Delaware Watergap Hike

[andyzee]

Planning on hiking the Delaware Watergap on Sunday with my wife and wanted to see if anyone else is interested. I like to do the Jersey side, favorite trail is Red Dot to Mt. Tammany and then Blue Blaze back down. However, if others are interested, more then willing to try other trails. Zook and Skidog have been discussing so I decided to bring that discussion here:

Andyzee - I'm leaning more towards Mt. Minsi at this point, but haven't decided yet. What time are you plannin to be there?

Sunday afternoon we are having a picnic in the area - I think the place is called Watergate? (~11th mile on the Old Mine Rd from I-80). It's the Polish Student Organization picnic, but don't be thrown off with the "Student" part of it Stop by if you have some time - we'll have BBQ and volleyball "tournament". Ask for Agata if you do come

We'll probably try to get there Sunday around 10. What time do you plan on hiking, wouldn't mind joining in with some Polish hikers

Any idea on the time it takes you...??? Like I said..just thought I did it exteremly fast last time...and wanted a guage..

Thanks

M

P.S. I did it saturday...

I actually did time it this past week for the first time. It took about 45 minutes heading up with one stop at the first rocks. Took about an hour to get back, but we stopped by the falls for about 10 minutes.

 

[SkiDog]

Planning on hiking the Delaware Watergap on Sunday with my wife and wanted to see if anyone else is interested. I like to do the Jersey side, favorite trail is Red Dot to Mt. Tammany and then Blue Blaze back down. However, if others are interested, more then willing to try other trails. Zook and Skidog have been discussing so I decided to bring that discussion here:



We'll probably try to get there Sunday around 10. What time do you plan on hiking, wouldn't mind joining in with some Polish hikers








I actually did time it this past week for the first time. It took about 45 minutes heading up with one stop at the first rocks. Took about an hour to get back, but we stopped by the falls for about 10 minutes.

Oh ok..then I didnt do it exceptionally fast...I did the entire loop in exactly 1hour 35 minutes and I stopped for about 10 minutes to eat blueberries.. Mmmmmm

I still think thats a pretty good clip for roughly 4 miles..I think I average, during an overnight in the Greens, rouhgly 2.5 - 2.75mi/hr...I think its good to know your times that way if you know its 4 miles and you do 2.5 an hour...you should make it to the destination in just over an hour and a half..if not...you have gotten off track..

Anyway...ill let ya know..I ususally am done with that hike by 10, but im a VERY early riser..

thanks for posting this.

M

 

[andyzee]

Oh ok..then I didnt do it exceptionally fast...I did the entire loop in exactly 1hour 35 minutes and I stopped for about 10 minutes to eat blueberries.. Mmmmmm

I still think thats a pretty good clip for roughly 4 miles..I think I average, during an overnight in the Greens, rouhgly 2.5 - 2.75mi/hr...I think its good to know your times that way if you know its 4 miles and you do 2.5 an hour...you should make it to the destination in just over an hour and a half..if not...you have gotten off track..

Anyway...ill let ya know..I ususally am done with that hike by 10, but im a VERY early riser..

thanks for posting this.

M

That was a good time! I didn't mention our stop at the rocks on top. We always stop up there for a bit to rest and enjoy the view and breeze.
Those blueberries are already a bit dried up, but damn, they were nice and sweet. Me and my wife enjoyed them as well!

 

[zook]

We were planning to be there around 10am as well We may do the Jersey side in that case.

My group will be driving from Catskills Sunday morning, so I hope we can get there on time.

One thing - I don't know yet how many people will be joining us for the hike. Some of them may not be as frequent hikers as the rest so I'm not sure if they can keep up with your pace We may be able to split our group but we may need to all go slower for the sake of others. I'll see when we get there how many people show up and we'll go from there. I wouldn't want to slow you guys down, so we may just go separately if that's the case.

 

[SkiDog]

That was a good time! I didn't mention our stop at the rocks on top. We always stop up there for a bit to rest and enjoy the view and breeze.
Those blueberries are already a bit dried up, but damn, they were nice and sweet. Me and my wife enjoyed them as well!

I didnt stop at the top this time to enjoy the view as there were about 3 other groups on those rocks..and I prefer the solitutde...

go deeper young man...I found that the "edge" berries were either picked clean or dried up...I found many more in shaded areas slightly more off trail...didnt go too deep didnt want to make a herd path...but they are there to be found and eaten..I actually found some that werent even ripe yet due to lack of sun...

there are SOO MANY up there...just fields and fields of them...soo cool..

M

 

[SkiDog]

We were planning to be there around 10am as well We may do the Jersey side in that case.

My group will be driving from Catskills Sunday morning, so I hope we can get there on time.

