Kirkridge Shelter - PA

Former Admin · 10-19-2002, 11:35

Info, questions, comments, experiences (good or bad) regarding - Kirkridge Shelter

Past/Present hikers - what can future hikers expect here? Have any good stories or memories from here?

Future hikers - any questions?

**ez-does-it** · 10-21-2002, 17:36

This shelter sits right on the trail and is a walk in shelter and is in need of repair.There is a fire pit right in front of the shelter and to the left of the shelter that is as you are looking into this shelter is a faucet to get your drinking water,please rememmber to shut the faucet off.A litte further on down the trail is a very good spot for tenting out.

**stranger** · 12-12-2002, 00:04

A great site to the left heading northbound as you PASS it, potable water.

**Toolshed** · 06-24-2003, 08:01

My wife, small son and I hiked into this shelter several times last year near the end of june, start of July with a cooler of sodas and frozen snickers bars, hoping to be trail angels. The first evening there was one section hiker and the second evening we found nobody. I now beleive most hikers continue right thru to DWG.
Cheers

**whcobbs** · 09-10-2003, 11:58

The significance of the shelter is the water source at Kirkridge retreat, the first reliable water northbound from the town of Wind Gap or the Outerbridge Shelter Spring just south of Lehigh Gap.-- Walt

**goshawk** · 12-04-2003, 10:25

I heard sharpshins dad was a caretaker at kirkridge and sharpshin as well. Is he still? Has anyone heard of him in the area? If so get him to register with this site please!

**Skyline** · 12-07-2003, 12:06

When I hiked that section in '99, the thing that impressed me the most wasn't the shelter or the water supply. It was the condition of the trail just before and just after. Unlike all those other miles of unavoidable sharp, pointy rocks that twist ankles and assassinate boots in the region, that little section of the trail was a pleasant exception.

I remembered thinking at the time, "Whoever rehabbed this should lead a trail maintenance seminar in Pennsylvania." I know it must have been a LOT of hard work, but the benefit to hikers was so obvious.

Hopefully in the intervening 4+ years, it's still a pleasure to walk on.

**Toolshed** · 12-08-2003, 12:40

Originally Posted by Skyline

When I hiked that section in '99, the thing that impressed me the most wasn't the shelter or the water supply. It was the condition of the trail just before and just after. Unlike all those other miles of unavoidable sharp, pointy rocks that twist ankles and assassinate boots in the region, that little section of the trail was a pleasant exception.

I remembered thinking at the time, "Whoever rehabbed this should lead a trail maintenance seminar in Pennsylvania." I know it must have been a LOT of hard work, but the benefit to hikers was so obvious.

Hopefully in the intervening 4+ years, it's still a pleasure to walk on.

It is. I like to take my 3 YO there because of the ease of walking and the nearby vista.

**Tom Ostrow** · 04-01-2004, 20:52

Just a note if you are planning on resupplying your water at the shelter: Water at the tap gets shut off in the cold months (I found this out the hard way last week) and there isn't much else in the way of water till you get to either the Leroy Smith shelter southbound or the Delaware river Northbound.

**ARambler** · 04-05-2006, 22:46

I was at Kirkridge Shelter yesterday. What a nice new shelter. Wood chips from construction were still in the fire place. Seems to be built on old foundation, but there is now a huge overhang with a picnic table under it.
Rambler

**veteran** · 04-06-2006, 22:01

Anybody have a photo of the new shelter?

**strnorm** · 05-17-2006, 20:56

I was there today,they sure have built a nice shelter.have pictures will download when i get back to Tn. they also have a nice outhouse also.

**Freighttrain** · 05-18-2006, 09:23

just north of the shelter on the right is a beautiful field with a lookout to the south.. almost like a bald.. great for tenting. in 00 me n Goslo spotted a HUGE black bear hanging around the lookout... like a 300-500 pounder!! good thing we used our foodbags as pillows instead of hanging them so the scent wouldnt travel more.

if its after the season and the water is off , dont expect to find water at the religious retreat thats right there...

**adh24** · 05-18-2006, 10:41

That's a big bear. I just did Wind gap to Delaware water gap in the beginning of April. We camped just to the north of the "bald" you mentioned. Woke up to a bear poking around our tent and camp site. First time with a bear encounter and was pretty freaked out. Didn't get much sleep the rest of the night. Well after I got home Sunday night my wife was unpacking and found two granola bars that she forgot about in her pack. After I asked her like 5 times, "you sure you have all the food out of you pack".

**number11** · 10-04-2006, 20:48

According to my AT guide book water is available via an outside tap at the Kirkridge retreat. However, it is noted that the water is Seasonal. I will be hiking from Lehigh Gap to DWG during the weekend of November 4th and 5th. Does anyone know if water from the tap will still be available at that time.

**saimyoji** · 10-04-2006, 21:00

Originally Posted by number11

According to my AT guide book water is available via an outside tap at the Kirkridge retreat. However, it is noted that the water is Seasonal. I will be hiking from Lehigh Gap to DWG during the weekend of November 4th and 5th. Does anyone know if water from the tap will still be available at that time.

Unreliable after October.

**number11** · 10-04-2006, 22:36

Thanks for your answer. Do you know if the shelter is relatively close to any roads?

**saimyoji** · 10-04-2006, 22:49

Originally Posted by number11

Thanks for your answer. Do you know if the shelter is relatively close to any roads?

Edit: the water source isn't just unreliable, it actually gets shut off by the retreat folks, depends on how early it gets cold. Mot likely it will be off by November. As someone already said, don't count on getting water from the retreat just up from the faucet.

Road:
Yes, about 0.6? mi from PA 191. Its not a busy road, but does get a decent amount of traffic; you should have no trouble getting a hitch ahead to Stroudsburg, or back to Bangor, though I've never tried. That said, if its icy, don't count on anything! Just hike on to Water Gap. Its only about 7 miles.

You should be able to carry enough water from Wind Gap to Water Gap without needing to get more when you stay at the shelter.

**adh24** · 12-12-2006, 10:42

Anyone have a photo of the new shelter built here. Was through early last spring while they were building it. Was curious as to what the final prodcut was.

**rafe** · 12-12-2006, 10:49

It's a beautiful shelter, and a great site. Nice views. My evening at Kirkridge was probably best of my last section hike. The only confusion was finding the spigot. Rather unusual water source, I'd say. Oh, and it has a fire ring that's not too ugly. It was the only campfire I enjoyed in that 11 day hike. (And sad to say, my fire-starting skills were in a woeful state.) Sorry, this photo isn't of the shelter itself... but of some cute grafitti on one of the front porch supports:

<http://www.terrapinphoto.com/cpg143/displayimage.php?album=6&pos=34>

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