Day Hike on AT near NJ?

[Black Viper]

Hi All,

I am in Princeton, NJ for a few weekends and am looking for some scenic day hikes on the AT. I'm willing to drive 2-3 hours to get there. I am hoping to bag some peaks or hike on a ridge with views, but I really don't know what the options are near here.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks!

[Symba]

take rt 206 to rt 287 to rt 80 west...take all the way toward the Delaware Water Gap, immediately beyond mile marker 1 take the exit for Dunnfield Creek/Appalachian Trail and bear left at the fork. Continue past the underpass on the left and turn right into a parking area at signs with "p" and "hiker" symbols. Hike the AT from there in either direction..I prefer Northbound to sunfish pond. (OR) go past the bridge and park on the other side of rt 80 to go southbound on the AT, you have to go UP either way.

[Wise Old Owl]

Take a friend that shares your experiences so you can drop a car somewhere and hike in one direction. I agree withe the above information.

[da fungo]

Or:

Stay on Rte 206 north to Culver's Gap. Turn right and park in the AT parking lot. You can head north on the trail, up a fairly long ridge with limited views to the crest on Sunrise Mountain, where there are good views to the east and west. Or, you can head south on the AT, up a fairly steep ascent to the Kittatinny Ridge, which the AT follows from that point all the way south to the DWG. You'll enjoy good views to the west, over the ridges and valleys that parallel the Delaware River.

symba's suggestion is good, too. If you wanted to be ambitious, you could head north past Sunfish Pond to the Coppermine Trail, descend off the ridge heading west, then return to your car by walking south along the Old Mine Road. Be aware, though, that parking and trail access around DWG MAY be restricted due the the Federal Government shutdown, while the parking lot and trail around Culvers Gap lie within Stokes State Forest, and is unaffected by the federal issue. You can find adequate maps for either option with a little googling.

[bobp]

There aren't too many peaks in NJ... We can't even boast a 2000 footer (but we can lord that over Delaware). I agree with all the suggestions so far, but I'll put in a plug for the stretch between High Point and Vernon as being both diverse and pretty. Harriman State Park in NY is in your driving range, and it sports a nice trail network. I'll also put on a plug for NYNJTC maps for these trails.

[da fungo]

There aren't too many peaks in NJ... We can't even boast a 2000 footer (but we can lord that over Delaware). I agree with all the suggestions so far, but I'll put in a plug for the stretch between High Point and Vernon as being both diverse and pretty. Harriman State Park in NY is in your driving range, and it sports a nice trail network. I'll also put on a plug for NYNJTC maps for these trails.

Good advice, but I think Harriman, while offering a great range of hiking options, would really be stretching the driving time, on a holiday weekend and for a driver unfamiliar with the local highways.

[Black Viper]

Thanks for all the ideas, guys. It will be great to get out.

[LIhikers]

The Kittatiny Ridge makes for pretty nice hiking too. I don't have maps handy but the NY/NJ Trail Conference has those maps too.

[stalker42]

Head up to the Mohigan outdoor center. They let you park there. Head north. Nice views by the fire tower.

[da fungo]

Head up to the Mohigan outdoor center. They let you park there. Head north. Nice views by the fire tower.

Yesterday,AMC posted a notice that they've been required to close the Mohican Center, which is surrounded by the Delaware Water Gap NRA.

[da fungo]

Yesterday,AMC posted a notice that they've been required to close the Mohican Center, which is surrounded by the Delaware Water Gap NRA.

That is, close it until the federal budget issue is resolved.

[Black Viper]

Based on all the advice, I bought the NY/NJ Trail Conference maps (which are great) and was able to get in a fantastic hike yesterday. I started at Delaware Water Gap (main Dunnfield lot) and hiked the AT out to the Catfish Fire Tower. I was on the tower for a good 30 minutes and didn't see another soul. Incredible views. On the hike back, I took the Turquoise Trail to the Tammany Fire Road and Mount Tammany, then went down the Red Dot trail to the car. Perfect weather and a perfect day. Here are some of the highlights:

--Best panoramic view: fire tower

--Most relaxing view: top of Raccoon Ridge. This is a really special spot. I could have spent all afternoon here watching the raptors.

--Favorite stretch of trail: Sunfish Pond Fire Road (where it overlaps the Turquoise Trail) Even though I had been hiking for many hours when I got here and had seen some amazing views, this stretch of "fire road" really captivated me. It was a wide, flat, grassy trail and was aglow in fall colors. It looked like a medieval lane winding its way into some remote village.

--Number of other day hikers seen before reaching Mt. Tammany: 5

--Number of backpackers seen: 23

--Number of ticks removed from my neck while on trail: 2
--Number removed after the hike: 0

--Number of juvenile black bears who bolted into the woods when they saw me: 1

[da fungo]

Glad you had a good hike, and really glad that you had no problems accessing the trail due to the Government issue.

[88BlueGT]

I've always liked that hike.