Hike Reviews

June 28, 2017

great hike

bromli

I just did this hike today. I decided to cut it short by skipping the charcoal trail entirely and completing the hike as a lollipop loop. Completed it in about 3 and a half hours. The views along the ridge are great, and are much worth the difficult climb. Seeing those small country towns from way high up was very cool. Once you get onto the ridge some parts of the trail are classic rocksylvania and some parts are easy dirt paths. I did find something interesting near the end of the ridge. Somebody left a pink backpack with some food and toiletries in it. I guess its a supply drop for some Appalachian thru hikers. I took the liberty of evicting a beetle from a bag and adding some nutri grain bars and a pair of sunglasses.

September 05, 2016

I am not the author of this hike

Daniel Chazin

I should point out that the references to my name in the above comment are misplaced.  This hike was written by Daniella Wagstaff, not by me, and I have never done this hike myself.

September 05, 2016

amazing!

KellnerB

I did this hike earlier today (9/5/16), and it was amazing! The hike up to and along the Appalachian Trail was fine, but nothing special, but the return part of the loop (North Trail/Charcoal Trail/LNE Trail) was stupendous! Usually on a hike, you get very few and far between vistas, but you have great views for much of the hike once you shift over to the North Trail.   A few comments about the original writeup: (1) The Woodpecker Trail now has orange blazes (not pink as Mr. Chazin indicates). (2) The description of the vicinity of the North Trail/former trail to the Devil’s Pulpit/Charcoal Trail is no longer correct. As a previous poster has indicated, the trail to the Devil’s Pulpit no longer officially exists. At N 40º47'07.8", W 075º37'00.4", there is the signpost which Mr. Chazin talks about (North Trail NE & North Trail SW). As you approach this sign (from the west), make a very sharp turn to the left on a trail which has yellow blazes. In about 1/3 mile, you will see a sign for the Charcoal Trail, which is more or less a continuation of the yellow-blazed trail. (There is a faint trail going off to the right at this point; possibly this is the former trail to the Devil’s Pulpit?) Once you’re on the Charcoal Trail, you’ll see the orange blazes that Mr. Chazin indicates. (Note that what is now blazed in yellow also has some residual blue showing through the over-painted yellow. On the Nature Center’s map, indeed this section is marked in blue, but this was presumably changed to yellow on the ground to avoid confusion with the blue-blazed North Trail.) Regarding the Devil’s Pulpit, there are obvious (unblazed) trails going steeply up from the LNE Trail which presumably were beaten by foolhardy folks aiming for the pulpit from below.

June 07, 2015

Devils Pulpit Trail is closed

jerseytrekker

Due to safety concerns, the organization that manages this area has closed the Devils Pulpit Trail.  Now, when you are hiking on the North Trail, you will eventually come to a T intersection at the "North Trail NE SW" sign. Make a right and you will go down the mountain on the North Trail to reconnect with the AT. Make a left and follow the yellow blazes for the Charcoal Trail to complete the hike suggested by Daniela.  This whole area is really blooming now due to the efforts of volunteers to reclaim the land and create a natural experience.

April 05, 2014

Paul

Great hike.  Not the prettiest of areas due to the years of raveging by mankind but the scenery and views from up top are interesting, especially now that the prairie grasses are growing in and the area revitalized.  I was a little confused around the turnoff to Devil's Pulpit.  Has the trail grown in or has it been relocated?  I turned left by a very faint "DP" marked on a rock, but it was a bushwhack from there until I eventually found my way down the mountain to the Charcoal Trailhead.  Oddly enough this bushwack is marked in what appear to be freshly painted blue blazes, but your just struggling your way from one blue blaze to another through brush and over rocks.  Almost like orienterring.  No evidence of a recently used trail anywhere, and this will be impossible for all but the most hardy of adventurers come later spring and summer when everything has grown in.  Maybe I was supposed to continue further on the North Trail and take an easier way down?  I did see a yellow blazed trail that may have been what I needed but by then I was already where I needed to be.  I eventually made my way down the Charcoal trail to LNE trail and back to the car.  Thanks for the hike.

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