View Full Version : water- lehigh gap to bake oven
scout005
10-29-2007, 17:30
hey y'all,
i'm planning a lehigh gap to bake oven knob and back this weekend. what's the water situation along the route? are the springs dry?
gibsygoldtop
10-29-2007, 17:50
we did that hike just last week...
all 3 springs were dry at the bake oven knob shelter. there were a couple guys there that night who said if you walked past the 3rd spring (craigs spring) to the house that the guy there (craig) would let you fill up off the tap.
however we waited to get to ashfield road and made our way to to the piped spring to fill up.
The spring at George Outerbridge shelter is fairly reliable, in my experience (it was useable on both my visits this summer.)
gibsygoldtop
10-29-2007, 17:59
i forgot to mention that, yes, water was at the george outerbridge shelter
scout005
10-29-2007, 18:24
thanks for the info. what's the section from lehigh gap tp bake oven like? fast hiking, rocky?
Typical eastern PA rocks.... Pretty level and flat, as I recall.
saimyoji
10-29-2007, 18:59
Once you head up out of Lehigh Gap, look for the blue blazed N. Trail on the right. Take this for the best views of the Lehigh River to the north. You'll miss about 1.5-2 miles of the AT, so purists will miss out, but a great walk (it'll be windy). You'll have some gentle slopes till the S. Trail. Take this for great raptor viewing if you have time. Be prepared for boulder hops. May be wet and icy this weekend, be careful. The rest of the way is pretty easy till you get to BOK. Take a camera, should be real pretty this weekend. :sun
shelterbuilder
10-29-2007, 20:31
Bake Oven Knob shelter is one of the oldest shelters on the trail - BMECC held "opening ceremonies" at this shelter back in the 1930's when they officially opened the trail from the Susquehanna River to the Lehigh River. (They have since relinquished maintenence responsibilities for some of this distance to newer clubs.) Benton Mackaye and Myron Avery were reportedly in attendance.
The shelter sleeps 4 to 6 people and has a REALLY low ceiling - and front overhang - so watch your head!:eek: There is a large flat campsite adjacent to the shelter, and a picnic table - but no privy (sorry). The site is entirely on State Game Lands, so blaze orange is a good idea. If you go down to Craig's house looking for water, PLEASE be careful - Craig and his dad operate a quarry - there's lots of loose rock down there. And rattlesnakes!:eek:
The recent rains MAY have brought Craig's Spring back to life; try here first for water.
Once you head up out of Lehigh Gap, look for the blue blazed N. Trail on the right. Take this for the best views of the Lehigh River to the north. You'll miss about 1.5-2 miles of the AT, so purists will miss out, but a great walk (it'll be windy). You'll have some gentle slopes till the S. Trail. Take this for great raptor viewing if you have time. Be prepared for boulder hops. May be wet and icy this weekend, be careful. The rest of the way is pretty easy till you get to BOK. Take a camera, should be real pretty this weekend. :sun
I second the notion on taking the N. Trail. Great views. There is still an old AT marker in the ground on the trail.
Toolshed
10-30-2007, 07:28
If you go down to Craig's house looking for water, PLEASE be careful - Craig and his dad operate a quarry - there's lots of loose rock down there. And rattlesnakes!:eek:
The recent rains MAY have brought Craig's Spring back to life; try here first for water.
It seems whenever I walk to BOK over the past 4-5 years, I can hear the steady hum of diesel earthmoving equipment down past the shelter. I always thought they were logging or putting in a development. It makes sense now...A quarry.
shelterbuilder
10-30-2007, 09:04
It seems whenever I walk to BOK over the past 4-5 years, I can hear the steady hum of diesel earthmoving equipment down past the shelter. I always thought they were logging or putting in a development. It makes sense now...A quarry.
Yeah, it's been there for many years - a family operation, from father to son to grandson. They are friends of the trail - have helped me personally and BMECC and other hikers for years, in spite of some of the vandalism by "weekend warriors" over the years.
scout005
10-30-2007, 10:06
thanks to all for the great info.
DuctTape
10-30-2007, 19:33
Yes, be sure to take The North Trail at least one way.
Expect to see quite a few people over the weekend, especially if you continue to the Bake Oven Knob viewpoint. Not only is it approaching peak foliage season, but it's also peak season for the fall hawk migration. There's typically a board there with a total daily tally of identified raptors. Few people scramble down the rocks to the shelter, though.