2 bear sightings while hiking in NJ

“While hiking up on Mt Tammany in the Delaware Water Gap (NJ), I heard a branch snap in a tree near the trail. Thinking it was a squirrel, I took a lazy glance to my left, and did one of those cartoon headshake doubletakes. Not 30' off the trail, and about 20' up a tree, sat a black bear. We gazed at each other for a moment, and then he scooted down off that tree with lightning speed. As soon as he hit bottom, he took off like a bat out of hell into the woods. That was the first time I saw a bear in a tree and was amazed at how fast he descended.

About 90 minutes later, while on the turquoise tral approaching Sunfish Pond, I saw movement up ahead of me. Dang if it wasn't another bear. He apparantley didn't hear or see me, because he lazily walked across the trail about 100' feet ahead of me. I've seen lots of wildlife in the Gap, deer, porcs, racoons, foxes, wild turkeys, rattlesnakes, but seeing 2 bear in one day was quite a treat for me.

By the way, for you DWG lovers who missed my post about a week ago, the gorgeous 4 mile Dunnfield Trail (green) is now closed. The rain from Ivan washed a lot of the trail away, and of the 5 bridges that span the creek, 4 are completely gone. :o(
Access to Sunfish Pond via the overflow parking lot and the AT is still open.”

“I need to do a dayhike somewhere this weekend since I didn't go to Shenandoah. I was thinking about going somewhere on the Jersey Side of the Watergap. That's cool about the bear sights.”

“The first bear heard about Pennsy's reputation with water sources and wanted to beat him to the water!


Nah really coolness! Get a pic?”

“Dude, that's where I saw the bears back in July! You think they're the same ones?”

“Tango - you're such a devil. ;o)
Sorry, no pics. Both sightings were quite brief.

ENS - I have a great 11-12 mile loop if you're heading over there. You familiar with the area? Park in the Dunnfield parking area and head up the Mt Tammany trail (red). Enjoy the fantastic view. The red trail ends and the blue trail begins at the vista. Stay on the blue trail for about 1/2 mile, and where the trail turns left (there's a trail sign), stay straight on the Tammany fire road trail. It's not marked but pretty well defined.

Stay on the trail for about 2 1/2 miles. Keep your eyes open on this section because you might see lots of wildlife, as not many people hike that section. That's where I saw the bear in the tree. Along the way, you'll pass an old heliport. A short ways past that heliport, there is s short steep trail to the right. To the left is a wood sign with mileage to the Gap and the Reservoir. Down that trail is the Lakota Wolf Preserve if you wanna check out the wolves.

Roughly 2 1/2 miles from the Gap, start looking for a trail to the left. There is a small cairn on the left, and turquoise blazes painted on a rock to the right. Hang a left on the turquoise trail for about a mile until you come to a tee. Hang a left, still on the turquoise trail.

Continue for about a mile or a little less, and look for the turquoise trail to turn right. If you miss it or you're short for time, stay straight and you'll end up at Sunfish Pond where the green (Dunnfield) trail and the AT meet. I'd make the effort to turn right on the turquoise trail though as you'll come to a nice overlook of Sunfish Pond.

You'll be on the turquoise for less than a mile and you'll come to the AT. Hang a left on the AT where you'll hike along the backside of Sunfish Pond. From Sunfish Pond, it's about a 4 mile hike back to the parking area via the AT. I always take the Dunnfield Trail down but since it's closed (boohoo), the AT is it for a while.

This is a great loop. I'd join ya, but right after the Bosox game, I'm heading out for a well needed solo bp.”

“where are you going for you solo?”

“I can't tell ya. It's a private trip and I'm the only one invited.”

“but if you can keep a secret, I'm heading to the Catskills. I'm gonna camp along the Neversink River and hit some trailess 3500 footers. I didn't tell anyone because I haven't soloed in a while and I'm overdue for one.”

“that sucks that the dunnfield trail is closed, but very cool that you saw the bears!”

“Did you spank the bear with your 6-fingered hand?”

“huh?”

“You know what I'm talking 'bout, Pennsy baby!”

“sorry, I don't have a clue.

I'm outta here. Have a great weekend y'all. Woohoo Bosox!!”

“Hey cap'n is that a Princess Bride reference? Have fun storming the castle!

Mostly dead. lol

Any pics of the bear Pennsy? I've even seen bears in the oveflow parking area. Very cool!!”

“Hey guy....I told you there were bears in the GAP!!! Too funny (2 in one day)!”

“That loop that Pennsy described is awesome! I take my beginner backpacking class to the Lakota Wolf Preserve and it is always a hit. A great place to visit, if you've never been before.

Cool that you saw the bears! You're makin' me wanna go there NOW!!! Bummer about Dunnfield - it is my fave up there too. :(”

“i saw FOUR bear on my second day on the AT in NJ. the first sighting was three at once, and then about a mile or so later i saw another one. the first sighting really was really something, because i turned a corner, and the trail was really wide at that point, it was actually an old woods road, and i saw two of them fighting about a hundred feet away. my first reaction was * o sh$t *, then i thought o cool, then they stopped fighting and started ambling my way, so im back to o sh*t again. so i yell and wave my hands and they take off, along with a third. i saw the other one just a mile or so later, and it startled me as it took off. i hadnt seen any persons for hours, so needless to say, i was a little nervous the rest of the day. however, i didnt lose any sleep that night”

“Cool!! :D did you rastle with any woofbears?”

“i think skeery woofbears are a product of sarabelles imagination”

“if you think about it everyone is a product of someone elses imagination :D”

“Hey NJ! Good to hear from ya. How's the shoulder?

Soooo, ENS - didya take my advice and head up there?”

“what a sissy............

ah heck what do you expect from a Blowsox fan anyho!

See your kind on Tuesday!

Perhaps now that all the bridges are out the city folk will go back to where they came from!”

“Sissy? Why, dem's dare fightin words! Hey, I found out about the bridges that hard way, about 4 days after the floods. It was quite interesting crossing the swollen Dunnfield several times in the dark.

The city folk will still be out there because they can still get to Sunfish Pond via the AT.”

“Very cool. It’s that time of year. The bears are very active trying to fatten up for winter. We’ve seen a few in the neighborhood the last few weeks. On my to work last week I had one run across I84 about 200’ feet in front of me.”