| I AM JOE'S WEBSITE APPALACHIAN TRAIL "HOME" SECTION DESERT PLACES THE MAINE TRIPS OTHER PLACES BACK TO PLACES |
| The Appalachian Trail, New York-New Jersey Trail Conference AT Sections 5 & 6, Route 206 to Buttermilk Falls This was the trail I made my first ever overnight solo hike on and it became my "home" section of the Appalachian Trail. From sometime in early summer in 1991 to spring of 1993 I hiked every other weekend (excluding the winter months, although I did hike as late as November 30th one year), rain (frequently), fog, snow flurries, high winds or shine. This is not a very popular section of the AT. Through most of the summer I only met a handfull of through hikers and it wasn't until "leaf season" in October that I ever saw more than a maximum of 1 or 2 people a day. Its lack of popularity is probably due to the lack of "big name" features along this section. With the Sunrise Mountain/High Point section just to the north and the Crater Lake and especially the Delaware Water Gap/Sunfish Pond sections to the south getting the most press and the heaviest visitation "my" section tended to be ignored. Though its charms were more subtle it certainly had no lack of them and the scarcity of visitors was a plus in my opinion. The views off the Kittatinny Ridge throughout its length are spectacular, especially in late September and October when the view west over the Delaware Valley towards the Poconos showed a sea of flaming colors as the Eastern deciduous forests changed leaf color in preparation for winter. The peaks of Blue Mountain, Rattlesnake Mountain and Bird Mountain and numerous unnamed "secret" points all had great views. One of my favorite spots was a large 6 foot high red boulder, a glacial erratic, deposited on a convenient point on the side of the ridge facing west, reached by a short side trail through the rhododendrens. Other key points of interest are Buttermilk Falls and especially Hemlock Pond. Fishing was possible at Hemlock Pond and the trout stocked Blue Mountain Lakes. Good camping spots are numerous and water is plentiful. However, the trail maps are NOT necessarily accurate when it comes to the location of water! One of my favorite things about this section of the Appalachian Trail is the numerous side trails that allowed me to vary routes enough so that hiking the same section never grew old. I never hiked with a particular "goal" in mind , rather, I traveled where my feet led me. The Woods Road Trail roughly paralleled the AT on the valley floor below the ridge and connected to it by several trails up the side of the ridge. These trails included the Jacobs Ladder Trail, the Shay Trail (Brink Road), the Buttermilk Falls Trail (1500 feet up or down the side of the ridge), the Orange Trail (tricky to find), the Hidden Falls Trail (never did find Hidden Falls!) and several apparently unnamed trails. The Woods Road Trail itself made a sharp left, climbed 400 feet up the side of Bird Mountain and joined up with the AT for a short distance before splitting off and resuming its parallel course, running around the base of Rattlesnake Mountain to Hemlock Pond while the Appalachian Trail went up to the peak. The Acropolis Trail offered an alternate route up to the top of the ridge from Route 206. Once you reached Rattlesnake Mountain there was a spiderweb of old roads and trails, the remnants of planned developments (some old foundations are still present) that were abandoned when the government condemned the valley for the Tock's Island Dam project. The region the trails pass through encompasses a great diversity of habitats and microecosystems and is home to a large variety of plants and wildlife. Deciduous forests of mostly oak and maple changing to mostly birch in some areas, dark climax stands of hemlock, grassy mountain balds, springs, streams, swamps, ponds, deep ravines, mountain ridges, mossy talus slopes, strange soil and plant free fields of boulders (Hell's potato fields), granite slabs covered with lichens, shoulder high stands of rhododendrens, lush blueberry bushes (mountain blueberries are the best!) and many other plants and geological and topographical features provide food and shelter for the numerous wildlife. Wildlife is common along the trail. Deer are regularly spotted, as they are almost everywhere in New Jersey. Sometimes when camping I would get woken up by deer crashing around in the underbrush near my tent. If something startled them I could hear their hooves pounding as they ran