‘Hiking Week’ is here

Two new PA trails to tackle

By SANDY LONG

PIKE AND WAYNE COUNTIES, PA — There’s still time to celebrate Pennsylvania’s Hiking Week, which continues through May 31, and two new area trails to traverse.

Hiking Week 2009 offers participants the opportunity to choose from more than 100 hikes statewide (see sidebar for two local hikes). The celebration is co-sponsored by the Keystone Trails Association and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/info/hikingweek or www.KTA-Hike.org for more information.

In a timely move, new trails have opened in Pike and Wayne counties recently for visitors to enjoy.

• The Pinchot Greenway, linking the Grey Towers National Historic Site with the McDade Trail at Milford Beach, Milford, PA

This two-mile pedestrian and bike trail is the culmination of a five-year project of the Milford Enhancement Committee. The trail passes through the walkable town of Milford, allowing access to its many shops, restaurants and cultural events, while providing a connection between the Grey Towers National Historic Site and the 32-mile Joseph M. McDade Recreational Trail slated for completion within the upcoming year.

The trail includes historic High Street with views of the Milford Jail, Milford Court House, the new Catholic Church and “Stick” House. The route is easy and safe for family travel, and concludes at the Grey Towers mansion, ancestral home of two-time Pennsylvania governor Gifford Pinchot, who was instrumental in founding the nation’s conservation movement.

Pinchot was the first chief of the U.S. Forestry Service under President Teddy Roosevelt, and his descendants are still active in Milford.

Grandson Peter Pinchot spoke at the official trail opening on May 23. “This is a very public landscape,” said Pinchot. “We relate to such landscapes through trail systems. This project was a brilliant idea and a wonderful step in our work to continue linking public lands together.”

“There are several hallmarks to this trail,” said project coordinator Bill Keiger. “The trail serves all bikers and hikers, as well as the region’s long-term tourism interests. And Gifford Pinchot would be pleased at how it combines conservation, education and utilization.”

National Park Service Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area deputy superintendent Bob Karotko said the opening of the trail provides a great kickoff to the summer park season. “It’s the right thing to do because it celebrates the past and its history, while creating something that future generations will benefit from.” Visitors can follow signs beginning at Milford Beach and continuing through town to Grey Towers.

• The Big Lake Trail at Lacawac Sanctuary Nature Preserve, Lake Ariel, PA

Lacawac Sanctuary Nature Preserve recently opened a new public hiking trail. The Big Lake Trail connects Lacawac’s Visitor Center and public area with the Lake Wallenpaupack shoreline.

The trail is 2.9 miles in length over a wide, well marked path with a challenging grade of 260 feet change in elevation between the glacial ridge and the lake. It starts in a mixed forest of hemlock and red oak and descends through a mature oak forest more than 100 years old. The trail then tracks through a more traditional Pennsylvania mixed hardwood forest as it reaches Lake Wallenpaupack. It passes a number of seasonal streams, vernal ponds and glacial outcroppings.

Two beautiful ponds located within the preserve are also trail highlights. Heron and Golden Ponds are considered prime aquatic habitat for bird and for wildlife viewing.

Big Lake Trail will also pass a former vista where Col. Louis Watres, who was instrumental in the creation of Lake Wallenpaupack, overlooked the Wallenpau-pack Creek Valley from his summer estate. Lacawac plans to place a memorial to Watres at this location and open the vista again.

Visitors can also see one of the sanctuary’s deer exclosures just off the trail. “Top scientists have been studying forest regeneration in these completely fenced woodland patches to determine if and how quickly the forest can recover and heal itself without heavy deer infestation and over browsing,” said Michael Peterson, Lacawac’s executive director. “If you get down close to the ground and look carefully, you will see flowers, ferns and rare plants growing in the exclosures that are no longer common in other forested areas of northeastern Pennsylvania.”

Lacawac Sanctuary is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the natural environment, public environmental education and scientific research. The 520-acre nature preserve includes one mile of shoreline on Lake Wallenpaupack and is one of the few sites nationwide that is federally recognized as both a National Natural Landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The public is invited to explore its various nature trails and to participate in the numerous educational and outdoor programs offered. For more information about membership or a calendar of program offerings visit www.lacawac.org or call 570/689-9494.

Local hikes celebrate ‘Hiking Week’

• Friday, May 29, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Varden Conservation Area, Wayne County: Wetlands Walk

Traverse dry to muddy terrain in search of wetlands in the Varden Conservation Area. Discover the secret life of wetlands and the elusive plants and animals that call this unique habitat home. A two-mile, easy/moderate hike beginning at Tannery Road Access at the pavilion. Bring waterproof walking shoes.

• Friday, May 29, 7:00 p.m.

Promised Land State Park, Pike County: Dusk Wetland Walk

Wetlands come alive as night approaches. Walk in the area of some historically noisy habitats and learn what creatures are emerging. Waterproof shoes are encouraged, but leave the flashlights behind for maximum program enjoyment. This walk is a three-mile moderate hike beginning at Egypt Meadow Trail.

Contact Jen Naugle at 570/676-0567 or promisedlandenvedsp@state.pa.us for directions or more information on either hike.