I have now completed the 72 miles of the Appalachian Trail that traverses New Jersey. To enter the state from Pennsylvania, one must cross the Delaware Water Gap which separates the two states. This gap was formed by Delaware River which over millions of years cut a slot right through the Kittatiny Ridge.
Delaware River
After hiking down the ridge on the Pennsylvania side, I entered New Jersey by crossing the I-80 bridge across the Delaware River. Fortunately, there is a sidewalk, but I couldn’t help noticing that the bridge would shake whenever a semi rolled past.
Crossing the Delaware on I-80
State line on the sidewalk
After crossing the river, it was right back up the ridge. Same ridge, same rocks, but much better views from the top.
Delaware River viewed from the ridge
I took a short side trail up to High Point, which, at 1802 feet, is the highest point in the Garden State. On top, there is a 220 foot obelisk which honors war veterans.
High Point
Looking up at the obelisk
The next day, I hiked up a section of trail nicknamed “the stairway to heaven” to an outcropping on Wawayanda Mountain. From this overlook, I could see the High Point monument in distance. Seeing the obelisk now looking so tiny, it was hard to believe that it was only 24 hours ago that I was at its base.
Looking back towards High Point
Hiking through New Jersey, I was treated to see an abundance of ponds and wetlands.
Sunfish Pond
Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge
Many of the wetter sections of the trail have wooden walkways so you don’t have to slog through the mud.
Walking the plank through the wetlands
My absolute favorite section of the AT in New Jersey was the 1.5-mile-long Pochuck Boardwalk which meanders through the floodplain of the Pochuck Creek. The boardwalk is an engineering marvel. Supposedly it was 24 years from vision to reality and took seven years and $800,000 to build. It appears to be a favorite of the locals as there were about 30 cars lining the road at the trailhead.
Pochuck Boardwalk
View from the boardwalk
This is a sampling of the wildlife that I saw from the boardwalk.
Red-winged Blackbird
Great Blue Heron
Turtles playing hopscotch
I have been seeing and hearing Pileated Woodpeckers regularly on the trail since North Carolina. They are the largest woodpecker in North America, but everything about these birds impressed me. Whether pecking on a tree or flying through the woods, (the way I most often encounter them), they are a sight to behold. They have a distinctive call which sounds like something right out of the rainforest. When you get several of the birds in one area, they make a heck of a racket in the woods. I was delighted the other day when one of the males let me take his photo. (Only the males have the red cheek stripe.)
Pileated Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker tearing the wood
Other flora and fauna…
Water Lily
Banded Hairstreak
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Pretty impressive….