Coppermine Trail, Del Water Gap NRA

“Took nice day hike up Coppermine Trail, along A-Trail, and back via Kaiser Road yesterday. Smoke from Quebec forest fires was the big thing of the day. It smelled like burning balsam, which is probably about right.

The trail ascends fairly steeply at first, along brook with tumbling cascades. At major waterfall (only a trickle yesterday owing to summer drought), the trail reaches a bench on the mountain. Blueberries grow here in profusion. Some were ripe and tasty, while most will get ripe in the coming week or two.

The trail reaches the AT in two miles. The AT climbs the rocky north slope of the main ridge (rocky because of glaciation, which shaves off the north faces). On top of the ridge, clearings offered views limited by the smoke. More blueberries grow along this trail, as do blackberries (only found one ripe one, but it was tasty).

Missed the Kaiser Road junction, which comes in at a sharp angle, because of summer growth and the fact that some jerk tore the sign down. Realized I had missed it when I ended up on Raccoon Ridge, so I turned back and found in heading north.

Kaiser Road descends with moderate grades, linking up with trail that rejoins Coppermine Trail near its trailhead. This trail is very steep in its lower part.

There is another cross trail between Kaiser Road and Coppermine trail. This trail links up with Coppermine Trail on bench above uppermost waterfall.

Nice trails, nice day, enjoyable hike.”

“geo do you know of any links of the area i can check out?
i forgot my maps at home and im going nuts trying to figure out where we are going.”

“I also enjoy hiking up the Coppermine Trail. In fact whenever I do any hiking in the Gap I start out from Old Mine Rd.
There are less crowds that way.

Geobeet...Have you ever eaten at the Walpack?”

“Did you happen to see the old rock corings they left behind while they were doing engineering studies for the Tocks Island Dam? How about one of the old mine shafts?”

“No, have not eaten at the Walpack, since by the time I come off the trail I feel like a refugee from civilization, a candidate for the French mayor's ire. I usually stop off at Hot Dog Johnny's on Route 46 at Buttzville. Tell me about the Walpack.
No Violin, have not seen the corings. My old church summer camp was razed for the dam, but they left the foundations of the major buildings with interpretive signs. Old memories of teenage romances, Ahhh.
The coppermines apparently were the work of the Dutch, who traveled down from New York. The "ore" consists of thin smears of copper something or other on the native shale, and really would never have been economically viable. They dug some short drifts into the hillside before they realized there was not going to be any motherlode.
The drifts still exist. The Park Service has closed them off to keep curious idiots like me from going inside and having the rooof drop onto my head. I did get into one before they closed them Not much to see but some shale lying around with green stains.
Defeat of the dam was a major environmental victory. There is probably more recreational opportunity now, and more varied, than there would have been otherwise.
The Mine Road leads to many wonders. Buttermilk Falls and Hidden Falls are a favorite. I hit the Coppermine trail every now and again, sometimes with somebody in tow and sometimes alone.
The A-Trail through Jersey is one of the state's hidden treasures. I feel like I'm somewhere else along stretches of the trail, and the side trails lead to many more neat places still to explore.”

“The corings are pretty cool but you have to venture off trail a little to find them. They're about 15 inches or so across and scattered around like columns from Roman ruins.

I too ventured into one of those shafts that had been left unlocked. Sure was a cool place to rest on a brutally hot day.

I agree that dropping the dam project is one of the best things the Feds ever did even though our Boy Scout council lost a great camp along the river to the land aquisition.”

“Hey Geobeet, we were hiking neighbors yesterday. I went up the Dunnfield Creek Trail from rte 80 to Sunfish Pond, around the pond and back down. All the small waterfalls and cascades along the creek makes this a favorite trail of mine.

I took a few pictures of Sunfish Pond but the Quebec smoke made the sky very hazy.

I agree with you 100% about the NJ AT. Buttermilk Falls is one of the best waterfalls that not many get to see. Where is Hidden Falls?”

“After you see Hidden Falls Pennsy, you will revise your perception of Buttermilk being the best that not many get to see. Hidden Falls is along the next creek north. You can do a circuit up along Buttermilk Falls to a trail at the top, go left to a point near Rattlesnake Swamp (I think it's Rattlesnake Swamp), then down the next trail. It takes you to Hidden Falls, which is located in a bowl obscured from the main trail by a short ridge. The trails are marked on the NJ hiking maps they sell at the Water Gap visitor center. You return to the starting point via the road, which is the only bad thing on the trip, but it's not a bad walk. Not like walking along I-80!
Both are pretty falls, though. Both off the beaten path, relatively unvisited (compared to the highly publicized ones in Pa.), and a sheer delight!”

