NJ Beach: Sandy Hook

 Sandy Hook

The beach on a cloudy winter day

Sandy Hook, NJ

                   The oldest working light house

                     Inside Fort Hancock 

                                                                          

       The abandoned military houses

                                   

                             Beach 

  The light house with 45,000 candlelight power

           The abandoned military houses

                         At the beach

                The  NYC skyline in the distance

Hiking PA: Lehigh Gap (the blue mountain loop)

 Lehigh Gap (Blue Mountain Loop)

This is a trail on the west side of the Lehigh Gap, which is equally as beautiful as the east loop on the other side of Lehigh River. The loop is about 6 miles long.

GPS Parking: N40 46.876 W75 36.525 (it is very small)

[ or There is a nearby parking: Lehigh gap nature center (Address: 8844 Paint Mill Rd, Slatington, PA 18080)]

   

   If you park at the AT trail head, then follow the AT trail (white blaze) up, passing a shelter (a neat place for AT hikers to rest), and then pick the blue trail to the North Scenic Trail. This is where you reach the long ridge of the blue mountain, and the view is gorgeous on both side.

After a long walk in the tall grasses, the blue trail leads you to the signal towers; make a left turn when you reach the 3rd tower to the white AT trail. Descend along the AT trail to  the shed and back to the parking. 

The shelter

The blue trail head (the North Scenic Trail)

Devil's Pulpit

On the ridge (blue trail)

Overlook  the valley

campfire 

Grass covered slope

The view through pine trees

One of the towers

Related links:

https://lgnc.org/trail-map-and-guides/

https://www.cnyhiking.com/ATinPA-BlueMountainLoop.htm

Hiking NJ: Pyramid Mountain

 Pyramid Mountain

An unexpected fun place to hike, with hawks, vultures, big boulders, and streams. The area features unusual glacial erratics, dramatic rock outcrops, extensive wetlands, waterfalls, and several scenic overlooks – including views of the Manhattan skyline. The Tripod Rock, a 160-ton boulder, rests atop three smaller boulders.

Parking: 40.94684, -74.388175 

        Pyramid Mountain, Boonton, NJ

This is a popular hiking area, and parking is likely to be crowded. 

The shortest loop (about 4 miles) is the blue trail loop connected by the dash white trail: start with the blue trail, stop at the overlook for NYC skyline & hawks soaring, keep going along the blue trail, pass the Lucy's overlook, and then reach a point where the tripod rock sigh stands (enjoy the rock); come back to the blue trail, walk to the blue-while trail sign on your right, and then walk along that trail down the hill to reach the stream and the bear rock, at which point you follow the white trail, until looping back to the blue trail to the parking.

The view of Manhattan in the horizon (& hawks & Vultures) 

The tripod rock

The bear rock

On the way back 

winter 

Hiking NY: Breakneck Ridge

 Breakneck Ridge

A popular hiking loop of 3.5 miles with strenuous rock climbing and breathtaking views.

Parking: 472-480 Breakneck Rd, Cold Spring, NY 10516

GPS location: 41.443295, -73.977845

Helpful websites:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breakneck_Ridge

https://www.nynjtc.org/breakneck

https://www.nynjtc.org/hike/breakneck-ridge-trail