Trail Conditions Forum

Mud? Ice? High water at stream crossings?

This is the place to let the trail community know what you encountered, where and when (be as precise as possible). Suggestion: Make the trail or park name your subject.

To report serious trail problems that need Trail Conference attention, including illegal trail use issues, visit our Contact Us page. Problems reported through our Contact Us page get to the maintainers fast and reliably. Problems reported on the forum below may help fellow trail users avoid problem areas until they get fixed, but not all maintainers read this regularly.


 

PVPatrick's picture

I ran up the Major Welch from Bear Mt Inn recently and noticed that the trail "disappears" at the summit. It seems that the crews building the new trails on Bear Mt have obliterated the trail markings going over the edge and along the west side of Bear Mt to Perkins Drive.
Michael K7's picture

I haven't been hiking in about 6 weeks due to a foot injury, but today i made it out to Harriman, and spent some time on the Kakiat, Blue Disc, TMI and R-D trails. I also did the orange/blue loop through Dater Mountain Park.
I've done this hike numerous times before. None of the streams i usually pass had any water in them. In fact, i did not see any water at all during my hike. I have never seen Harriman this dry.
If you are out hiking and/or camping, please use caution if you must have a fire. One mistake could mean the loss of a substantial part of our beloved park.
I realize most people reading this already practice good fire safety, but i felt it was important enough to post anyway. Thanks.
LP's picture

On August 7, 2010, I hiked the Highlands Trail from Spruce Run Park in Clinton Twp, NJ to Tunnel Road off of Rte 173 in Jugtown, NJ. I believe most of this is section 9 of the trail, but I'm not sure about that. Please note that this entire stretch of trail (I hiked 12.4 miles) is NOT maintained. I hiked through waist high weeds and thorny bushes for a lot of this time, and it was not pleasant to put it mildly. If you plan to hike here, I would highly recommend wearing long pants and definitely check for ticks when you are done. In many places, where the trail is is not obvious at all, and you really have to pay close attention to the blazes because they can be confusing. There is also quite a bit (as in miles) of paved road walking, so if you have foot problems like flat feet that are bothered by hard surface walking, I wouldn't bother with this hike. I do not recommend hiking this trail until it is bushwacked and cleaned up. Definitely do not bring children - they will be lost in the high weeds and grasses. The trail has many beautiful meadow views, so when it is cleaned up it will be a very pleasant experience.
Brenda Holzinger's picture

Thanks for the post about your recent hike on section 8 of the Highlands Trail in Hunterdon County.    

This is a section of the Highlands Trail that we struggle with because we are not permitted to do any maintenance in Clinton WMA between April 15 and August 1st in order to protect and leave undisturbed significant bird nesting areas.  The HT Supervisor has spent at least two full days recently in that area attempting to clean it out, but it is almost impossible to do  without a substantial mower after all the grass grows for 4 months.  The WMA will not assist us with the trail maintenance.

I think your comment that the entire section is unmaintained is a bit misleading, although I completely agree with you about the Clinton WMA.   The HT through the remainder of this section should be in pretty good shape based on other recent reports I have received, and is not subject to the maintenance requirements of Clinton WMA.  

We are always trying to do our best to both maintain and keep improving the entire 150 mile route of the HT.  However, as you may know, the entire HT project--routing, building and maintaining--is performed by volunteers.  If you are interested in joining this effort we would welcome the assistance!  This weekend we will be building a small reroute between Tower Hill and Jugtown Mountain to move the HT from its current route through the power line right of way, which is not the most pleasant place to hike. 

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions about the Highlands Trail.  You can also find information about the HT sections via this link:  www.highlands-trail.org/description.html.

Thanks for taking the time to post a report.  I hope you are able to enjoy hiking other sections of the Highlands Trail.

Brenda Holzinger
Chair, Highlands Trail--Hudson to Delaware Rivers
email:  [email protected]
cell:  973-303-3538

Jeremy Apgar's picture

Note: All trails are open again as of noon on Saturday the 14th.

