Leonard Harrison State Park, Pennsylvania

December 2012

Leonard Harrison State Park is situated on the east rim of Pine Creek Gorge which is also known as the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania". The park offers exceptional views of Pine Creek Gorge and Pine Creek which carves it's way through the canyon. The park is accessible during winter months however the visitor centre and other facilities are not open. Although the Turkey Path Trail was closed for the winter for safety concerns, we decided to hike it anyway since there was alot of snow. The trail winds it's way past several waterfalls along Little Four Mile Run to the canyon floor. It's 1 mile down and 1 mile back up and in deep snow, it is quite the workout but the views and scenery make it well worth it.



Panoramic winter view of the Pine Creek Gorge and Colton State Park from the main vista terrace in Leonard Harrison State Park

Little Four Mile Run's first waterfall, seen from the Turkey Path Trail.

The second waterfall on Little Four Mile Run produces beautiful ice formations.

The Pine Creek Rail Trail located at the bottom of the canyon is 62 miles in length making it ideal for hiking, biking and cross country skiing.

Mount Colden and Avalanche Lake Hike, Adirondack State Park, New York

July 2011

Adirondack State Park is a huge park covering an area of 6.1 million acres. The Adirondacks contain thousands of streams, brooks and lakes making it a popular outdoor destination especially for those who love to hike. One of my favourite hikes in the Adirondacks is Mount Colden via Avalanche Lake. This trail is certainly one of the most scenic trails and provides a great variety of scenery and landscapes. It probably is one of the Top Hikes in the Adirondacks.

The trailhead begins at Adirondack Lodge and leads to Marcy Dam. This is a perfect place for a photo opportunity as Marcy Dam offers spectacular views of Mount Colden. From Marcy Dam, the trail continues to Avalanche Pass and Avalanche Lake. Avalanche Lake is a great spot to go for a swim or to have lunch especially on a hot summer day. But before you get to Avalanche Lake, there is a bit of a workout as the trail quickly climbs to Avalanche Pass. Avalanche Pass is such an amazing part of the trail. Walking through this area is like walking through a tornado zone as there are many fallen trees and debris. In 1999 a massive slide took place and caused severe damage. From Avalanche Pass, it’s nothing but downhill to Avalanche Lake. As you make your way down, you’ll be exposed to stunning scenery with glimpses of the sheer cliffs of Avalanche Mountain before emerging from the forest. Avalanche Lake is a worthy destination of its own as it offers magnificent views of the vertical cliffs of Mount Colden and Avalanche Mountain rising from the surface of the lake. Continuing to Mount Colden, you’ll have to make your way along the shore of Avalanche Lake by climbing over and around large boulders, up and down ladders and across bridges and wooden catwalks bolted directly into the cliff face making passage possible. This is an amazing section of the trail and can be quite technical at times. Upon reaching the far end of the lake, there are nice views looking backwards towards the cliffs of Avalanche Mountain and Mount Colden.

The trail then continues to Mount Colden where the final ascent to the summit is rather steep and strenuous consisting of a climb of 600m in 2.5km. At one point, you have to climb a 20 foot ladder. The summit offers spectacular views of the Adirondacks two highest peaks Marcy and Algonquin and is worth spending some time enjoying the panoramic vistas before heading back down.

In all the hike is about 22 kms round trip and takes around 9-10 hours depending on a person’s hiking level. We started the hike at 9:30 AM and reached the peak of Mount Colden at around 4 PM before heading back down and returning to Adirondack Loj at 7:45PM. This was an extremely rewarding full day hike.

While staying in the Adirondacks, it is really worth spending some time visiting the town of Lake Placid, home of the 1980 Winter Olympics. Lake Placid is the gateway to the High Peaks region providing a great selection of accomodations, restaurants , activities and events.



View of Mount Colden from Marcy Dam

View of Wright Mountain from Marcy Dam

Avalanche Lake looking southwest.Avalanche Lake is 9 acres in size and sits at 2885 feet (879 m) between Mount Colden, left and Avalanche Mountain, right.

Avalanche Lake

 

Avalanche Lake, looking northeast, showing Mount Colden, right, and Avalanche Mountain, left

Mount Colden is known for its distinctive Trap Dyke, a large crevice running up the center of the mountain seen here from Avalanche Lake

On the hiking trail to the summit of Mount Colden

Mount Colden is the eleventh highest peak at 4,714-foot (1,437 m) in the High Peaks of the Adirondack Mountains. It is part of the 46ers, a group of High Peaks in the Adirondacks that are over 4,000 feet.Below is Lake Colden and Flowed Lands.

For more information visit the following related links.
VisitAdirondacks.com
Adirondacks.com
Adirondack Loj
TrailPeak.com- Mount Colden trail description
AdirondackExplorer.org-Climbing the Trap Dike

Whirlpool State Park and Devil's Hole State Park- Niagara Falls, New York

May 2011

There are 3 state parks on the US side of Niagara Falls which are worth a visit: Niagara Falls State Park, Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park.

