Tag Archives: waterfalls

Hike to Pine Island Ledge Vista and Waterfalls-Pine Creek Gorge (PA Grand Canyon)

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Pine Island Ledge Vista

Length: Approx. 8 miles

Difficulty: Very difficult and challenging.

Trail conditions: Route follows unmarked and unblazed trails, old forest roads or grades, and off trail hiking. It is a steep climb or descent to/from Pine Island Ledge. The bottom section of Pine Island Run requires scrambling along waterfalls and traversing a landslide. It is the most challenging part and potentially dangerous. Do not attempt in high water.

Highlights: Incredible views, cliffs, rock outcrops, glens, many waterfalls and cascades.

Parking: 41.631387, -77.395402. Drive in from the north. There is no bridge where Claymine Road crosses Stony Fork.

Peregrine falcons: They nest at Pine Island Ledge. I was not aware they were nesting when I visited. Consider hiking elsewhere until their nesting season is over.

Rattlesnakes: Can be found at the vistas, and along the hike.

Cliffs: This hike goes near massive cliffs. Be careful. Any fall would be fatal.

Other navigation aids: Look at MyHikes for Pine Island Run and Ledge. You might want to hike them separate to avoid the lower section of Pine Island Run. Also, a prior post to the ledge.

Description: Pine Island Ledge is widely considered the most beautiful view in the Pine Creek Gorge, if not Pennsylvania. I think it is one of the most beautiful canyon or gorge views in the eastern U.S. Here, the canyon is so narrow and Pine Creek flows hundreds of feet below. The ledge has become an increasingly popular destination in the Tioga State Forest.

This is a very challenging hike, only experienced hikers should attempt. It is one of the most beautiful, and difficult, hikes in the Pine Creek Gorge. Most hikers to Pine Island use the rail trail, but this way is long and taxing. The hike from Claymine Road is much more scenic and challenging.

Hiking the loop clockwise or counterclockwise has its benefits. Clockwise requires a difficult scramble down Pine Island Run and a steep climb up to Pine Island Ledge. Counterclockwise is the opposite. It may be best to scramble up the lower gorge of Pine Island Run, which I consider the most challenging part. You can always skip this part and just go to the view.

From the parking area, follow an obvious trail through laurel down to Pine Island Run. Reach an intersection (see picture below). Go left to hike clockwise, right is counterclockwise. We hiked clockwise.

The hike along Pine Island Run is very beautiful with many cascades and slides. You will have to hike off trail much of the way and cross where you need to. The bottom of this gorge is very beautiful but challenging. It is best to stay on the west side of the creek. Be careful crossing a landslide. Rocks and cliffs tower above. Never attempt this hike in high water as the lower part of the gorge becomes too dangerous.

An unmarked trail makes the steep climb to the view. The view is simply incredible, framed by pine trees. An obvious trail continues north from the view, it becomes an old atv trail. There is one more view. There are beautiful pine and hemlock forests. The trail reaches private property, here go off trail to the east, roughly following the state forest boundary markers. Descend to an old grade This grade will take you to a campsite. Cross the creek and complete the loop.

You should have navigational aids or apps to hike this trail, especially the off trail part at the north end of the loop. The rest is fairly easy to navigate.

Parking on Claymine Road. Trail begins behind white sign.
This is where the trail from the parking area meets the loop. Left is down Pine Island Run, clockwise. Right is counterclockwise.
Red is off trail. Yellow are unmarked trails or old logging grades, some can be faint. Blue dots are waterfalls or cascades. This is not a gps track, accuracy not guaranteed, it is for general directional purposes only. Hike at your own risk. This is a very difficult hike with potentially dangerous sections.

Hike to Sawkill and Savantine Falls-Delaware State Forest

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Impressive Sawkill Falls

Length: Approx. 3-4 miles total.

Trail conditions: The Huckleberry Trail was in good shape and easy to follow when I hiked it. It was blazed red, but the blazes were faded and infrequent, much of the trail is unblazed. Expect brushy conditions in summer. Huckleberry Trail is fairly easy with rolling terrain. Off trail hiking required to see the falls and this has more rugged terrain.

Stream crossings: This hike has several stream crossings, all without bridges. Expect wet feet. Do not attempt this hike in high water or at any level where you feel uncomfortable crossing the creeks. 

Highlights: Two impressive waterfalls, hemlock forests, long bedrock slide above Savantine Falls, Lily Pond, scenic forests, wetlands.

