AT by outbridge shelter then about 1 mile to the parking area by the river. About a 9-10 mile hike and very easy but much rocks as this is PA. I saw a nice big bear on this section about 3 weeks ago and last friday i was there and there are large ammounts of blueberrys so keep your eyes peeled. Enjoy!!!
Toolshed
06-27-2007, 12:55
MHussey, Am very close-by. I recommend ant of the scenic overlooks in PA (Bake Oven Knob, Pinnacle...). I also recommend the climb N out of Palmerton on the AT - At the top, you will intersect with the Blue Route (winter route) to the left and you can walk back down to your car - about 3 miles in all.
I would also highly recommend the AT in NJ - Everything from the DWG North for the next 40 miles - Wonderful Ledge walks and a firetower to boot.
Looking for a lazy midweek secluded picnic - Cross into NJ and take the first exit and get on old mine Road - Take it all the way to Blue Mountain Lakes Road (10-12 miles - There is a general Store on the Right) just after BML road.
Follow BML road to the where it is closed and turn left - still in your car, follow this dirt road that runs parallel to the AT, along the kittatinny ridge for several more miles where it winds around and brings you to Crater Lake - a beautiful secluded glacial lake. Weekends are busier with a dozen peeps or so, but midweeks are relatively quiet.
You can also do this as a loop with the AT, which is right there, as well as a loop around Blue Mountain Lakes.
You can also drive or mountain bike along some of the old back/dirt roads that run along the base of Kittatinny to see old cemeteries and a beautiful waterfall.
Thank you for all the input! Im open to any State Park visits or non AT trails as well and figured you guys would help me out. I will be staying near Lakeville, off I84 @ Caesars Cove Haven. The fiance would be interested in scenic half day trips and sh loves waterfalls so I will definately have to check out that red trail Ol Pops! I would really enjoy the historic sites but am affraid one week wont be long enough to do all we want to do. Any more suggestions would be great, Im checking into them all.
Go here (http://www.800poconos.com/listings2/index.cfm?action=showlistings&catID=348&listid=0&startrange=All&endrange=All&substart=M&subend=S¬ify=1) for a list of hiking opportunities provided by Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.
For information on programs and hiking trails, go here (http://www.peec.org/).
Jim Adams
07-07-2007, 16:46
NOT A STATE PARK!!!!
geek
trailangelmary
07-13-2007, 13:16
My personal favorite the waterfalls trail in Ricketts Glen State Park.
Pennsylvania State Parks - Ricketts Glen - PA DCNR (http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/parks/rickettsglen.aspx)
Ricketts Glen harbors Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark. Take the Falls Trail and explore the Glens, which boasts a series of wild, free-flowing waterfalls, each cascading through rock-strewn clefts in this ancient hillside. The 94-foot Ganoga Falls is the highest of 22 named waterfalls. Old growth timber and diverse wildlife add to the scenic area. Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the most scenic areas in Pennsylvania. This large park is comprised of 13,050 acres in Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties.
Ricketts Glen is a featured park, February, in the 2008 Pennsylvania State Parks Calendar.
7Sisters
07-22-2007, 01:19
I didn't see it mentioned here, but I suggest hiking to Sunfish Pond in NJ. It's just on Jersey side of the DE Water Gap. Parking is right off Rt 80 on after you go over the DE river - you'll see a parking area for the reacreation spot. Get off rt 80 hear and pick up the AT heading North. The trip to Sunfish Pond is ~ 4 miles on way. It's a pretty walk (follow the white blazes) that culminates in a real pretty pond. It's a real peaceful place to explore and on ws weekday you should have it to yourself.