Trail Conditions - Winter 2010/2011

[njHiking.com]

Post trail/park conditions for New Jersey (as well as PA/NY) here.

Include the date, park, conditions (how much snow/ice, is it slushy, melted away...) and a trail photo if you have one.

Sharing this info helps other hikers decide if they should make the sometimes long drive to a trailhead, as winter conditions can vary greatly between different areas.

Winter hiking tips and snowfall depth resources can be found on our Winter Hiking page.

[njHiking.com]

2/13/11 - Jake's Branch County Park and Double Trouble State Park. Most of Jake's Branch was snow-free, but there are short stretches of crusty ice/slush. Double Trouble had longer areas of very icy hard-packed snow, very slippery and totally annoying... but not enough to put on traction aids because these sections were between long areas of dirt. This snow really just needs to melt away, at least in central/southern NJ because there is only enough on the ground to be annoying.

Jake's Branch

Double Trouble

[Brom Vermeulen]

2/15/11 - Newark Watershed. I took a ride up to North NJ today, and picked up a Watershed Hiking Permit. I had a vague notion of climbing Kanouse Mtn., one of the NJ1K list, located near the Watershed office on Echo Lake. I crossed the dam on the Highlands Trail, which was plowed, but reaching the woods, you could see there had been no travel at all on the trail. With 12 inches of snow, covered with 1/2" of crust, the idea of bushwhacking up the steep side of Kanouse lost all it's charm. Echo Lake

Highlands Trail

[Daniela Wagstaff]

02/18/2011 - Hartshorne Woods Park
Surprisingly more snow and ice than I expected, especially with snow depth maps showing that area all clear.  There were sections that were icy, other sections still completely covered with snow, at times up to maybe 6-8 inches frozen over but where you could break through and sink down at any time.  Then blissfully LONG stretches of DRY trail - that was heavenly.  Some swampy, muddy spots but not really that bad.  Most standing water was later in the day on the Cuesta Ridge Trail which is a pretty flat woods road with not much drainage. I did not take microspikes but there were some fairly treacherous icy sections where I wished I had brought them. There were quite a few large blowdowns that were challenging to get through along the Grand Tour trail.  Hunting signs were still posted indicating the park was closed for hunting from January 11 - 27 on Tuesdays and Thursdays only from 5:45 am to 12:00 pm so it's a park to keep in mind for more availability during hunting season.

 

[Joseph Collins]

I would like to go for a hike in the Pines tomorrow, March 7th. Does anyone know what the current snow/ice is on the trail. I would assume there would not be too much because of the warm days we've had here in South Jersey.

[njHiking.com]

Trails should be clear, especially after the rain on Sunday. We did Wharton - Atsion on Feb 27 and Pakim Pond/Mt Misery the week before without hitting any significant snow.

[Joseph Collins]

Great! Thanks for the info!

[Daniela Wagstaff]

Trails were completely clear at both Jakes Branch County Park and Double Trouble State Park on 2/27.

[Joseph Collins]

'Twas a lovely day in the Pines.

Daniela Wagstaff said:

Trails were completely clear at both Jakes Branch County Park and Double Trouble State Park on 2/27.

[Daniela Wagstaff]

I knew I had seen almost that same picture before somewhere...  This picture was taken 3/5/10, almost exactly one year ago:

Joseph Collins said:

'Twas a lovely day in the Pines.

Daniela Wagstaff said:

Trails were completely clear at both Jakes Branch County Park and Double Trouble State Park on 2/27.

[Daniela Wagstaff]

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area - 3/10/11

National Parks Traveler article regarding closures due to rain and snow melt in NJ and PA:

Heavy Rains, Expcted Flooding, Affecting Delaware Water Gap Nationa...

[Joseph Collins]

Daniela that is hysterical! And our shepherds look like film negatives of each other!

[njHiking.com]

The dog photos are too funny.

 

And Daniela, thanks for the DWG info; I shared it on FB/Twitter. Soggy trails this weekend...