Parking: There is a lot at Lily Pond. 41.361155, -74.856527

Description: Sawkill and Savantine Falls are two of the Delaware State Forest’s finest falls, yet they are often overlooked. The best way to see them is from the Huckleberry Trail. The much closer way is from Route 6, but that raises issues with parking, crossing and walking along a highway. Take the Huckleberry Trail, it is an easy and scenic trail.

From the pond, see the sign for the Huckleberry Trail and follow it. It’s easy to follow. Expect an impressive red understory of bushes in the fall. The forest is mostly open with hardwoods and pine. Hop across the first stream crossing on rocks, a wetland is nearby. The next stream crossing at Savantine Creek is much larger, expect wet feet here. It too drains a wetland.

The trail climbs gently. Reach the T intersection. Here, an obvious unblazed trail joins from the left. Turn right. Reach an area with stone walls above Sawkill Falls. The trail stays above the creek. To see the falls, simply go off trail down to the creek, cross it above the falls, and scramble down the south side of the falls. Enjoy this stunning falls with its many drops. Go downstream to see impressive Savantine Falls. Above it is a long bedrock slide. This is a strange slide, as the creek barely stays on it, in places it tumbles out of it when there is enough water. Upstream are more cascades and a hemlock forest.

If you don’t want to cross above Sawkill Falls, there is another option. At the T intersection, take the unnamed trail. It is obvious. Pass an abandoned camper and cross Savantine Creek; here the unnamed trail seems to end. Hike off trail downstream along the cascades and long slide in a hemlock forest. Reach Savantine Falls and scramble down. Here, you can hike upstream to Sawkill Falls. 

Enjoy this beautiful place.

Trail sign near parking area at Lily Pond.
Huckleberry Trail is blazed red, but blazes are faint, infrequent and much of the trail is not blazed. Purple dots are off trail. No stream crossings have bridges. The unnamed trail is well established, but is not blazed. This map is not a GPS route, it is for general directional purposes only and accuracy is not guaranteed.

Explore the Chasms of Rock Run-Loyalsock State Forest

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Chasm of Rock Run

Length: About 4.5 – 5 miles

Parking: 41.534971, -76.891889

Highlights: Waterfalls, pools, cascades, gorges, grottos, chasms, campsites.

Trail conditions: Variable. The Old Loggers Path (OLP) is well established and blazed. This hike also involves off trail hiking, creek walking, and following a forest road.

Issues: do not do this hike in high water, Rock Run becomes a deadly whitewater river.

Description: Rock Run has long been a popular destination in the Loyalsock State Forest. It is famous for its beauty with cascades, falls, and bedrock pools. Almost the entire creek has this type of scenery. Rock Run is one of the most beautiful creeks I have ever seen.

This hike is also described in Hiking the Endless Mountains.

This hike explores the upper part of Rock Run, which is much less popular. It is still very beautiful. This hike requires some navigational experience. There are many route options, and part of this hike follows the creek itself. From the parking area, cross the bridge over Rock Run and turn right on Pioneer Road, a gated forest or jeep road. Follow it to a hunting cabin. This is Hawk Run. If you want to see the gorges and cascades on Hawk Run, go up the creek. There may be a faint path. Come to some slides with a huge cliff and giant boulders. Return the way you came.

From Hawk Run, we simply creek walked up Rock Run, but you can choose to also take Pioneer Road. The creek walk is much more scenic with several cascades, pools, and grottos. Either way, you will come to the first chasm, just downstream where the North Branch of Rock Run joins Rock Run. This chasm is stunning with towering cliff walls, slides, deep pools, and cascades. Just upstream is the second chasm, with a large pool, cascade, and huge ledges. This spot is truly spectacular.

Again, you can hike out via Pioneer Road, but we did a short bushwhack up the hill to the OLP and hiked it down to Yellow Dog Run. This is another incredible spot with more deep, bedrock pools, and the famous falls of Yellow Dog Run. From here, we left the OLP and simply followed Rock Run downstream. There was an unblazed path in many places. We occasionally walked along the creek. Rock Run continued to impress with its scenery. We hiked under cliffs, through grottos and along cascades. The unblazed path became more defined and we soon reached our cars at Yellow Dog Road.

PA is so beautiful. Explore it.

This map is for general directional purposes only and is not a GPS route. Red is off trail. Brown is an old logging or jeep road. Yellow is an intermittent unblazed path. You cannot drive up Pioneer Road.

Yellow Dog Run meets Rock Run
Chasm of Rock Run

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Waterfalls of Pond Eddy Creek-SGL 209

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Bluestone Falls

Length: Various depending on where you park. About 6 miles from the bottom parking near the Delaware River. From the top, approx. 10-11 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate-difficult

Trail conditions: no trails are marked or blazed. Hike follows old grades, forest roads, and off trail routes.

