Hike #101
The group near the beginning in front of Fulmer Falls
Hike 101
7/27/3
For my next new section hike, I planned on doing a section of trails from George W.
Childs Recreation Area near Dingman’s Ferry PA to Stokes State Forest, NJ. Joining this
time were Cathy and Tea Biscuit, Peeps, Rich N, Amit and his girlfriend Ashley, and
newcomer, Justin Mason, or as he was nicknamed “Toolbox” because my brother
considered him nothing but a source to steal tools from. He had been interested in coming
on a hike for a while, and finally made it out for this one.
Fulmer Falls from a distance, Childs Recreation Area, PA
Fulmer Falls
Factory Falls
Factory Falls
Fulmer Falls
Factory Falls
Factory Falls
Fulmer Falls
Factory Falls
Ruins of an old stone mill, Childs Recreation Area
Deer Leap Falls
We left my car at the Culver’s Gap AT parking area, then drove to a village called Layton
where we left Cathy’s car. We then continued to Childs Recreation Area. This recreation
area, in a narrow finger of land jutting out from Delaware Water Gap National Recreation
Area covers Dingman’s Creek, and includes three waterfalls: Factory Falls, Fulmer Falls,
and Deep Leap Falls. We first reached the creek on the east side of Fulmer Falls, and
Peeps even climbed down to along the fall, on a dangerous piece of rock and earth. We
continued up to Factory Falls, a smaller falls where we took a swim. There was no one
else in the park to cause us any problems with our swimming. We made our way beyond
the falls to a mill ruin, then crossed the creek heading downstream to Fulmer Falls once
again, where we crossed back over to the east side of the creek. We soon came within a
beautiful view of Deer Leap Falls, in my opinion one of the most beautiful I’d ever seen.
Deer Leap Falls
Deer Leap Falls
Upper cascade at Dingman's Falls
Heading down the trail from Dingman's Falls
Dingman's Falls
Dingman's Falls
Dingman's Falls
Dingman's Falls
Dingman's Falls
The official trail turned back north to the parking area, but I led everyone over an
unmarked unofficial trail which follows Dingman’s Creek toward the Delaware. There was
beautiful Hemlock Forest along the way, and very easy footing most of the time. We had
to cross the creek a couple times for the path of least resistance. We soon crossed an
abandoned road with an intact bridge across the creek. We crossed the bridge and
continued downstream on the east side, only to soon cross to the west side as the east side
got too tough to follow. We crossed to the other side, rising a bit higher above the creek,
with another small falls below. We made a brief descent to the wooden walkways at the
top of Dingman’s Falls, which I believe is the second highest waterfall in Pennsylvania.
Swimming group shot
Picking up coins at Dingman's Falls
Silver Thread Falls
Silver Thread Falls
From here we were in a developed park area with wooden walkways for some time.
We descended over another tributary outlet over stairs, then back up the other side where
the boardwals split. We turned back on the lower one which took us to the best view of
Dingman’s Falls. These boardwalks were closed to the public at the time for renovations,
so we had the unique opportunity to swim at the base of them. We also made a few dollars
taking coins out of the water! After a good time swimming about, we continued along the
boardwalks downstream, soon reaching Silver Thread Falls, another beautiful falls. Cathy
and Peeps started running to the top, which freaked me out, as whenever Cathy does
something crazy. I followed her up, and then we came down. We said our goodbyes to
Rich, Amit, and Ash here as they decided to turn back to the cars. Cathy, Tea Biscuit,
Peeps, and I continued along the boardwalk the short distance to the closed visitor’s
center. We then walked the access road out to the main road, and out toward the
Dingman’s Ferry Bridge, the only remaining privately owned toll bridge over the
Delaware. Unfortunitely, we were surprised to find the bridge had no walkway, and we
were not allowed to cross without a vehicle! Someone had a cell phone, and we called
Rich up and asked him if he would come down and drive us across. He and Amit both
came to the bridge and were fortunitely able to drive us across.
Dingman's Ferry Bridge
On the other side, the rest of us walked along the Old Mine Road heading north to an old
road breaking off to the left along farm fields.
The old road took us to an abandoned house, which we of course had to go in, as well as
an old barn, which in order to enter we had to climb over a high boarded section and
through the back. I remember it being very dark inside, so that we could’nt find much.
Abandoned house
Abandoned house
Abandoned house
Abandoned Upper Ridge Road, Del Water Gap NRA
Near the end of abandoned Upper Ridge Road
We continued along the old road, leading us through woods, and one driveway which
must have been used by farmers probably leasing the land. We continued along the road,
also passing by other small houses with people living in them. The road looped around a
bit, until we entered a narrow footpath, blazed with can lids along the Delaware. We
followed these trails as best we could to a vehicle accessable river access site near a youth
hostel, according to the maps. We walked to the Old Mine Road and followed it to the
Upper Ridge Equestrian Trail as it is marked. We followed old roads, one of them paved
but long abandoned, passing a pond and out to the main road back to Dingman’s Ferry,
but turned southeast toward Layton.
Former crossing site of the Flat Brook, Stokes
When we reached the little village of Layton, the first thing we found was a farm stand, so
we stopped for some fruit. We then continued to where Cathy’s car was parked. I think I
might have had a beer at the bar beforehand, but really don’t remember. Toolbox was in
pain, so he cut out with Cathy, and Tea Biscuit, Peeps, and I continued along the roads to
the southeast. We headed into Stokes State Forest on an abandoned road with a missing
bridge across the Stony Brook. We crossed to an old farm area and turned left onto Blue
Mountain Trail, which led along a little ridge to the northeast. We followed this until we
reached the northern end of Silver Mine Trail, which led us uphill steeply at first, over
rocky terrain. The trail led us to what became a woods road, and the ruins of some kind of
dam and a tributary, and we soon passed some building ruins. Continueing on the woods
road, we passed through Rhododendron forests, and came to a three way split in the trail,
but we did’nt have time to explore them all, so we continued out the Silver Mine Trail to
Stony Brook and then Kittle Field, north to Stony Lake. It was getting too late to swim,
and was almost dark already. We made our way along the Coursen Trail as I recall, to the
road and headed out to the Camaro. Quite a day!
PICS by Mike Helbing, Rich Nielson, and Cathy Fisher
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