December 19, 2024, Six Ponds Loop, Delaware Water Gap

Crater Lake

There are some really nice hikes in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, as well as in the numerous New Jersey state forests that border it. But I usually only go there in the winter months. At other times of the year there is just too much pressure. Auto access roads are all over the place, which makes it hard to escape the throngs of visitors in the warmer months. In winter, however, a lot of those access roads get shut down and, if you time it just right, you can have some neat natural areas all to yourself.  Recently, I did a nine-mile loop to six mountain ponds (lakes) and did not see a single person the entire day. A cold weekday in December is definitely the optimal time for a hike like this. On a weekend in August? Fuhgeddaboudit.

Beaver Activity on Lake Success

I started the hike via the "secret" switchback access off Fairview Lake Road. This is not an official entrance to the Delaware Water Gap, but one that locals know and use because it avoids the busy parking areas on the south and west sides. There is not even a parking lot, just a turn around at a dead-end road that can accommodate a handful of cars. At the top of the switchback trail, you can choose either the very popular, and rock-ridden, Appalachian Trail or a variety of other, lesser-known tails to put together a nice loop of the many mountain lakes located in the vicinity. I chose to avoid the AT this time and instead took the fire road to Long Pine Pond and then skirted the pond on a poorly-marked, but easy-to-follow, woods trail to the east. 

Hemlock Lake

From there, I pressed on the picturesque Crater Lake and its smaller neighbor, Lake Success, which until recently was just a wetlands area. The hard work of a thriving beaver colony turned it into lake, which, I'd like to think, is why it got its name. The natural world needs more successes like these. I didn't spend too much time here since Crater Lake has a large parking lot. Although I knew that the access road was closed at this time of year, the presence of the paved road, huge signage boards, bear-proof waste bins and restrooms meant that the place did not have the sense of isolation that I was seeking. I therefore continued up to the ridge above Crater Lake and then down a long descent trail to the shores of Hemlock Lake, where I took a long, peaceful break in a more isolated environment. 

Beaver Lodge on Mountain Ridge Lake

I didn't see much in the way of wildlife, probably due to the fact that firearm hunting season was in effect and the forest friends are all laying low, but the usual winter birds were out. A couple of ravens hovered in the treetops above Hemlock Lake during my break, which was enjoyable. From Hemlock Lake, it is a long straightaway to the Blue Mountain Lakes, formed when someone had the idea of creating a housing development there. Fortunately, that never happened and the roads that were laid out for home access are now just hiking trials. From these lakes, I used the seasonally-closed auto road as a connector to get into the warren of trails around Mountain Ridge Lake, which I was pleased to see had another active beaver colony. I then climbed up the ridge and out of the woods before descending the switchback to the parking spot.

Destination: Six mountain ponds
Distance: 9 miles
Elevation: 895 feet (gain)
Route: Counterclockwise loop on assorted trails; named and unnamed
Conditions: Partly sunny, 30 degrees F
Notable Flora/Fauna: Ravens