Highlights: Waterfalls, cascades, rapids, lake, hemlock forest, remnants of bluestone and flagstone quarries.

Parking: This might be the trickiest thing about this hike. It is best to do this hike from the bottom, or near the Delaware River. However, parking is very limited. You can follow a narrow forest road a few hundred feet to the game commission parking area, which is small and not well developed. The road to it (for about 200 feet) is a little rugged. A vehicle with some clearance is recommended. It is located at approximately 41.428749, -74.824453. There is more parking from the top, but this requires a longer hike. There is a large lot at a gate at 41.400206, -74.830671. However, the road gets rugged going to it, a vehicle with clearance is recommended. There are places to pull off and park before that last lot.

Description: This hike is a hidden wonderland in the Poconos, featuring stunning waterfalls, a mountaintop lake, and extensive old quarries and rock piles when this area was quarried for bluestone and flagstone. This hike really isn’t that hard. The forest is fairly open and the bushwhacking is not difficult. You basically follow the creeks. This description is counterclockwise from the parking at the bottom near the Delaware River.

From the parking area, you will notice an old forest road above on the slope. Take it. It’s not really worth it to hike the creek. The road is obvious and makes a steady climb, cross some small side creeks, including one with an old stone culvert.

This is tricky, but look for an old atv trail or grade to the right, take it (brown route on map). (The more obvious grade you walked in on will be your return route. Yellow route on map.). You know you’re near it when you see a giant rock pile looming on the slope above you. If you can’t find it, don’t worry, just hike through the open woods, keeping Pond Eddy Creek below you on the right. Dip down into a side creek and reach Pond Eddy Creek at a slide and pool. There are many rapids. Go through some blowdowns and continue up the creek, a trail should be noticeable.

Tunnel through some hemlocks and round the bend. Pond Eddy Falls soon comes into view as it tumbles into a pool. It is a beautiful waterfall. It might be around 20-25 feet tall in total. Continue up the creek, you might notice an old atv trail or grade, follow it. There is also a lot of barberry. Look for stone ruins off to your left. After a level area, begin a slight climb as rapids announce themselves on the creek. Cross a sizeable side stream joins from the left, you will return to this spot.

Continue upstream with hemlocks and ledges. Listen for Bluestone Falls off to you right with hemlocks and rock ledges. This is a gorgeous falls and a beautiful setting. Enjoy it. Return to the side stream.

Hike off trail up the side stream, it is best to stay on the east side. Large ledges and cliffs rise on the other side. Enjoy the many cascades and smaller falls. It is rugged and very scenic. While you must hike up rocks, it is not difficult. Notice the Green Chasm, a narrow chasm with moss. It is hard to enter unless the water is low. Climb above the chasm and reach stunning Flagstone Falls, a massive cascading slide. In total, this falls might be close to a hundred feet tall. There are several drops and slides. It is cool to look down the falls as it disappears into the chasm. It is hard to believe this falls is seemingly unknown.

At the top, go through the lowbush blueberry, off trail, and reach an obvious forest road. Turn right to see the mountaintop lake, another incredible place. I saw a golden eagle here. It is like you’ve been transported to Maine or the Adirondacks. Return on the road. Follow the road until you reach an obvious grade to the left, this is your return route and the same grade you hiked in on. The descent is gradual, and the road is washed out in places. Pass large, old quarries and rock piles. Complete the loop and return to your car. This is such a beautiful hike.

If you come in from the south, the only difference is the long walk on the forest road, the same one that goes to the lake. Enjoy this beautiful place.

Pond Eddy Falls
Flagstone Falls
This map is for general directional purposes only, it is not a GPS route. Red is off trail. Brown is a faint trail, ATV trail, or grade.

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Hike the Haystacks and Brook Kedron Loop-Loyalsock State Forest

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Length: about 6 miles

Difficulty: moderate

Blazes: the Loyalsock Trail is yellow/red, Brook Kedron and Old Dushore Rd trails are yellow.

Parking: Loyalsock Trail parking (where this description begins)

41.447723, -76.453477. Loyalsock State Forest headquarters: 41.438754, -76.464071

Highlights: Dutchman Falls, Haystack Rapids, Loyalsock Creek, hemlock forests, Brook Kedron, cascades, falls, glen.

Issues: to see the full beauty of Brook Kedron, you must go off trail along the creek.

