Central Jersey BSA Appalachian Trail Experience

Recommended Hike
Yards Creek Scout Reservation to Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation

Friday, Yards Creek Scout Reservation to top of ridge at Kaiser Road.
Saturday, Kaiser Road to just before just before pump at Flatbrookville Road. Nice campsites with a view.
Sunday, Flatbrookville Road to Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation

Enter Yards Creek Scout Reservation and park at the first Parking lot. Walk down road and look for sign on left indicating Kaiser Road., Raccoon Ridge and Appalachian Trail.

milesdirection
0.0Proceed up Kaiser road along stream on left. Trail begins in gradual ascent through rhododendron.
0.5crumbling stone cottage on left. Spring in boxed in area to left of road, next to cottage. (next water source 0.5 miles at Rattlesnake spring)
0.8Kaiser Road and AT intersect (FIRST CAMP SITE)
1.0Take right fork of trail. Kaiser Road continues to left leading to old Copper Mines
1.5View to right of trail of storage ponds for hydroelectric development.
2.0Trail turns left at double blaze.
2.7Start steeper descent to Mohican Road.
3.0Cross-stream, a source of water, then immediately cross dirt Mohican Road. Trail reenters woods to left and begins ascent of Kittatinny Ridge.
3.6Reach top of ridge, with views along trail to right.
4.2Trail comes out on southeast side of ledge and runs for short distance along rim, with good views to right.
4.3Trail comes out on rim for second time. Orange-blazed Rattlesnake Swamp Trail goes off to left and leads in about 0.5 mile to Catfish Pond.
5.3Reach Catfish Tower. Begin descent to Millbrook-Blairstown Road along gravel road.
5.6leave gravel road, and follow footpath to left.
5.7Turn left on gravel road for 275 ft., then turn off road, and reenter woods on footpath to right.
5.9Turn right on old woods road at powerline. Pass through rhododendron thicket, then turn right onto gravel road. Fifty feet to left on road is Rattlesnake spring, a dependable water source.
6.1Road makes sharp turn to left.
6.3reach paved Millbrook-Blairstown Road. To continue, turn left along road.
6.4turn right off paved road, and follow woods road.
6.5Bear left at fork in road.
6.7pass swamp to left of trail. Trail descends, crosses outlet of swamp, makes sharp left turn away from road, skirting northern edge of swamp, and then curves to right.
6.9turn right at fork, and begin steep uphill climb.
7.0Reach clearing for powerline, with views to left. Follow powerline to right across ridge for about 0.1miles, then turn left near second powerline tower, and reenter woods.(Sand Pond of No-Be-Bosco, BSA is visible below)trail follows crest of ridge on a relatively level path, with views to the east.
8.5after slight descent to left, reach grass-covered dirt road. Follow road for next 1.6 miles, passing several clearings.
9.4Clearing to right of trail provides view of Fairview lake below.
9.8Road to right leads about 125 ft., to viewpoint overlooking northern end of Fairview Lake. Trail register is to left of Trail, Please sign. (CAMPSITE # 2 IN THIS AREA) water available at Flatbrookville Rd. 1
0.1Reach paved Flatbrookville Rd (Pump to left just before road.) tested water source. Trail turns right and follows pave road for 100 ft., where it turns left, crosses road, and reenters woods on footpath.
10.3Cross dirt road.
11.3Descend steeply to left of smooth rock
11.5Pass-rock strewn bog on right.
11.7Cross old gravel road diagonally to right, and reenter woods. In another 300 ft., make a sharp left turn, and steeply ascend face of escarpment.
11.9One hundred fifty feet beyond top of escarpment, cross gravel road, and reach viewpoint to west. Trail joins gravel road 150 ft., beyond viewpoint. Fifty feet beyond this point, blue-blazed trail to right leads 150 ft to viewpoint overlooking Crater Lake. Trail continues along gravel roads for next 1.4 miles, with occasional views of Pocono Mts. To West.
12.2Turn left onto intersecting gravel road.
13.1Turn left onto gravel road. One hundred twenty feet beyond, a blue-blazed trail to left descends for 1.5 miles to Buttermilk Falls, a dependable source of water.
13.3Leave gravel road, and turn left on footpath into woods.
13.5Reach viewpoint to west from open rocks.
14.1Blue-blazed trail on left leads 75 ft. to viewpoint. Trail begins to descend.
14.6Bear right at fork, and, in another 200 ft. cross-stream. Immediately past stream, blue-blazed trail to right leads 200 ft to water source. Begin climb of Rattlesnake Mt., soon passing through burned-out area, with views to left.
14.9Reach rock outcrop that designates summit of Rattlesnake Mt. (1492ft.) Beautiful views to left. Begin gradual descent.
15.3Cross short swampy area on rocks, and begin gradual ascent.
15.8after reaching rocky, cleared area, with views through trees to right, turn right on old dirt road, and begin to descend.
16.1turn right off dirt road, and begin to climb, passing several rock ledges with views to left.
16.4Reach cleared area on height of ridge. Sweeping views to the left of Wallpack Valley, and views through trees to right.
16.5reenter wooded area. Trail descends for 0.1 mile, then ascends slightly, and levels off.
16.6Begin steeper descent.
17.2Reach dirt Brink Road. (Brink road shelter is 900 ft to left on right side of road. Blue-blazed trail leads to shelter and to spring 350ft behind shelter, a dependable eater source.
17.6Trail levels off and follows crest of ridge
17.7Unmarked side trail to right leads to overlook. 400ft. beyond, pass field of rocks and boulders to right of trail.
17.9Please sign trail register.
18.4Unmarked side trail leads to overlook of Lake Owassa. Shortly afterwards, trail climbs briefly, descends steadily, then levels off, and continues to descend moderately.
18.8Reach Jacob's Ladder turn left (blue/Gray Blaze) and descend 300 ft to intersection with Red Maple trail on right. Turn right and descend to Woods Road.
19.1cross woods road and continue on Red Maple trail.
19.4begin steep ascent on trail to ridge. (look for red maple leaf blazes and Cairns.)
19.8Trail intersects with Steffen's trail. Cross Steffens Trail and continue on Red Maple trail following Cairns and Red Maple Leaf blazes.
20.1Trail turns right ( look for large cairn and Blazes indicating turn.)
20.6Trail turns left , descend to
20.9Arrive Kittatinny Mountain Scout Reservation. Congratulations you have completed the appalachian trail experience.
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