Thunderswamp Trail Trip

“Oooh, the evilness that lurks among this site!”

“PS, you're more than welcome to join us on the Hawk Mt trip this coming weekend if your knee feels better and you have nothing better to do!”

“Finally,

Thnderswamp pics”

“because looking at redundant pics has to better than reading about flying rats and 2 year olds smoking pot.”

“Beaver Lodge? Sure.”

“Nice Pics, Pennsy -- I got my own picture taken -- I feel so honored. I'll have pictures tomorrow night, hopefully (dang film camera -- I really need to upgrade to digital).

SF, thanks for the invite to Hawk Mtn, but I'll have to catch it on the flipside (I saw that there's another trip planned there in the fall). I can only take so much of those EVIL PA rocks at a time...”

“Picture #18 is interesting. Thanks for the trip report and pictures”

“PS, looking forward to hiking with you, hope you can make another PA trip in the future!”

“Thanks all for posting the excellent pictures. It was great to be out hiking with everyone again and hiking with PhantomSoul for the first time. I was off line for a week and just got back on Trail Talk today due to computer problems. I finally got my computer back from the repair shop and then had to bring it back again because it froze up. Really aggravating and it sucked having no internet access for a week. I had to change my trail name for now to RB because something got changed when I logged on to TT. I'll get RichB back eventually. The ticks were pretty bad on the Thunderswamp trail and I pulled one out of my head after I got home. All in all another great TT trip.”

“jmitch's book makes this one sound like a winner for a trip I am taking with a bunch of young children.

That campsite looks great. Just to clarify - it's about 3 miles from Rt. 402?

Think this trail is too rocky for children as young as 3? - She's an experienced hiker... for a 3 year old.”

“Yes it’s a great campsite. It might be a little less than 3 miles maybe 2.5. The trail is a bit rocky especially the last 1/2 mile or so down to the campsite.”

“Violin, that campsite is right along Bushkill Creek, which is a large fairly fast flowing stream. It might not be a good location for kids as young as 3.”

“Good point. I'll let her dad decide on that. My youngest is 4 and can understand the danger. Thanks.”

“trail is level and rolling, but rocky in many parts. it isn't nearly as rocky as the PA AT. bushkill creek is very scenic.”

“Very nice camp site, and a fairly easy trail, albeit a rocky one. Go slow with the little ones. Nelsons Overlook is an even easyer hike with a pretty nice view. Only a little over a mile from Rt.191 in PA.

*PS... Thunderswamp tends to flood after recent rains, good to keep in mind.
last edited: 4/01/06 8:23:32 AM”

“violin,

not sure if you'll be hiking this section, but the bridge over saw creek is out. it's a good sized stream. there's a very nice campsite under hemlocks downstream along saw creek via one of the side trails. you don't need to cross the creek to get there.”

“Thanks jmitch.

I just called the Del. Sate Park office to get a trail map. They have been waiting to get them from Harrisburg for about 6 months. I kinda doubt I'll be able to get one in the next few weeks.

Does anyone have one I could borrow or could someone scan it and email it to me? Even if it were scanned in sections, I could PhotoStitch it together.”

“go here, online map and short trail description. website contains info and maps of other trails.

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/hiking/thunder.aspx”

“I had found that map. I didn't realize until now that it's in 4 sections. I copied just one section to my hard drive to view it and it was... less than useful. Having all four helps. Thanks.”

“Regarding the bridge over Saw Creek.

It looks like the trail crosses Saw Creek at the northern part of the loop and the southern. Where is the bridge out?”

“I thinks it's the northern part. You could get across with waders, but I remember the water looked to be several feet deep. The TST is a nice trail, my favorite part is the hidden campsite on the Bushkill. The site is under beautiful tall hemlocks and on a mossy penninsula into a bend in the creek. One of my favorite campsites anywhere. The moss makes for a nice comfy bed. There is a good fire pit with stone furniture around it too. I'd like to go back there and camp sometime.”

“Water levels are very low right now.”