Description: The Haystacks have long been one of the most popular hikes in the Loyalsock State Forest. Now you can extend your hike on an even longer loop by using the Brook Kedron and Old Dushore Road trails. This is a great hike, especially if you go off trail to explore Brook Kedron.

From the Loyalsock Trail (LT) parking area on Mead Road, follow the LT down a steep, rocky slope. Reach an old railroad grade. Off to your right is the blue blazed trail down to Dutchman Falls. It is worth your while to see this scenic falls. Follow the LT on the old grade. The trail turns right off of the grade, this turn can be easy to miss. Descend to the Loyalsock Creek with its rapids and pools. At times the trail is right next to the creek. It is beautiful hiking.

Move away from the creek, climb and then descend. Reach the Haystacks and enjoy this stunning setting with the smooth boulders, rapids and pools. Take a break and enjoy your time here. The LT makes a steep climb back up to the railroad grade at a seasonal falls with ice flows in winter. Now turn left onto the railroad grade, the Red X Trail. The grade is impressive as it cuts through the rock. Birch grows along the grade. Reach the yellow Brook Kedron Trail, there is a sign. Turn right and climb the trail. The trail veers left, and then right. Here, you might want to go off trail to your right on an old grade. Unfortunately, the Brook Kedron Trail avoids the beauty of its namesake so you will need to go off trail to see it. Hike under hemlocks and on top of some large boulders. Reach Brook Kedron and hike upstream. Enjoy the cascades and scenery. Enter Kedron Glen, a unique spot with fractured and layered bedrock along the ledges. Cascades and slides adorn the creek, with a falls about ten feet tall. A mini glen is just above. This off trail trek is fairly easy and very much worth it.

Look left and you should see the yellow blazes of the trail on an old grade. There is one more spot you need to see just off trail. It is The Bend and it features Brook Kedron making a sharp angle under hemlocks where you can look up and down the creek.

Return to the Brook Kedron Trail as it crosses Mead Road and explores scenic forests of hardwoods and hemlocks with blueberries and small meadows. Reach a deer fence, turn right and then the Loyalsock State Forest office comes into view. This is another place to park.

Continue on the yellow trail, now the Old Dushore Road. Hike along the deer fence and enter scenic forests of hemlocks. Cross a swath and descend under more hemlocks; US 220 is below. Reach Mead Road. Turn left and walk up the road to the parking area.

This map is not a GPS track and is for general directional purposes only. Red route is off trail. Blue dots are cascades and falls.

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Hike to Montage Glen and Gorges-Pinchot State Forest

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Montage Glen

Length: Approximately 13 miles

Difficulty: Moderate to challenging. Only suitable for more experienced hikers due to navigation.

Parking: 41.347786, -75.678358, off of Montage Mountain Road.

Access: We took the long way in. Balish Road off of PA 307 may offer a more convenient access. Hiking in from the Lake Scranton trail will be much shorter, if it is permitted.

Highlights: Views, hemlock forests, gorges, cascades, waterfalls, stone cabin, Montage Glen, bedrock slides.

Trail conditions: No trails are marked or blazed. This route follows gated forest roads atv trails, and off trail sections. On the map, red is off trail, brown is an atv trail or grade, dashed black lines are atv trails. Expect to cross creeks without bridges.

Description: It is truly remarkable how much beauty surrounds Scranton. Within a few miles of the city are waterfalls, gorges, vistas, lakes, and unique rock features. If trails were built to these amazing places, Scranton would surely become an outdoor recreation destination, rivaling Asheville, Chattanooga, Roanoke or Burlington.

This hike is just an example of that. On the doorstep of Scranton is the relatively vast Montage Tract of the Pinchot State Forest, covering 7,500 acres. Within a few miles of the city is natural beauty and isolation. In the deep gorges and hemlock forests, I could not believe I was on the edge of a city.

From the parking area, walk around the gate and climb up the forest road. Near the top, avoid the road to the right. Reach a gap in the ridge, where the road continues and descends; do not descend. Follow atv trails to the left that climb the ridge. The atv trails ascend to a knob, here you might want to go off trail along the edge of the mountain where there are several nice views.

Continue on the atv trail. Reach a split, it is best to go right as it is less wet. Descend and then gradually climb. Reach the end of a forest road, which I believe to be Montage Road. Follow the road as it descends. Before climbing again on the road, turn left and begin the off trail section. Hike down the valley and make your way through laurel, which is not too thick. A stream forms; this creek does not appear to have an official name, so I called it Stone Cabin Brook for the purpose of description. Continue down the brook as cascades and slides begin to form. We stayed on the west side of the brook. Reach a scenic waterfall with three drops, about 15 feet tall or so. Hike into a beautiful hemlock forest and reach the stone cabin, a quaint, whimsical structure that seems to belong in Snow White. Here, there is an old grade, follow it down along the tumbling stream into more hemlocks. Cross Stone Cabin Brook and hike into a beautiful forest. Reach Stafford Meadow Brook.

