Catfish Mountain, October 31, 2015, Delaware Water Gap

Autumn Views of New Jersey from the AT near Catfish Mountain

Having spent so much time in New England over the past two years, K and I realized that we had fallen behind in our hikes on the New Jersey 1000 list. That's the list that a couple of Garden State hikers created a few years back of the highest "peaks" in New Jersey. We like the list because the hikes are all located within 1 and 1/2 hours from home and allow us to see some the really beautiful, rural parts of an otherwise urban state. The hikes are also of moderate elevation gain, making them perfect for a leisurely day out or winter hiking route in sub par weather conditions.

Catfish Mountain summit fire tower

On Halloween Day, we decided to revisit our NJ 1000 list with a loop hike to Catfish Mountain. We used our local branch of the AMC - the Mohican Outdoor Center - as our starting point. Nestled on the banks of Catfish Pond, the Mohican Center is a great point of departure for the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey and other hikes in and around the northwestern corner of the state. Even better is that it is just over an hour from the house.

Descending the fire road to Rattlesnake Swamp Trail

Heading northeast from the parking area, we quickly climbed a spur trail from the Center to the Appalachian Trail and followed the AT past multiple vista points. A short, pleasant but rocky Kittatiny Ridge walk brings you to the summit of Catfish Mountain and its famous fire tower. Not yet ready to break, we headed down off the ridge and took a fire road to the intersection with Rattlesnake Swamp Trail. Turning sharply back to the southwest, we followed the trail through a pleasant wetlands and hundreds of mature rhododendrons. After a lesiurely trail lunch, we continued along the trail through the rhododendrons and across several stream crossings and arrived back at Catfish Pond.

Among the Rhododendrons in Rattlesnake Swamp

All in all, we encountered only five people the entire day... a definite plus (and highly uncommon) for a hike in the Water Gap.

Peak: Rattlesnake Mountain
Elevation: 1,560 feet
Distance: 6 miles round trip
Route: Loop; Rattlesnake Swamp Trail connector to Appalachian Trail to Fire Road to Rattlesnake Swamp Trail

Great Head, October 15, 2015, Acadia National Park

View from Great Head

We found the short loop trail over the rock outcropping known as Great Head to be one of the neatest little hikes at Acadia. With its rocky coastline, windswept foliage, and magnificent vistas out to sea, Great Head is quintessential Maine. But with that natural beauty comes a price... the crowds.

Break time on Great Head loop trail

Since it was our last day on the island, we opted for a later start time around mid-morning and therefore had to wait through a small traffic jam up at one of park gates. Once through, we passed an overflowing parking lot at the Precipice trail up to Champlain Mountain and then got the very last available spot at the Sand Beach parking area. Once traversing the beach, we climbed up a short but steep escarpment to start the loop of Great Head, which we decided to do in a counter clockwise direction. From the top, one has a nice view of the Beehive. We had our binoculars and used them to follow a number of obviously-scared-out-of-their-wits people slowly making their way up the open ledges of this famous Acadia "ladder" trail.

The Beehive

Despite some slow moving groups and at least one crazed kid who liked to race ahead of his family and check out what we were doing, we soon left the crowds behind and enjoyed a hike of numerous ocean vistas and plenty of open rocks for long, leisurely breaks. We even caught the sporadic boom of the Thunder Hole further down the coast - a place where the surf enters a cleft in the granite cliffs and produces a thunderous cannon-like roar. Continuing our loop after a long lunch break, we connected with the Saterlee Trail and followed it back to Sand Beach, completing the short 2 mile loop.

"Ooooh, what's this?"

We passed the bustling parking area for the Beehive en route and thought about tacking it on to the day.

Nah. Maybe next time.

Hike: Great Head Loop
Elevation: 139 feet
Distance: 2 miles round trip
Route: Loop; Great Head Loop Trail to Saterlee Trail
Conditions: Party sunny, 60 degrees F

Gilmore Peak and Sargent Mountain, October 15, 2014, Acadia National Park

Sargent Mountain Summit Marker

Six trails in Acadia are designated as "ladder trails," named for the iron rungs that a hiker must negotiate along the way. My research on one of these trails - the Giant Slide Trail - found that it ranks among the least-traveled trails in Acadia. That's what I'm talking about.

Lichen forest

I used the Giant Slide Trail as the stem of a lollipop-shaped hike up the summits of Gilmour Peak and Sargent Mountain. Sure enough, I was the first car at the roadside pull off for the trail head. After meandering through an awesome patch of lichen-encrusted rocks, the trail crosses a carriage road and then enters into the so-called "Giant Slide." There are no iron ladders... I guess they just call it a ladder trail because that's the designation for the toughest trails in the park.

Over the boulders and through the caves on Giant Slide Trail

Further, there's not really any trail. The blazes just go up and over boulders, through the stream bed, around exposed tree roots, and underneath rock formations. I quickly stowed the hiking poles. No need for them when you need all fours for the constant boulder scrambles. The trail is strenuous, to be certain, but nothing unlike what one encounters in the White Mountains. All in all, it was a pretty cool trail. Once through the slide, I took the Grandgent Trail up and over Gilmore Peak and then pressed on to the summit of Sargent Mountain, the second highest point in Acadia.

Gilmore Peak summit sign

Sargent is a neat peak, with the same treeless summit and sweeping views characteristic of the other mountains at Acadia. The lack of an auto road to the summit, however, made for much more seclusion than Cadillac Mountain. For the return, I took Sargent Northwest Trail. Just as I was reconnecting with the Giant Slide Trail I encountered the only other hikers of the morning. We chatted for a bit and then I tackled the slide once again.

The return was as interesting as the ascent. I'd definitely visit the Giant Slide again.

Peak: Gilmore Peak and Sargent Mountain
Elevation: 1,030 feet and 1,379 feet
Distance: 4.3 miles
Route: Lollipop: Giant Slide Trail to Grandgent Trail to Sargent Northwest Trail
Conditions: Sunny, 50 degrees F