“Glad to hear that you guys had some good hiking in that area. I have been to Sunfish Pond several times, and it is a great hike, although very crowded at times. I haven't done the Buttermilk Falls hike, or Hidden Falls, so I have to put them on my list. The Walpak Inn is very good eating, kind of rustic elegant. I certainly would not go after backpacking, but after a day of dayhiking it might be okay. What is funny is that they would put food out for the deer to bring them close to the picture window for the patrons to watch while they enjoy their dinner. I don't personally want to watch deer while I eat, it is too much like home. Yesterday they polished off my beautiful frilly apricot day lilies that had just started blooming.”

“Found the reference in the Hiking Guide to the Delaware Water Gap NRA to the corings. They are apparently close to the Northwest Trail, accessible from the Douglas Parking area. They apparently contain rock from deep down. Should be interesting to a mini-geologist like me.
That whole area along the ridge is the best part of Jersey in my book. What a loss it would have been if the Corps of Engineers had done its thing!
Some of the rocky up and down on the AT is challenging if you've just dragged your butt up the side of the mountain.”

“I have old map showing Buttermilk Falls........ Does the trail go left from the Pond or the Swap on Rattlesnake Mtn. I am asking because onece you get above Buttermilk the map shows a left onto a Wood Road or further up a left onto the AT. The AT runs along the swamp but the Woods Road runs along the pond.”

“I'm shooting from the hip here since I don't have the trail map with me, but both the Woods Road and the AT can be used to make a circuit hike. The AT runs along the Ridge while the Woods Road runs sidehill. Last time I was up there I took a trail back downhill from the Woods Road that was short of the trail to Hidden Falls. That trail petered out and I had to bushwack the rest of the way down, but at the Woods Road it looked like a really good trail. Be sure to get the right trail. Should be blazed I would think.

But you don't really have to worry about getting the wrong trail too much. Downhill on the west side will get you back to the road, where you turn left to get back to Buttermilk Falls parking.”

“I saw on website that if you look closely there is a parking space for the Hidden Falls Trail....supposedly near two poles down from Buttermilk Falls.

Have you ever been to Hemlock Pond?”

“The name Hemlock Pond does not ring a bell. Where is it?

On my trip last summer I did not find any parking along the road in the area of Hidden Falls, or even a trailhead, for that matter.”

“I do believe that Hemlock pond is off to the left of kaiser road. When you come up from the falls take the road to the right and follow around to the left. There is a lake right there at the intersection of the woods road. From there if you go around the lake on the road you can pick up the (Yellow/brown?) trail that goes right up the ridge to the AT. I have an old Delaware Water Gap trail map that shows several lakes and beaver ponds in this area, the AT maps just show the ridge dropping off to old mine road.”

“That would be correct. Now I have it down. Hemlock Pond is west of Crater Lake. It is off the Woods Road I suspect. Kaiser Road is farther south in the Coppermine Trail area.

The AT maps suck. I forget who made the color maps that are waterproof, but they are the best. They sell the whole set for a song at the visitor center. Even the USGS topo maps suck. They show nothing, no trails, not even waterfalls.”

“That is the set of maps that I use, I have a blue set of maps, they must be 20 years old. they are made of tyvek like material. set of three right, Water Gap, Stokes and high Pt. I think.”

“A friend of mine has a book that he found somewhere in Jersey about the local trails, it was hand made and has all these trails that we are talking about in it. The descriptions are a little off because the book is about as old as my maps but we use that also when up there. There are al sorts of good bushwacks and trails that vacations will never know exist because they aren't on the new maps. I am a little glad about that.”

“I've not had a problem with overcrowded trails up there even on Sundays in season.”

“I have the blue tyvex maps also....mine are dated 1983.”

“I found Hidden Falls on Christmas morning. Sweet!!!!!!”

“Well that was a nice Christmas present I would assume. Ain't it neat how it's hidden?”

“Any Pictures?”

“My guess is that there are but he hasn't got time to post them just yet.