It is best to cross Stafford Meadow Brook; there was a fallen log when we were there. Pick up Ore Mine Road and turn right onto it. The brook has rapids, pools and boulders. Cross Stafford Meadow Brook on an old bridge and continue upstream. Begin to climb on the road. Reach a wooden bridge across a creek, a ten foot falls is just downstream. Here, your second off trail section begins.

This is what I called Montage Glen and it is the highlight of the hike, as you will soon see. Make your way up the creek to a twelve foot falls, then a long slide. Above that it another incredible bedrock slide, one of the longest I’ve seen. The beauty is impressive. Above this slide were cascades, falls and more slides, curving through the bedrock. We were stunned.

We continued upstream through moderately thick laurel, hemlocks and pine. There were a few more cascades. We then intersected an atv trail and turned right, heading west. We climbed to a rock ledge and followed the atv trail south to the forest road. We turned right onto the forest road and retraced our steps.

The highlights of this hike are the lower section of Stone Cabin Brook, Stafford Meadow Brook, and the incredible Montage Glen. Be sure to see the glen when there is sufficient water, as it is likely a trickle in dry periods. When hiking this area, keep in mind there are many intersecting atv trails, so gps navigation is a good idea.

Enjoy this beautiful place right next to Scranton.

Map is for general directional purposes only, it is not a gps route.

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Hike to the Waterfalls of Catlin Brook Gorge-SGL 57

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Catlin Brook is as demanding and rugged as it is special. A stream that plummets down a steep gorge with numerous waterfalls and tiers of cliffs. There are no marked trails, there are no signs. Only experienced hikers should attempt this demanding hike. Do not try to hike from Catlin Hollow Road as it is private land; a long hike from Stony Brook is required. It is about 16 miles long.

I described this hike a few years ago. It is worth reading that report. However, this route is different. It is the best and less demanding route as it utilizes an old woods road on the east side of the gorge. This is a far better way to descend into the gorge. Of course, climbing the gorge is very demanding. It is steep, with loose rock, which is probably the greatest risk. There is no requirement for special climbing equipment, but in a few places there is exposure. There is stinging nettle in summer, which recedes as you climb.

The brook can be a trickle in summer or drought, and you don’t want to make this long hike to see dry waterfalls. As a general guide, the USGS gauge for the Loyalsock Creek at Montoursville should be 2.5 to 3 feet for good flow at Catlin Brook. You can also see the brook as it flows under Catlin Brook Road to see how well it is flowing. Do not attempt in high water as the gorge will be very dangerous.

This past summer had a lot of rain so my friends and I decided to tackle Catlin Brook. I think it ranks as one of their most demanding and memorable hikes.

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Wyoming County is home to some world class scenery and one of the gems is Catlin Brook.  This is one of the most rugged streams in the state as it plummets off the plateau, creating numerous waterfalls and canyons of rock.  However, hiking here has a price; it is a long hike in and it is very challenging.  There are no marked trails.  Climbing up Catlin Brook should only be attempted by experienced hikers due to the steep terrain and loose rock.  However, the incredible scenery more than makes it worthwhile.

We did this hike in the summer and began at Stony Brook, following old logging roads past flood scars.  All the creeks were flowing well due to recent rains.  The forests were covered in green and ferns carpeted the forest floor. We passed meadows, tumbling streams and small waterfalls.  As we hiked further up, deep green red spruce rose through the trees.  On this hike we followed a new route, sticking to the old forest roads to Catlin Meadows.  This made for an easier hike compared to our previous journeys to Catlin Brook.

The meadows stretched across the plateau, but were too wet to cross.  Sometimes, pink and purplish flowers adorn these meadows. The faint grade disappeared.  We crossed the swampy outlet and veered right into hemlocks, and soon found the old forest road again as it tunneled through deep hemlocks.  Springs and small streams seeped from the moss.  We reached the edge of the plateau and began to descend.  The old road provided easy passage.  We descended as the old road followed some switchbacks.  Off to our left was the gorge, and it roared with the sound of falling water.  We all looked at each other with both excitement and nervousness.  What were we getting ourselves into? 

