Pioneer Trail

Pioneer Trail 2.2 miles, orange blazed

General Description : The Pioneer Trail has been relocated to the southwest of the original trail in order to reduce human traffic at an eagle nesting site. The old trail still appears on many maps. The relocated trail still begins and ends on the Hamilton Ridge Trail and follows the Delaware River for part of its length.

Starting at the northeast terminus on the Hamilton Ridge Trail (1.1 miles from Old Mine Road ), the trail veers to the right on an old woods road in fairly mature forest. At 0.1 miles, it turns right onto a woods path and gradually drops over a couple of low ridges in open hardwood forest. At 0.25 miles there is a sharp left hand turn back onto a woods road which traverses the top edge of a small ravine while dropping a bit more steeply. Where the ravine road begins to flatten, there is another sharp right onto a path at the edge of an overgrown field. At 0.75 miles it takes a left hand turn following an old stone row down to the cliffs above the Delaware River . We follow the river, about 100 feet above it, on the crest of the bluff for about 0.2 miles before going on to another woods roads which veers away from the river. At 1.9 miles you will pass through an old farmstead where the barns and house are still standing (scheduled to be torn down). The woods road continues, rising gently from the river to the end of the trail back on the Hamilton Ridge Trail at 2.2 miles.

Access : Access to the Pioneer Trail is only via the Hamilton Ridge Trail. The northeast terminus is 1.1 miles from the northeast terminus of the Hamilton Ridge Trail at Old Mine Road . The southwest terminus is 0.2 miles from the southwest terminus of the Hamilton Ridge, also at Old Mine Road . Both ends have parking for several cars.

Trail Surface : Much of the trail is woods road of varying ages. The woods roads which comprise the southwest end of the trail are old driveways or public roads and are wide and relatively smooth. In summer, several spots are covered with high grass and in wet seasons, there are several dips in the road which become wet spots. These are mostly easily avoided, however.

The woods roads toward the northeast terminus before reaching the Delaware River are more ancient and partially overgrown--almost to the point where they are little more than woods paths.

None of the trail is particularly rough, stony or steep. It is an easy walking path.

Scenery/Points of Interest : The bluffs above the Delaware River are quite scenic. The trail is in hardwood forest with little or no underbrush at the top of a bluff which is about 100 feet above the river. Views in winter months are particularly grand.

The small ravine which is encountered prior to reaching the Delaware from the northeast is also of scenic interest. The trail is about 40-70 feet above the ravine bottom in this area.

Climbing : The trail drops 400 feet from the northeast terminus to the Delaware River , sometimes fairly steeply. After leaving the Delaware traveling toward the southwest terminus, there is a gentle upward slope rising a total of 40 feet in 1.2 miles.

Maintained by : New York/New Jersey Trail Conference.

Permitted Uses : Hiking, cross-country skiing.

V3 Last updated: April 15, 2004   Copyright © 1996-2005  New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Privacy Statement.