Larry Wheelock

 

From National Park Service website on 8-9-2010 http://www.nps.gov/dewa/index.htm:

A wildfire burning within Worthington State Forest has resulted in hiking trail closures within Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, which adjoins the state forest.
The following trails are closed until further notice to ensure public and firefighter safety:
Kaiser Trail - the 2 mile trail is closed from the trailhead on Old Mine Road to the Appalachian Trail.
Coppermine Trail - the 1.8 mile trail is closed from the trailhead on Old Mine Road to the Appalachian Trail at Camp Road.
Appalachian Trail - the trail is closed from the Mohican Outdoor Center south to Holly Spring. Hikers will follow alternate routes along nearby roads. The Appalachian Trail is open from the Dunnfield Creek trailhead north to Holly Spring.

wizzer103's picture

I went hiking in Harriman yesterday on the Reeves Brook Trail I saw a 5 foot long Timber Rattler just a few feet off the trail not too far from the information center. If you go hiking here keep an eye out! What an awsome sight. I got a few really nice pictures.
coolhandgatsby's picture

I've seen rattlesnakes many, many times in the park. The good news is that they are very tame and it usually takes a lot just to get them rattling. The bad news is that they are very tame and you might not even know one is there until you step on one . . . which I once almost did on Panther Mtn.
Nick's picture

hi! last winter i did the stretch of russell brook road between the mud pond trail and the trout pond trail (to make a loop, starting from the trout pond trail end). i've never come from cooks falls. is this lower stretch of the old russell brook road passable (on foot, of course). also, is there available parking at that cooks falls end of the road? thanks!! (this is in the western catskills)
BrianSnat's picture

I don't believe it is. I know some people who were camping there a few weeks ago and they had to approach the area from the north.
BrianSnat's picture

OOps, I missed the "on foot" part. I'm sure it is. I was there after the road washed away and there was nothing that would keep someone from walking it. Driving is a whole 'nother matter.
Nick's picture

thanks for the replies. i did this today with a friend, and we found that russell brook road is completely passable on foot, with only one river crossing, one ditch scramble, and a few other minor rough spots. This is actually a very beautiful road. And... it's not overgrown at all, though there are a few spots with japanese knotweed invasions.

Also, for the record, at the Cooks Falls side, there is road side parking with space for maybe 4 cars. The 2005 maps do not indicate any parking, so i thought i'd mention it here.

srtmaintainer's picture

Thanks for your report Nick, this is truly what the trails condition forum was created for. Andy Garrison
Jeremy Apgar's picture

Nick,

Glad to hear you enjoyed this section of Russell Brook Rd in the western Catskills.

The new 2010 edition of our 'Catskill Trails' map 144 shows this section as a dashed woods road with labels 'Road Closed' to indicate it is not drivable.  We also included a roadside parking symbol at the southern end since we learned during the production of the map that there was a spot for a few cars at this end of Russell Brook Rd, and your posting confirms this!

~Jeremy, TC cartographer

Laurie Lewis's picture

Are there any blueberries left on High Point in the Catskills, or am I too late?
thex's picture

Maybe you should pony up some money and just go to the store and buy some blueberries. Leave whats in the forests for the animals that live and rely on the blueberries. Maybe then, we won't see so many skinny deer, hungry bears going onto peoples property and instigating a bear hunt. You might tink its a small percent of blueberries being taken, but if everyone takes a handful, just think that thats a meal an animal could have relied on. Besides, I've seen people leaving with huge bags of blueberries, a couple of gallon zip locks. Tell me that doesn't affect animals. Haven't we taken enough from our forest friends? Just thing about were you are right now, no matter were it is, its lost animal habitat. STOP THE GREED!!!!
brownjoeus's picture

I was on High Point on July 13 and while they were there, they were smaller than I've ever seen up there. They are/were around though. Here in the Gunks it's like they're "predried" on the bush.
srtmaintainer's picture

I assume that you mean High Point in the Shawangunks! The answer to your question is that plenty of them can be found on the Shawangunk Ridge at this time. Andy Garrison
DoOver's picture

I was at Sam's Point yesterday. Blueberries are in! Brian
BrianSnat's picture

Occupation? That's a bit hyperbolic. In Harriman we share the trails with groups large and small and people from all walks of life. It's not like they are playing war games, they are hiking. It's little different than encountering one of those huge hiking groups we see in Harriman, only these people are wearing camouflage. Even if I considered their presence an inconvenience, these are the the men and women who are willing to put their lives on the line to defend our country. If that means that I'm inconvenienced for a few days by their presence, so be it. A few days of sacrificing my peaceful enjoyment of the trail is insignificant to the sacrifice they are willing to make.
fsteinmann's picture

I was hiking in northern Harriman on Thursday and in southern Harriman on Sunday and heard what sounded like artillery fire. I believe this had to be some sort of summer training at WP.