We left the old road and dropped down to the creek along the game lands boundary. The creek was flowing powerfully.  Stinging nettle greeted us and there were more than a few curse words directed at these plants.  We reached the first falls as it surged through a chasm.  Above, a powerful falls plummeted down smooth red bedrock as a side falls joined the scene.  We all looked at each other in amazement.  Above us the canyon rose with tiers of cliffs and ledges. What was ahead?  We would soon find out.

We made our way up the gorge, contorting our bodies to avoid the stinging nettle.  Some nettle burned, other plants were harmless.  The creek cascaded down over boulders and ledges, and the nettle would move in the breeze created by the falling water.

Off to our left, springs flowed over dark ledges creating translucent draperies of water.  We scrambled up the steep terrain.  Walking along the creek provided some refuge from the nettle.  Up the creek we slowly climbed, sometimes on all fours.  The gorge has a lot of loose rock and we had to be careful where we stepped.  Some rocks would slide down the creek.  Everyone seemed silent, dumbfounded by what they were seeing.  We looked at each other and just shook our heads.  The gorge is so steep, the earth just seems to fall away into oblivion.

We reached the heart of the gorge, with a wall on the left over a hundred feet tall and a series of incredible waterfalls.  Springs plummeted down the wall.  In winter, there are incredible ice flows here.  We took a break at the base of the falls and soon began to make our way up, climbing along the ledges above the water.  We had to be careful, as there was some exposure along the ledges.  Above use were more falls, we were surrounded by the roar of water.  And then there were more waterfalls.  One after the other.  The gorge seemed to get even steeper and the falls were often encased in glens of cliffs.  The terrain finally began to ease as we neared the top, but we could still see a series of waterfalls through the forest, gowns of white between the trunks of trees.  Everyone was amazed.  

We scrambled up some mossy boulders and passed the final falls.  Then we crossed the “Spooky Forest”, a deep hemlock and pine forest with gnarled, twisted trees.  Exhausted, we reached the old forest road and crossed the outlet of the meadows, not caring as our legs sunk into the muck.  Our legs and feet were soaked anyways. We made the long hike back down along Stony Brook, reaching our cars as twilight descended along the isolated gorges and valleys of the Mehoopany Creek.  

Catlin Brook is an amazing place that we are lucky to have in Wyoming County.  Hiking up the gorge should only be attempted by experienced hikers.  Do not hike it in high water, and a winter traverse will require ice climbing gear. 

For the map above, brown is old forest road or grades, which can be faint in places. Red is off trail. The above map is for general directional purposes and does not represent an exact GPS track.

Parking is at about 41.466889, -76.161620.

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Explore Falls Creek and Long Valley Run-SGL 36

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This hike explores impressive waterfalls and giant rocks.  It is largely off trail and should only be attempted by experienced hikers.  The Schrader Creek valley is a remarkable place to explore, with many waterfalls, views, giant rocks, mines, and other ruins from the mining era.  Schrader Creek itself has many whitewater rapids and attracts paddlers when the water is high.  It is a special, and relatively unknown, area.

For this hike, park near Long Valley Run, as that parking area is larger.  If you don’t have two cars for a shuttle, walk Schrader Creek Road to Falls Creek.  Cross the bridge over Falls Creek and continue on Schrader Creek Road for a short distance.  Turn right onto an old forest road (brown on the map) with an established footpath.  Hike up it.  Cross a side stream and reach a meadow.  Leave the old forest road and follow a trail down to Falls Creek.  Enjoy all the falls and cascades.  It is a beautiful creek.  Hike up the creek to see more waterfalls.  Enter a gorge and reach Bradford Falls, about 70 feet tall.  This is an incredible falls.  The old logs and stones that once cluttered the base of the falls have mostly washed away, making the falls even more scenic.  

Now you must get around Bradford Falls; you can scramble up either side, but I usually go on the west side.  Be careful as the terrain is steep.  Above Bradford Falls is a gorge and scenic Barclay Falls, about 30 feet tall.  Continue upstream to a gorge with cliffs and cascades.  Reach Lamoka Falls, and above that, Laquin Falls.  The hemlocks enhance the scenery along this already beautiful creek.  Falls Creek is one of the finest waterfall gems in the Endless Mountains. 

At the top we saw and old mine and headed west along the escarpment of the plateau, following a grade.  There were large cliffs, rocks, and remnants of old mines.  The graded faded into laurel and we turned around, returning to Falls Creek.   We crossed the creek and walked through a hemlock forest, heading towards the escarpment.  The laurel was moderately thick in places, but overall was not bad.  We reached the escarpment, enjoying some large rock outcrops.  We continued on, exploring more rocks and ledges, while finding passage through the laurel.  I saw some large rocks above us, so we hiked up.  There were giant boulders, and a cave we scrambled through.  The scramble was a ton of fun.  We explored more rocks and then went closer to the escarpment to enjoy a view through the trees.  

