Hike #87
Hike 87
In the old cabin on Jenny Jump, now destroyed
4/13/3
For my next new hike, I wanted to do a section from Ghost Lake, on Shades of Death
Road near Great Meadows, out to Mountain Lake in Liberty Twp using as many trails as
possible. Aside from Tea Biscuit, Rich and Eric Pace decided to join for the first part of it.
We left the Camaro at Mountain Lake, and my mom drove us to the Jenny Jump State
Forest Office where we left Rich’s car, and then took us to Ghost Lake.
Tea Biscuit and I on the roof
Ghost Lake
At Ghost Lake parking lot
Me after falling into Ghost Lake
Me after falling into Ghost Lake
Inside the Fairy Hole
The Fairy Hole, Ghost Lake
Looking out of the Fairy Hole, Ghost Lake
Along Ghost Lake at The Fairy Hole.
Along Ghost Lake
Tea Biscuit jumping into Ghost Lake
Tea Biscuit jumping into Ghost Lake
Me above Ghost Lake
Ghost Lake
Ascending JennyJump Mountain from Ghost Lake
Ascending Jenny Jump Mountain from Ghost Lake
Jenny Jump State Park
Giant erratic on Ghost Lake Trail, JennyJ ump State Park
Inside old cabin, JennyJ ump State Park
Old cabin in JennyJ ump State Park
View from the porch of the old cabin, JennyJ ump State Park
Old cabin view, JennyJ ump State Park
View of Rt 80 and the Allamuchy exit from the old cabin
View toward Ghost Lake from an old cabin
Old cabin that used to sit on the mountain above Ghost Lake
Old cabin that used to be above Ghost Lake
I again wore a sports jacket and tie, as I thought it would be funny, and waded into Ghost
Lake, but fell in! My jacket was quite heavy due to the water! We walked along the
northeast shore of the lake on an unblazed trail I had followed many times since I was
young. Soon, we reached a cave along the way known as the Fairy Hole, and went inside a
bit. It does’nt go far, but it’s cool. Many excavations were done here for Indian artifacts.
As we walked along the side of the lake, the footway becomds very narrow. We dared
Tea Biscuit to stip down and jump into the lake from the rocks, and he did so. We laughed
as he got dressed.
Next, we ascended from the lake up a loose slope bushwacking up Jenny Jump Mountain
to the Ghost Lake Trail, at this point an old woods road past huge glacial erratics. The
road took us to an old ranger’s cabin overlooking the Ghost Lake area, and nearby
Allamuchy. We went inside and looked around. I’d been here many times beginning when
I was very young and my grandfather brought us here. There was a fireplace and an upper
deck level, with a terrific porch. Unfortunitely, the cabin was torn down either later this
year or in early 2004.
View from the porch of the old cabin above Ghost Lake
Old cabin that used to be above Ghost Lake
JennyJ ump State Park
Along Summit Trail, JennyJ ump State Park
Along Summit Trail, JennyJ ump State Park
View from Summit Trail, Jenny Jump Mountain
Delaware Water Gap from Summit Trail, JennyJump Mountain
Delaware Water Gap from Summit Trail, Jenny Jump Mountain
Summit Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Summit Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Summit Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Alphano flats from Summit Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Jenny Jump Pinnacle from Summit Trail
View point on Summit Trail, Jenny Jump Mountain
Summit Trail, JennyJump
Playground at Jenny Jump
Delaware Water Gap from Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
View from Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
View from Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
View from Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Delaware Water Gap from Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Along Orchard Trail, Jenny Jump SP
Skunk Cabbage
Along State Park Road, Jenny Jump Mountain
Along State Park Road, Jenny Jump area
Cow on a farm in Shiloh
Jenny Jump Mountain’s name is shrouded in mystery; some say a young girl named Jenny
jumped from cliffs rather than be scalped by Indians. Another story says it’s an anglosized
Indian name.
From here, the Ghost Lake trail became a narrow footpath, and we followed it uphill to
the Summit Trail. We took the Summit Trail up to a beautiful viewpoint over Allamuchy
Township to the south. There were also some views north of the Delaware Water Gap and
Kittatinny Ridge. Along the trail, we also passed great views of the sod farms at Alphano
and of the Pinnacle at Jenny Jump where there is an observatory.
After a brief descent, we reached the Swamp Trail, which we followed to the road to the
campsites. We stopped and played on swingsets, then went to fill our water bottles. This
was a mistake, as the water from the pumps here was absolutely the worst water I had
ever tasted along any of my hikes! Previously, the worst was water I had in a zip lock bag
during a boy scout backpacking trip on the AT from NJ to NY.
We soon reached the Orchard Trail, which took us downhill on a washed out woods
road, nd to a beautiful field overlooking the Delaware Water Gap. The trail then skirted
the field and became wider, taking us out on State Park Road. There were nice farm views
here as well.
Rich and Eric left us here, and Tea Biscuit and I began running high speed down the road.
We made it all the way to Shiloh, a little village, before they finally passed us! After
petting some cows, we continued on from Shiloh to Rt 519. There was a nice little
waterfall along the road on the way.
We passed by some beautiful fields, and when we reached the Village of Hope, in Hope
Twp., we went into a store and browsed a bit. Hope is a beautiful little down founded by
the Moravians, with lovely architecture. We were going to stop for some food at a little
eatery, but prices were phenominal so we left.
We followed County Rt 611 uphill to a great view of the Delaware Water Gap, then
continued to Hissum Road, following it out to Lake Just-It Road. I was hoping we’d find
a new trail section through here, but we found nothing. Jenny Jump State Park owned a
lot of land to connect trails, but did not do any work toward it yet.
As we neared Mountain Lake, we talked about doing the Mountain Lake Trail section,
but opted not to because we were too tired. I let Tea Biscuit drive the Camaro a bit, as
he’d recently gotten his driving permit. He was a bit freaked out, as the Camaro drove
rough, but he did well.
Waterfall in Shiloh
Along Rt 519 in Hope
Lovely bridge in Hope
View of Delaware Water Gap from Hope Grreat Meadows Road
View along Hope Great Meadows Road
Along Lake Just-It Road
Mountain Lake
Photos by myself, my brother, and Rich Pace
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