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Highlight Hiker Blog

Appalachian Trail, Waywayanda State Park

June 23, 2020. Last week was full of last day of school activities, a graduation, a graduation celebration, Father's Day and my anniversary so it was a big week for doing important things other than hiking. However, today I went out to the western end of Waywayanda State Park with the Olden Golden and hiked about 2.5 miles of the AT between Pochuck Boardwalk and the Stairway to Heaven/Pinwheel vista. That was just the right amount of mileage for my sweet old man in the June heat of New Jersey. We parked on Canal Road (north), which is a much larger parking area than Canal Road (south) and the tiny parking pull-off on Glenwood Road. You follow a short connector south (the map says it's a blue blaze, but there are no visible marking of that anywhere along the trail) and meet with the AT. If you turn to your right (west) you'll walk to the Pochuck Boardwalk, Pochuck Swamp and Creek and the suspension bridge. If you head west, like we did, you'll follow the trail a very mellow mile(-ish) to 94. There you'll find the small parking area for the trail head to the famous Stairway to Heaven on the AT. I'm saving that as my last hike of the map. I know it's going to be something pretty special so even though it's killing me, I'm waiting for that vista!! In any case, the boardwalk continues through the fragile ecosystem in many spots on this length of the trail. Many people have ignored it's purpose, however, and walked along the side of the boardwalk which has done a lot of damage to the environment. After a few bridge crossings and boardwalks, you'll reach the train tracks and head over a small staircase that leads to the final boardwalk through a cow pasture. My poor sweet old dog wasn't able to get over the stairs, so I took a quick picture and we headed back the way we came. Just beyond the grazing cow herd lies 94 and Heaven Hill Farms (think water, snacks and ice cream: heavenhillfarm.com). A beautiful and quick walk.

Here are a few notes if you plan to do this hike either with or without the additional Pochuck Boardwalk section. #1. The Boardwalk areas are hot. I don't mean a little warm, I mean the-sun-is-beating-down-on-you-while-you-walk-through-a-clearing kind of hot. Your body temperature will rise, so wear a brimmed hat, sunscreen, carry a sunbrella, whatever it is that you do in very sunny conditions... and bring more water than you think you need. While it is a short section, I passed a lot of walkers who couldn't get from the parking lot to the suspension bridge because they weren't prepared for the heat. #2. The high grasses you'll be brushing up against can only mean one thing: TICKS. Tick check yourself and your pets since they'll be the ones those little buggers are hunting for. I found one on the Olden Golden and it was a very healthy sized thing. It had not bitten him, but it was definitely on the hunt for an all-you-can-eat canine buffet. #3. This is a really popular walk which can only mean one thing: hiker trash. Leave no Trace escapes some people. I loaded up a plastic shopping bag with garbage that I found strew along the trail: masks, used hand wipes, bottles, a beer can, a hand towel and someone's dog poo bag (full) to name the more significant items. Who are these people? It's a very fragile ecosystem so if you really can't carry that empty Gatorade bottle the 1/2 mile to your car, don't bring it with you. If I can impart one thing on you, my dear audience, it is the phrase, "Pack it out". Plain and simple. Thank you, I am stepping off my soap box now.

Enjoy the photo gallery!