Next was a hike on top of an impressive cliff line, it was beautiful with the pine and hemlocks.  A bear path offered easier passage on top of the cliffs.  I hope to return to explore the base of the cliffs.  We reached another outcrop with a partial view, but three beautiful yellow phase rattlesnakes claimed it for themselves.  We gave them a wide berth and moved on along the cliffs.  The cliffs revealed some unique formations and chasms.  We continued on, but the rocks became smaller and the laurel began to take over.  We battled some laurel and saw more large rock outcrops and boulders.  We reached an unnamed tributary of Long Valley Run and descended, passing small cascades.  We reached a grassy road along Long Valley Run and walked down it.  While this section was scenic, I’m not sure it was worth the effort.  As a result, you might want to consider the yellow route on the map as a shortcut to the Long Valley Run Cascades.  

Where the forest road crossed Long Valley Run, we went off trail and followed the creek downstream.   While Long Valley Run does not have towering waterfalls, it does have an assortment of beautiful, unique cascades with bedrock that almost seems sculpted and polished.  It was a highlight of this hike.  The water was also a unique shade of translucent blue.  The car and parking area were nearby.  This hike is 6-7 miles long if you also hike the road.

Falls Creek and Long Valley Run are described separately in Hiking the Endless Mountains.

Parking is at 41.650020, -76.568232 for Long Valley Run, or  41.641295, -76.593426 for Falls Creek.

For the map above, brown is an old forest grade, red is off trail, black dots are large rocks and boulders.  V is for vistas, which are partial views.  

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Hike the Salt Springs Circuit-Salt Springs State Park

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Salt Springs State Park is an excellent place to hike with over fourteen miles of trails from which you can do a variety of loops.  The park has diverse scenery with waterfalls, gorge, old growth hemlocks, meadows, streams, and some nice views.  The park’s namesake is a small bubbling spring close to the main parking area.  The park offers cabins, and has a campground.  The Friends of Salt Springs Park helps maintain the trails.

This eight mile loop contains some of the best scenery in the park. It follows a lot of different trails, with many turns.  It is easy to shorten, or lengthen the loop.  It explores some of the less popular areas of the park, and features a lot of streams and hemlock forests.  The meadows along this route offer wildflowers, wildlife, and bird watching, not to mention views.  There is even a beautiful grove of spruce trees.  Begin at the right side of the barn at the parking area and follow the red Silver Creek Trail into beautiful hemlocks above Silver Creek.  Climb up the slope to an old woods road and then descend into a hardwood forest.  Pass a juncture with the North Creek Trail, which crosses Silver Creek without a bridge and features meadows; it is a nice alternative route.

Reach some hemlocks and the trail splits, go right onto the blue Border Trail.  This trail goes to a small seasonal stream and begins a steep climb along it.  At the top is a rock overhang and wet weather falls that is beautiful when flowing.  Leave the Border Trail and continue on the Meadow Trail, making sure to veer straight or left at the start of the Meadow Trail loop.  This is a great trail, featuring stone walls, wildflowers, and explores the edge of the valley.  Pass some meadows and odd rock outcrops.  Descend along more meadows and reach Buckley Road with a nice view.  Follow Buckley Road to the right.  This road is gated and is basically an old forest road.  Turn left onto the blue Border Trail.  Hike on some boardwalks across some wet areas.  

Reach the white Spruce Trail and turn left; keep an eye out for this turn.  Enter a beautiful grove of spruce trees, a highlight of the hike.  Hike down to a small stream and walk along it and then cross a dirt road.  Pass some ruins and reach the Wetlands Trail and turn left; turning right and crossing the creek would be a shortcut, but hiking along Fall Brook is scenic. 

