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Central Jersey BSA Appalachian Trail Experience | |
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Recommended Hike Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation to Yards Creek Scout Reservation | |
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Friday, KMSR to Brinks Road Shelter 3.7 mile marker (Water and Privy available)
Start- From the trading post hike south past the dining hall toward the boat dock area. Follow trail past the boating area to intersection of Red Maple Leaf and Yellow Trail that is just past Painted Turtle Campsite. | |
| miles | directions |
| 0.1 | Turn left onto Red Maple Leaf Trail and begin a moderate ascent. Trail turns right a short distance ahead. A cairn and red maple leaf blaze indicates the turn. |
| 1.0 | Follow the trail until a large cairn and blazes indicate a left turn toward a ridge. Continue a moderate ascent using cairns and blazes to follow the trail. |
| 1.3 | Trail intersects and crosses Steffens Trail and moderately ascends to top of ridge. Look carefully for cairns and blazes as trail descends steeply from the ridge until intersecting with Woods Road. |
| 1.6 | The trail continues diagonally to right across Woods Road and begins moderate ascent to intersection with the Ladder Trail (Blue/Gray Blaze) Turn left onto Ladder Trail, ascending steeply approximately 100 yds. to the Appalachian Trail. Turn right onto AT marked by white blazes. |
| 2.1 | AT ascends gradually, then levels off, ascends steadily, and descends briefly. |
| 2.5 | Unmarked side trail leads to overlook of Lake Owassa. |
| 3.0 | Please sign trail register. |
| 3.1- | Pass field of rocks and boulders to left of trail. Four hundred feet beyond, unmarked side trail leads to overlook. |
| 3.3 | Begin descent from crest of ridge. |
| 3.7 | Reach dirt Brink Road. (Brink Road Shelter is 0.2 miles to right on Road.) Blue blazed trail leads to shelter and to spring 350 ft. behind shelter, a dependable water source. Trail crosses road, enters woods to right, and begins to ascend. |
| 4.1 | Trail levels off, descends slightly, then resumes ascent. |
| 4.4 | Reach cleared area on height of ridge. Sweeping views to right of Wallpack Valley, and views through trees to left. |
| 4.5 | Reenter wooded area. Trail begins to descend, passing several rock ledges with views to right. |
| 4.8 | Turn left on old dirt road, and begin to ascend. |
| 5.1 | Turn left off dirt road, and reach rocky, clea |
| 5.6 | Cross short swampy area on rocks, and begin gradual ascent of Rattlesnake Mountain. |
| 6.0 | Reach rock outcrop marking summit of Rattlesnake Mountain (1,492 feet), with beautiful views to right. Trail begins to descend, passing through burned-out area, with views to right. |
| 6.3 | Blue blazed trail to left leads 200 ft to water source. In another 50 ft on AT, cross-stream. Two hundred feet past stream, trail turns left and begins to ascend. |
| 6.8 | Blue-blazed trail on right leads 75ft. to viewpoint. Trail levels off. |
| 7.4 | Reach viewpoint to west from open rocks. |
| 7.6 | Turn right onto gravel road. Trail continues along gravel roads for next 1.4 miles, with occasional views of Pocono Mountains to west. |
| 7.8 | Blue-blazed trail to right descends for 1.5 miles to Buttermilk Falls, a dependable water source. In another 125 ft. , turn right onto gravel road. |
| 8.7 | Turn right onto intersecting gravel road. |
| 9.0 | Blue-blazed trail to left leads 150 ft. to viewpoint overlooking Crater Lake. Fifty feet beyond this point, trail leaves gravel road and turns right on footpath. In another 150 ft., reach viewpoint to west. Trail turns left, crosses gravel road, and in another 150 ft., steeply descends face of escarpment. |
| 9.1 | Trail makes right turn. In another 300 ft., crosses old gravel road diagonally to right and reenters woods. |
| 9.4 | Pass rock-strewn bog on left. |
| 9.6 | Ascend steeply to right of smooth rock. |
| 10.6 | Cross dirt road, and turn right on footpath into woods. |
| 10.8 | Reach paved Flatbrookville road. Trail crosses road, then turns right and follows paved road for 100 ft., where it turns left on dirt road. At this point you will find a pump. |
| 11.1 | Trail register is located to right of trail. Please sign. 125 ft., beyond this point, road to left leads to viewpoint overlooking northern end of Fairview Lake.(CAMP IN THIS GENERAL AREA) |
| 11.5 | Clearing to left trail provides view of Fairview Lake below. |
| 12.4 | Dirt road ends. Trail enters woods to left on footpath. |
| 13.8 | Reach clearing for powerline, Sand Pond of Camp No-Be-Bosco (Boy Scout Camp) is visible below to left. Trail turns right after passing powerline tower and follows powerline across ridge for about 0.1 mile. At other side of ridge are views to west of Wallkill Valley and Pocono Plateau. Trail curves to left and reenters woods. |
| 14.0 | Descend steeply, then turn left. |
| 14.2 | Turn to left, skirting north end of swamp then turn right on dirt road, cross outlet of swamp, and ascend, with swamp to right of Trail. |
| 14.4 | Bear right at fork. |
| 14.5 | Reach paved Millbrook-Blairstown Road. Turn left, and follow paved road for 0.1 mile right on woods road. |
| 14.6 | Trail turns off paved Millbrook-Blairstown road and continues on gravel road to south. |
| 14.9 | Road makes sharp turn to right. |
| 15.0 | Make sharp left turn off gravel road, ascend on footpath through rhododendron thicket.(rattlesnake spring, a dependable water source) is on left side of road., 50 ft. beyond trail turn off. Trail follows old woods road for short distance then turns left on footpath. |
| 15.2 | Turn left onto gravel road. In another 275 ft. , turn off road, and reenter woods on footpath to right. |
| 15.3 | Turn right on gravel road, and ascend to Catfish Fire Tower. |
| 15.6 | Reach Catfish Tower and small adjacent building (1565ft). Sixty foot- high tower offers splendid 360-degree view. Trail reenters woods and continues on relatively level footpath, with views through trees to left. |
| 16.6 | Trail comes out at southeast side of ledge and runs for short distance along rim, with good views to left. Orange-blazed Rattlesnake Swamp Trail goes off to right and leads in about 0.5miles to Catfish Pond. |
| 16.7 | Trail comes out on rim for second time. |
| 17.3 | Begin descent to Mohican Road. |
| 17.9 | cross dirt Mohican Rd. and reenter woods to left. In another 50 ft. cross-stream, a water source and begin to ascend, often steeply. |
| 18.2 | Reach end of steep section. Trail continues to ascend on moderate grade. |
| 19.4 | View to left of trail of storage ponds for hydroelectric development. |
| 19.9 | Reach old, grassed-over Kaiser Road, which come in from right.Turn left on Kaiser Road and descend steeply towards Yards Creek Scout Reservation. |
| 20.1 | Leave AT and stay on woods road that descends mountain to southeast. |
| 20.4 | Old stone building with spring next to it. |
| 20.9 | Arrive Yards Creek Scout Reservation.
Congratulations you have completed the "Appalachian Trail" experience. |
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Appalachian Trail Experience Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation to Yards Creek Scout Reservation Yards Creek Scout Reservation to Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation Appalachian Trail Experience Order Form | |