One thing - I don't know yet how many people will be joining us for the hike. Some of them may not be as frequent hikers as the rest so I'm not sure if they can keep up with your pace We may be able to split our group but we may need to all go slower for the sake of others. I'll see when we get there how many people show up and we'll go from there. I wouldn't want to slow you guys down, so we may just go separately if that's the case.

honestly the time a quoted was rather "rushed" I was trying to push myself. I did notice that when I reached close to the top of Tammany I was VERY tired and my legs were truly gassed....I had to stop and rest for 5 minutes and drink some gatorade...ate some berries...and I was right as rain again..

This is not my regular pace..I usually do it in about 1hr 45 min...

maybe we'll all catch up...would love to put faces to names...

M

 

[andyzee]

I didnt stop at the top this time to enjoy the view as there were about 3 other groups on those rocks..and I prefer the solitutde...

go deeper young man...I found that the "edge" berries were either picked clean or dried up...I found many more in shaded areas slightly more off trail...didnt go too deep didnt want to make a herd path...but they are there to be found and eaten..I actually found some that werent even ripe yet due to lack of sun...

there are SOO MANY up there...just fields and fields of them...soo cool..

M

I found the most in the fields off the Blue Trail were it makes a left turn.

 

[andyzee]

OK then, looks like we got a Jersey outing. I say lets meet up at the Dunnfield parking area (Not the first one which is for picnics, but the second one) 10:00 AM. That's me and my wife in my avatar and I'll have my red Honda Civic.

 

[zook]

Sounds like a plan to me We have blue Honda Accord, NYS plates.

I won't be able to check this post after I leave work today, so if anything changes Andyzee has my cell number.

 

[andyzee]

Sounds like a plan to me We have blue Honda Accord, NYS plates.

I won't be able to check this post after I leave work today, so if anything changes Andyzee has my cell number.

Enjoy your trip, see you Sunday.

 

[SkiDog]

I found the most in the fields off the Blue Trail were it makes a left turn.

SHHHHH...yeah thats it...

M

 

[andyzee]

Well, maybe another time Zook, hope you had a good day.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Zook....ever hike the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve?

 

[zook]

Zook....ever hike the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve?

No I haven't, I don't think I even heard of it before. Is that the one by the Belt Parkway?

I drove past there couple of times but I though that the parking was only for the beaches, never realized they had any trails there. Can you give me some more info about it or maybe you have some pictures? Sounds interesting and I may go down there one day.

Thanks for sharing Beano

 

[zook]

Well....

Me, my husband and a friend of ours did hike the Mt. Tammany on Sunday and got soaked The whole thing in reverse (blue trail and then red dot trail) took us about two hours - we had to go slow in the rain, especially down those steeper sections of the red dot trail. We also took some long picture stops in the beginning (before the rain started). We didn't stop at the view point though

 

[andyzee]

Both me and my wife were concerned that the rocks might be a bit slippery.

 

[zook]

Yep, they were slippery but nothing really bad. We were able to walk down fine with some extra time and caution. We had to hold on to the rocks with our hands couple of times.

 

[BeanoNYC]

No I haven't, I don't think I even heard of it before. Is that the one by the Belt Parkway?

I drove past there couple of times but I though that the parking was only for the beaches, never realized they had any trails there. Can you give me some more info about it or maybe you have some pictures? Sounds interesting and I may go down there one day.

Thanks for sharing Beano

Sorry to hijack, Andy...

Well the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area which encompasses parts of South Queens, South Brooklyn, Staten Island and Sandy Hook, NJ. I live near the Queens and Brooklyn sections and often mountain bike through Riis Park and Fort Tilden on the Rockaway Peninsula and their greenways in Brooklyn. The signs you saw are probably for the above (Flatbush Ave. Exit 11s on the Belt.)

What I'm talking about is still part of the GNRA but lies east of all the above between Howard Beach and Broad Channel on Cross Bay Blvd (Exit 17S on the Belt.) There are two main loops at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
The west pond trail is an easy hour hike with plenty of birding to be had. The east pond trail is a bit trickier as you hike on the mud flats of the pond. In late September they raise the water level on the east pond, so If you want to hike the east loop this year you have to hurry up. I ride my bike up there and hike both loops about once a week. If you and your hubby go sometime soon, let me know and I'll try to meet up with you two. Bring binoculars if you have them!

As far as pictures go? ....you're lucky that I'm a shutterbug. Here are some pictures I've uploaded.

 

[andyzee]

Sorry to hijack, Andy...

Nice pics, but I'm gonna have to kick you butt for hijacking my thread!

 

[BeanoNYC]

Nice pics, but I'm gonna have to kick you butt for hijacking my thread!

It's been something I've been meaning to mention to her since she lives so close and just remembered. I guess I should have started a hike report or something but it's more fun to piss you off.