Hike down along Fall Brook, enjoying views over the water and cross a series of meadows.  Reach Buckley Road, turn right and cross the bridge, and then turn right on the red Fall Brook Trail.  The Bunny Trail soon joins, but follow the Fall Brook Trail, which features more views of the creek and lots of hemlocks.  Climb from the creek and follow Bunny to Cliff Trails with rock outcrops.  Follow Cliff Trail with open hardwood forests and large ledges above the trail.  Climb up to the Frog Pond, really just a shallow vernal pool and continue on the Cliff Trail.  Pass an old quarry, which still has cut flagstone.  Descend and rejoin the Bunny Trail again.  Reach a parking area and turn right onto the white Friends Trail with meadows and some views.  The Friends Trail makes a sharp left and crosses the road and a large meadow with great views.  Enter the woods and turn left onto Hardwood and then Hemlock Trail, with its stunning old growth hemlocks and boardwalk along the rim of the gorge.  Descend to the picnic area and see the salt spring.  To see the gorge and falls, hike up Fall Brook.  The trail that had been there is largely washed away.  You can climb up the first falls to see the second falls and the heart of the gorge.  It is beautiful.  Retrace your steps and go to the parking area.  Be aware on this hike there was no footbridge across Fall Brook.

Parking is at  41.912027, -75.865623.  After the hike, stop by Endless Brewing nearby, a great microbrewery.

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Hike to Mythical Falls and Black Bear Falls-SGL 57

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Mythical Falls is located in the wilderness of the upper Mehoopany Creek.  It is a beautiful and isolated place, set apart, that features gorges, waterfalls, giant rocks, and spruce.  As the name suggests, there is something special about it.  

And the name is rather odd.  “Mythical” wasn’t intended to be the known name of the falls, and it was named prior to being seen.  About thirteen years ago, my friend Jay, who kayaks whitewater, heard from an older boater about a thirty foot falls on the Mehoopany Creek.  He wanted to find it.  He went once by himself, but didn’t find it.  I joined him on the second excursion as we hiked downstream from South Brook.  Again, no luck, although we did find a gorge with a long ledge rapid and a deep pool.  He then asked me to join him on his third trip.  I told him the falls doesn’t exist and that it was mythical.  He insisted it existed and that the older boater would know what he was talking about.

So back to the Mehoopany Creek we went, heading upstream.  I told Jay we were just wasting time.  The valley seemed too open to have any falls.  It surely seemed like it was mythical.  It was summer, and it was hot.  We hiked up the creek, traversing cobblestones.  We saw some promise at a long ledge slide with a cascade and pool.  We then came upon a beautiful grotto with a deep amber pool and a seven foot falls.  Above the falls we saw a black bear.  Hence, the creative name of Black Bear Falls.  We continued on, I expected there to be nothing else.  Jay insisted, and quite frankly, I was surprised he was willing to hike this much so I decided not to put up too much of a fight as we continued upstream.

We rounded a bend and Jay got the last laugh.  There it was, Mythical Falls.   It was an awesome sight with the red bedrock, cascading water, warm sunshine and blue skies.  While the falls weren’t thirty feet, they were close enough.  Jay found his falls, and I, among many others, have been visiting it for years.  We used the names when talking about the locations to each other, and over time, the names have stuck.     

This time, I led a group of four hikers to see the falls.  Ryan met us along the way.  While some hikers come in from Splashdam Pond because it is shorter, I cannot recommend that way.  First, you must cross private property and there are wet areas and thick blueberry bushes to contend with.  

We hiked down the gated game commission road, and then dropped off trail to cross Bellas Brook, near where it meets the Mehoopany.  Bellas seemed wider than I remembered as it tumbled between boulders and one hiker fell in the water.  She was ok and continued hiking.  We continued off trail, generally heading upstream, and then Ryan found a faint path on an old grade above the creek which made the hiking easier.  We dropped down to see Black Bear Falls and its deep pools and grotto.  Everyone loved it.  We continued upstream.  The trail faded out and we descended a steep bank as Mythical Falls came into view through the trees.  Everyone was impressed by the sight.  We relaxed at the falls, taking pictures.   There was a small fire for the wet hiker.  It was awesome to be in wilderness, surrounded by the sound of falling water.  

We scrambled above the falls to see a wide four foot cascade and then we climbed to the plateau rim to explore the caves, chasms, overhangs, and boulder cities.  The scenery was rugged, and beautiful.  Next we saw Rockfall Cave and more overhangs.  We continued south to a stream I call Cascade Brook and descended along it as there were numerous 3-5 foot cascades and small waterfalls.  We reached Bellas Brook at a beautiful bend in the creek with spruce and hemlock.  We scrambled back up to the road and retraced our steps.

This was a beautiful hike that everyone enjoyed.  I’m glad that Mythical Falls does in fact exist.  It helps make SGL 57 the special place that it is.  This hike is 4-4.5 miles, one way.

Parking is at  41.387770, -76.276990.  Mythical Falls is at 41.418699, -76.253640.  Black Bear Falls is at 41.419604, -76.250781.  

For the map above: red is off trail; black is the gated game commission road; yellow is a faint trail on an old grade.