PDA

View Full Version : "Woodpecker Trail?" What is the orange-blaze near Lehigh Gap?



Strategic
06-29-2010, 11:25
I'm just back from an overnight between PA309 and Lehigh Gap. As I was coming north at the end of the hike, negotiating the rocks down the slope from Outerbridge shelter, I came across something I hadn't seen the last time I was up that way (though it has been a few years since I climbed to Outerbridge.) There's a fairly new-looking and lightly used side trail a bit over half way down from Outerbridge to the powerline cut. It's marked with small (about 1.5" x 4") orange blazes tacked to trees and has a carved wooden sign on a metal fence stake at it's AT junction. I've attached photos of both below.

My question is, what is this trail and where does it go? My guide books are a bit old, but I find no mention of the trail anywhere, and only a couple of other pictures of the sign (all recent) on Whiteblaze. It seemed a bit odd, since orange isn't exactly a normal blaze color and that's State Game Lands property. Does anyone know anything about this one?

Here are the photos of the sign and trail with blazes.

ki0eh
06-29-2010, 14:27
Lehigh Gap Nature Center (http://lgnc.org/maps-directions/trail-maps) has many interesting trails that haven't yet made it onto the KTA A.T. maps (in fact they just reprinted the 1998 map instead of adding these & other changed features, grrr....) Woodpecker Trail is basically parking lot access. I've led a couple of double-loop dayhikes in this area.

Strategic
06-29-2010, 15:41
Thanks ki0eh, that's exactly what I was looking for. I'll add this to my map set, since I day hike up there from time to time and this adds a lot of interest to that side of the Gap.

jabroni
06-29-2010, 17:46
The Nature Center is usually visible in the valley on any pictures hikers take of the Lehigh River from the top of the rock scramble (east side). It's to the right of the Rt. 873 bridge.