away. Squirrels, chipmunks, oppossum and rabbits as well as various mice, rats and shrews are also encountered and skunks occasionally make their presence smelt. Raccoon are frequent campsite visitors and bear are occasionally spotted (it is essential that food is properly stored!). I never saw a bear myself but I've seen tracks and read reports in the trail registers. Coyote are rumored to be in the area. I swear I heard them howling one night. Bobcat are also supposed to be in the area but the chances of seeing them are pretty slim as they are mostly nocturnal and extremely shy. You might spot a fox, especially at dawn or dusk, if you're quiet and lucky. Otters are present in the Flatbrook and Delaware Rivers and I wouldn't be surprised if one wandered up to Blue Mountain Lakes. Beaver and muskrat are present in all bodies of water big enough to hold them. I was drifting off to sleep one night, settled in my tent near a pond in one of my most comfortable campsites ever when I was somewhat alerted by the sploosh of a beaver tail slapping the water quickly followed by the sound of branches snapping and the loud creak of a tree falling over. I was jolted to full awareness with the sudden boom of the tree slamming the ground, close enough for me to feel the vibrations! I had difficulty getting back to sleep after that, knowing I was surrounded by homicidal beavers. There are also plenty of birds. Blue jays and crows are frequently heard raising a ruckus. It's quite common to round a bend in the trail and startle a flock of wild turkeys. A grouse may explode out of the brush at your feet. If you sit quietly in the woods you'll hear and may spot a towhee thrashing around in the underbrush and in colder weather you'll soon hear the tiny piping calls of chickadees and kinglets. There are several woodpecker species - if you're lucky you may spot a pileated woodpecker. The USFWS sets up a hawk banding station during the fall migration on the peak of Bird Mountain. Their logs reported various species of hawks, falcons, vultures and even eagles amongst their count. I saw my one and only scarlet tanager when I was hiking along the Woods Road Trail. The ponds usually have resident herons and kingfishers and you may spot an osprey fishing for dinner. Owls are not uncommon although they are difficult to spot as they are strictly nocturnal. Listen for their calls starting at dusk. Cardinals, mockingbirds, various sparrows and finches, nuthatches, creepers, warblers and many other bird species are present, both seasonally and year round. The Delaware Valley is the major migratory route for the Eastern Flyway and the Kittatinny Ridge, paralleling the Delaware River until the river cuts through the ridge at the Delaware Water Gap, provides a funneling effect that concentrates migrating birds. You are also likely to run into other animals. In late summer and early fall a rainy day will bring out hundreds of red efts in wooded areas. The ponds are loaded with newts. Snakes (I never saw a rattlesnake on Rattlesnake Mountain), turtles, lizards, toads and frogs can be found in the appropriate habitat. Tiger and Black Swallowtails, Monarchs and other butterflies add a splash of color to the summer woods and mountaintops. Odd insects like walking sticks are cyclically common. I never found biting insects like ticks, deer flies, no-see-ums, black flies and mosquitoes to be a significant annoyance but they are present so proper precautions are necessary. Bumblebees and yellow jackets are also around but will not attack unless provoked. Katydids however, can occasionally be numerous and loud enough to keep you awake at night even if you are exhausted by a long day's hike. Ants, of course, are everywhere and the peaks may be "swarmed" during their mating sessions. I haven't been back to this section since I moved away from New Jersey but I think of it quite a bit and always hope to return. Some day I will. If you ever get a chance to hike this section, allow yourself to shed the shields you use while in the "civilized" world and let yourself become part of the wild. If you manage to do this it will be a rewarding and enriching experience. Although the features of this section have perhaps more subtle charms than some other sections I don't believe you will find any "better" spots along the Appalachian Trail. If you do visit this section, please remember to make no impact. Instead, let the "Trail" make an impact on your spirit and your soul. You will remember it forever. |