25 miles in North Jersey [Archive]

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theDoubleD

03-03-2009, 16:28

Hi Everyone, first time caller, long time listener. I am planning a hike starting March 14 in the vicinity of Northern NJ. My group is looking to cover 25 miles give or take, over the course of three to five days (depending on chosen route). I am looking for some advice as to a point to point hike we could do (ie, need to drop a car in one location and hike to the other). I have thought about going from DWG towards High Point or vice versa, but I do not know of anywhere in between where we can leave a vehicle. I have done hikes through Harriman, and would like something different, however this remains an option. I would really like to tackle Devil's Path in the Catskills, my concern at this time of year is that there could be signifigant snow accumulation on the peaks and none of us have snowshoes. I am open to any trails within about two hours driving. Thanks for your replies!

timebreaks

03-03-2009, 17:31

In the book 50 Hikes in New Jersey (ISBN: 13:978-0-88150-702-7) they outline a 28.2mi backpack along the AT from DWG to Culver's Gap. The trip as they describe it is 3 days/2 nights, and they outline parking areas and campsites. You would need two cars (drop one at Culver's Gap, drive to DWG, hike up, drive back), so I don't know if that's what you're looking for, but I'm sure it's worth looking at to get some ideas!

modiyooch

03-03-2009, 20:14

Blissful

03-03-2009, 21:28

Yes the Catskills have been inundated this year according to my parents who live in the area. I'd avoid it unless you are used to snow.

Blissful

03-03-2009, 21:30

The hiker bunkhouse at Mohican is great and the pizza delivery was the best I had on the trail.

Strategic

03-03-2009, 22:13

NJ has some good trail milage, especially the sections from DWG to High Point. It's very nice ridge walking for the most part and you'll get plenty of wildlife. If you go NOBO out of DWG, the hike to either Culver's Gap (Rt. 206) or High Point SP are both very good for either an easy three day/two night, a hard three day/two night, or an easy four day/ three night hike. I'd suggest going past the Mohican center if you're starting at DWG and camping first night somewhere around Catfish Firetower. The obvious second night is either Brinks Road shelter (if you're pulling out at Culver's Gap, or making it a four day hike) or Gren Anderson shelter (if you're going for the hard three day with a pull-out at High Point SP). The third night of the four day hike would be at either Mashipacong or Rutherford shelters. Any way you try this one, it's a good hike; lots of views, great terrain, bears (lots, if you're lucky and they're active yet) and relatively adundant water. I enjoyed this one even though I hiked it in a hurricane (no joke).

A couple of other quick tips: the Pack Shack in DWG provides shuttling in this area and they're pretty good folks (though not particularly cheap.) There's a good parking area in DWG at Dunnfield Creek that's easy to access from I-80, regularly patrolled by the rangers and puts you right on the trail.

modiyooch

03-03-2009, 23:20

Speaking of bears, I saw 5 bear, 3 different sightings, in one day in the stretch from mohican to culvers gap. the only other bear that I have seen on the at was sw virginia.

theDoubleD

03-04-2009, 10:22

Thanks everyone, this is the kind of info I am looking for. Where can I park a car at Culvers gap? Is there a visitors center or a shopping center nearby?

MOWGLI

03-04-2009, 10:32

There are several stores. Maybe you could offer one of the owners a few bucks a day to leave your car in their lot or behind their store.

hiker77

03-04-2009, 19:24

parking for the AT at culver gap. there's a parking lot on north shore rd just off of 206. The parking lot is maybe 200 yards from 206.

Kerosene

03-04-2009, 20:14

I'd also consider hiking from High Point to Wawayanda. That's an easy 25 miles, yet you pass through a wildlife refuge and through a neat swamp on a boardwalk. You could extend it another 10 miles to Greenwood Lake, NY. There's a lot of parking available at High Point, Wawayanda, and Greenwood Lake (NY-17A).

Strategic

03-10-2009, 10:15

Thanks everyone, this is the kind of info I am looking for. Where can I park a car at Culvers gap? Is there a visitors center or a shopping center nearby?

Hiker77 has the right lot for Culver's Gap. I belongs to Stokes State Forest, so if you use it for overnight parking be sure to check your car in with the rangers at the Stokes SF office, located just north off 206 on Coursen Rd.

theDoubleD

03-10-2009, 15:06

Thanks everyone. I spoke to park rangers at both Stokes and Worthington about parking etc, who were very helpful. I'll be out of here in a couple of days!