View Full Version : PA Hike...need help
I just decided to put together a short hiking trip thru PA for next week. Is there a shuttle from Delaware Water Gap where I would like to park my car to somewhere in PA where I can start my hike? I'm hoping for 3 nites, maybe 8-10 miles hiking per day. BTW is it safe to leave a car parked at the Dunnfield Creek parking lot or should I leave it at the park ranger station across 80? How is the water supply along this PA section? Thanks in advance for any help. It's last minute but when the opportunity to hike presents itself I grab it.
I wouldn't trust leaving your car at the Dunnfield Creek area over night, during the day sure but not over night. There are some streams and water spots along the way, but it has been a dry summer. Good Luck, the trek up Mt. Minsi is great!
I parked on two occasions for a week at a time with no problems at the visitors center off Rt 80. You have to ask permission from the rangers there and they will show you where to park.
I just did lehigh gap ta DWG a couple weeks ago. Parked at the hiker lot before 80. Also parked there when i did NJ and didnt have a problem.
Thanks so much to all for the responses. I'm trying to schedule a shuttle with edge of the woods, hopefully everything works out. Sly Dog, is there anywhere to tent between Little Gap and Leroy Smith? I'm sure we can stealth camp but wonder if any spot is designated.
Off the top of my head I cant recall any spots, stealth always works.;)
Off the top of my head I cant recall any spots, stealth always works.;)
Especially where illegal camping isn't required.
Watch for the Penn rocks or glacial till??
Strategic
08-13-2010, 18:06
Thanks so much to all for the responses. I'm trying to schedule a shuttle with edge of the woods, hopefully everything works out. Sly Dog, is there anywhere to tent between Little Gap and Leroy Smith? I'm sure we can stealth camp but wonder if any spot is designated.
If Edge of the Woods can't help you, Pack Shack probably can, if you want to go with a commercial outfit. I've used them before and, while they're not cheap, they're pretty good. If you really need a good shuttler in this area though, I'd recommend Janet Goloub (610)767-1287, who does shuttling between Swatara Gap in PA and Blairstown, NJ. I'm putting her number here, since she's on the official shuttle list from the ATC and it's already public. She's an absolutely wonderful person and very accommodating as a shuttler.
The best place to camp between Little Gap and Leroy Smith shelter is, without a doubt, the set of established campsites at the blue blaze trail junction for Stempa's Spring. Since this is also the only reliable (and known to be safe) spring between Lehigh Gap and Leroy Smith shelter, it's also a good spot to end a day at. Stempa's isn't on any but the most recent maps and guides, since it's a very new side trail. It was found a few years ago by John “The Mechanical Man” Stempa, a great friend to hikers who lives about a mile down the road at Smith Gap (about .7 north of the blue blaze.) It's a bit of a hike down (well, okay, it's actually .6 down the mountain and the trail is still a bit rough as it's rather new, but this is PA after all) but the spring is excellent, one of the few in this area that never even seems to slow down, much less fail.
By the way, don't bother with Delp's Spring, as it's gone from unreliable to virtually non-existent. The last time I was through there the maintainers had removed the sign for it so that hikers won't waste their time and effort for nothing. It's basically finished as a useful water source.
One more quick note; I've parked at the Dunnfield Creek lot twice for three day periods and never had any problems. The rangers patrol the lot very regularly, so I doubt you'll have any problems there unless you do something silly like leave visible valuables in the car.
Hope all this helps. Good hiking!