Hike #569; Columbia to Hardwick

 Hike #569

7/14/11 Paulins Kill Valley; Columbia to Hardwick with Jillane Becker

On Portland Columbia Foot Bridge

Another impromptu after work hike, Jillane and I headed to Columbia to hike Paulins Kill Valley Trail mostly back home.

 

Jillane and I both had a free evening, and it seemed like I was constantly in some sort of meeting, either with the Warren County Board of Recreation, Municipal and Charitable Trust Fund Grant Committee, something with my job, Forest Fire Service...it never ended.

Even when I'm not working, I still like strenuous activities, especially a substantial night hike.

The dam on Columbia Lake

Giant pipe under Rt 80 on Paulins Kill Valley Trail

Giant pipe under Rt 80 at Columbia Lake

We headed out to do the Paulins Kill Valley Trail again from Columbia to our home at White Lake since it was convenient. I drove us to Columbia, and we walked onto the foot bridge to take in the view. The temperature was actually pretty great, not too humid. I went over to Port Mart in Portland to get us drinks.

We walked along the edge of the road under the toll bridge, then along the new trail extension under Rt 46 and back up the other side. We crossed and continued on the new section along the yard and then out to Columbia Lake Wildlife Management Area. There were a few wine berries in bloom which we ate. There were some people with kayaks on their vehicles looking for somewhere to put in, but they said there were too many lily pads and stuff. They were right, Columbia Lake used to be much more attractive in the past. Even looking at my pictures from 1999, it's incredibly different.

Columbia Lake

NYS&W railroad bed near Bruglar Road

We walked under the giant pipe below Rt 80, and then out along the old railroad bed to Warrington. We took the right and left onto Bruglar Road to get to the next section of the rail bed ahead rather than fight through the weeds and risk getting landowners mad.

Along the rail bed near Bruglar

Muddy section of Paulins Kill Valley Trail near Bruglar Road

When we reached the Bruglar Road area, where the land owner has blocked the rail bed, there was a new sign placed on the back of a Monster Energy Drink box that read "Not A Fucking Trail". Jillane found it, and pulled it down. We couldn't leave something that rude on the road, at a trail no less. I didn't know the status of the trail here, but later would find that there was a possible route up on the hill side that would be pursued to get hikers to Bruglar Road another way.

Paulins Kill Valley Trail near Hainesburg Junction

Paulins Kill Valley Trail east of Hainesburg

We continued onto the private section, and amazingly there was a car passing by. I simply waved and they moved on. We continued along the driveway section of the rail bed, and the people in the car turned around and were coming back. We ran off into the woods on the left where the rail bed turned away, hoping to avoid conflict. We were out of sight, but then shortly we could hear an ATV start. We hurried on, and crossed a fallen tree. An ATV wouldn't be able to get to us from there. THere was no problems the rest of the way out.

We walked the trail, sometimes through some really bad mud, out to Hainesburg. From here, the trail followed Station Road for a bit, and then cut back into the woods. Some of this section is great because it's still only a narrow track, whereas further northeast it gets much wider and more heavily used.

Paulins Kill Valley Trail near Vail

Paulins Kill Valley Trail near Vail

Paulins Kill Valley Trail, farm road crossing

Sunset along Paulins Kill Valley Trail

Sunset along Paulins Kill Valley Trail

Along Paulins Kill Valley Trail near Blairstown

Moon shining over the Paulins Kill near Paulina

Moon over the Paulins Kill

Along Paulins Kill Valley Trail

Taking a break on a briidge

Taking a break on a briidge

Taking a break on a briidge

Taking a break on a briidge

We had started a bit later than the previous time I had hiked this section, and so the sun was going down by the time we got to the last few farms before Lake Susquehanna. We also stopped for a couple of breaks, like a nice relaxing spot at the stone arch bridge on Bruglar Road earlier.

We continued through the Blairstown Airport at Kalarama, and didn't go into the old buildings this time. It was getting pretty dark already by this time. When we reentered the woods, it was quite dark.

We continued on a couple more miles into Blairstown and Footbridge Park. We headed down to the foot bridge, but didn't bother going into town because the only thing that would have been open would have been a bar, and we didn't even know if we could get any food there. We instead continued walking.

On the next sections, although it was dark, the moon was full and very bright. We first saw it at the airport, but now it was high enough in the sky that we could see it well. The pathway was well lit, and even cast quite a shadow.

We continued along the trail through Paulina, and the moon over the slack water section of the Paulins Kill looked incredible. The fogs in the lake section were so loud, and almost sounded like cows with their reverberating "moo"s.

We continued across three bridges, two deck girder and one through style. The last one we stopped on and took a bit of a break. It was a very relaxing night to be out.

We continued on and were soon in Marksboro where we turned left off of the trail. Rather than take the Ridge and Valley Trail off into the woods, we opted to stay on Spring Valley Road to Stillwater Road since it would certainly be faster for us. As we walked the road, some kids shouted out the windows something at us. They then pulled into the White Lake parking lot. I walked on in behind them to see what they were up to, and they took off without acknowledging me. We continued from here up the road, first checking out the parking lot across from our driveway, and then continued up the driveway home. Jillane drove me back to my car to close a great night.