Pennsy, did you go in from the top or the bottom? We need a trip report.”

“I was staying at my brother's in Hope and had a few hours to kill. I did Buttermilk first which was a treat with the new snow. I did not have a lot of time so I went up to Hidden from the bottom.

It was a guess because there really isn't a trailhead (or trail for that matter), and barely enough room to park my truck. I just followed the stream up the mountain. Yowza, what a neat falls and it's cool the way it is 'hidden' back in.

I took a few pics but did not have a tripod which I like to use for falls shots. I might go back tomorrow morning better prepared and I'll post some pics.”

“Yes, it is a natural born wonder. You can hear it but you can't see it. Then you round a bend and there it is.

And you had it all to yourself, didn't you.”

“Oh yeah, I was all alone. Then again, not many fools were on the road Christmas morning, with the storm going on, ESPECIALLY on an unmaintained pot-holed infested one.

I went up the mt a bit further and discovered there are more sections to the falls. Hopefully, I'll get to explore more tomorrow.

BTW - Old Mine Road is closed about 8 miles up from rte 80, at Depue Rec Area. I don't know why but I hope it's temporary. It's a long detour through Blairstown.”

“I'll give them til the Ides of March to get it fixed.”

“I went to Buttermilk Falls today.

I took the trail up past the falls until it joined up with the woods road. I took a left onto the woods road and hiked to Hemlock Pond. Returned along the same route.

The stairs leading up to the top of Buttermilk Falls are extremely icy! I wound up wearing my snowshoes for better traction even though the snow wasn't deep.
One thing that is cool about winter is the fact that you don't see all the animals but you can see all there tracks. I saw one set of tracks I have never seen before and I think they might be from a pine marten? Before you get to Hemlock Pond the woods road skirts along one end of an old swamp. I believe it used to be called Beaver Pond. Hemlock Pond was much bigger than I tought it would be. I was kind of disappointed in the fact that the pond has a dam on it. I was thinking that I would get to a small pond that would look natural. Oh well. All in all it was a good dayhike and was nice to get out.

I am really happy with my MSR snowshoes! I have had them for about 5 years now.”

“Cool! How were the falls flowing?
You didn't seek out Hidden Falls?”

“The falls were frozen but you can still hear the water flowing behind.

I didn't get a chance to check out Hidden Falls...

Were legs were tired and I would have never been able to pull off the road with my car.”

“Ok...now I have seen Hidden Falls and have pictures to prove it...

A friend from school and I decided to a dayhike yesterday by going up from Buttermilk Falls to North on the AT and then looped back taking the Woods Road and we took a path that cut down the Mtn but did not lead to Hidden Falls.

So we drove up and parked and hiked up to Hidden Falls.

Here are the pictures!”

“pictures..anyone?”

“Very nice photos, Adventurist. I need to get to those falls this year.”

“Thanks! You should stop at the Walpack too....have you ever been there?”

“Very cool. Some day I will get there. Thanks for posting the pics.”

“sure..thanks for looking...”

“great shots, Addy! I haven't been to hidden falls yet. It looks awesome. Dare has a few mid-week days off next week, so maybe we'll get some dayhikes in.
:o)”

“uh-hmm....I have off all next week........”

“ree-hee-heeealy? Kewl, I'll give ya a call.
>:D”

“I am unemployed right now...so I might be able to join you. That is, uh, if it isn't a "private" hike. :)”

“Walpak? Nope I haven't been to waterfalls at Walpak, where is the place that you are talking about?”

“Dang. I've only been here two years and I already made my third typo. I *hate* that. :)”

“Nice Pics Jon, I was noticing this morning that the trees are bursting with leaves. We needed all that rain.”

“Well, okay Fritz, we can Oick you but it might hurt a wee bit. Just warning you. Of course you might like that but .......

Sorry that you are unemployed, I hope that it won't last long, and you do have nice weather while it lasts.”

“Nice shots. It is a neat place, isn't it. Gotta get back there one day soon!”

“nice!”

“I have been to the restaurant to eat. I thought it was goofy because they put food out for the deer so they will come close so the restaurant patrons can see them while eating. Now since I have that same thing at home, deer in my yard eating my plants while I am at my dinner table, I would really prefer that they build a waterfall for us to look at instead. The food at the Walpack Inn was very good, as I remember.”

“nice pics”