Whirlpool State Park and Devil’s Hole State Park can be accessed from the Niagara Gorge Trailhead Centre which is situated on the Robert Moses Parkway about 1 mile (1-2 kms) from the Falls. The Centre is the gateway to some of the best hiking in the area and offers beautiful views from both the rim trail and the gorge.



View of Niagara River and hydroelectric plant from rim trail

View of the niagara whirlpool from the rim trail

Stairs leading from rim trail to gorge trail

Cave of the Evil Spirits,Devil's Hole State Park

Devil's Hole State Park Trail

Devil’s Hole State Park is a 42 acre park which is situated on the American side of the Niagara River right next to Whirlpool State Park. The two parks are linked together by the gorge trail which spans several miles. The park can also be accessed from an entrance off the Robert Moses Parkway where there is ample parking. A 300 ft steep winding staircase comprised of roughly 400 steps leads down into the gorge. Once in the gorge the trail leads to a unique geological formation called Cave of the Evil Spirits which is a 4 ft tall by 30 feet deep fissue in a large block of dolostone.

 

 

 

 

Whirlpool State Park

Whirlpool State Park offers amazing views of the famous Whirlpool and Whirlpool Rapids. You will be completely mesmorised by The Niagara Whirlpool with its 125ft deep swirling waters which is a result of a dramatic turn in the flow of the river. This is an extremely dangerous and turbulent stretch of the Niagara River which is located downstream from the Niagara Falls. The narrow canyon walls force a massive amount of water through a smaller space resulting in Class V whitewater. For those seeking adventure, the only way to really get up close to the whirlpool is by going on the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour. The Whirlpool adjacent shoreline can also be accessed from the Canadian side via the Niagara Glen Reserve which features some more hiking trails that have nice views of the turbulent rapids. The park is accessed via a steep staircase which is overgrown with weeds from the Gorge Rim Trail. From the Gorge Rim Trail you will get great views of the Whirlpool and the Spanish Aero Car which takes passengers 250 feet above the whirlpool.

 

For more information visit the following related links.
New York State Parks:Devil's Hole State Park
New York State Parks:Whirlpool State Park
Niagara Falls State Park.com
NYFalls.com-Whirlpool State Park
NYFalls.com-Devil's Hole State Park

 

 

Autumn at Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area, Ontario

October 2010

Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area is a 727 acre park which is situated in the Halton region of Ontario about a 45 minute drive west of Toronto. The park has a trail system that has 5 lookouts that provide beautiful views of the local countryside. In fact, on a clear day, you can see in the distance the Toronto skyline and the CN Tower. The park forms part of the escarpment which extends 725 kms from Queenston near Niagara to Tobermory which is at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula on Georgian.

 A popular trail with hikers is the Massagawega Canyon Trail to Crawford Lake which 14.4 km round trip.

 

The main features of the conservation include limestone cliffs that are a few hundred feet high. These cliffs which are dotted with ancient white cedars are a popular spot for rock climbing. While in the area be sure to visit Hilton Falls, Crawford Lake, Kelso, Mount Nemo and Mountsberg. In fact the Bruce Trail system connects all these parks.

 

 

 

  

For more information visit the ConservationHalton web site.
 

 

French River Provincial Park, Ontario

October 2010

Once a major travel corridor for native Americans, the French River flows for 105 kilometres from Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay. The park’s landscape consists of rugged hills and dense forests, channels, bays and many lakes that interconnect along this expansive waterway system making it a favourite destination because of the variety of water-based recreational activities such as kayaking, canoeing, sailing and angling.

French River Provincial Park is a nice place to stop if you are on your way to either Killarney Provincial Park or Sudbury. There is a Visitor Centre just 2 minutes off of Hwy 69 with a gift shop and many interpretative displays that provide a history of the area and its geology. From the visitor centre be sure to hike the short trail to the scenic Recollet Falls nearby. It’s a short hike roughly 30-45 minutes return and is a good place to have lunch. Don’t miss the view of the French River Gorge from the 300 ft suspension bridge that crosses it. This cable supported bridge was built by the local snowmobile club. Its span is 300 ft and rises 50 ft above the French River.



View of the French River from the snowmobile bridge

View of Highway 69 and bridge from snowmobile bridge

View of typical Canadian Shield cliffs while hiking along the French River to Recollet Falls.

Recollet Falls

Recollet Falls

 

French River Provincial Park can be assessed by Hwy 69 about 70 kms south of Sudbury.

For more information visit the following related links.
Ontario Parks:French River
Visit French River

Pine Creek Gorge, Pennsylvania: Leonard Harrison State Park and Colton Point State Park

September 2010

The native Americans called Pine Creek "Tiadaghton" which means river of pines.Today most of the area is composed of deciduous trees and only a few pine remain because of overlogging.

Often referred to as the “Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania”, Pine Creek Gorge is a beautiful landscape that is well worth a visit in every season of the year but especially in late September through mid-October when the forest displays beautiful autumn shades of yellow, orange, red and purple. The gorge is 47 miles long and in some sections is over 1000 feet deep. Situated near the small town of Wellsboro in the northeastern section of Pennsylvania, the canyon is straddled by two state parks- Leonard Harrison State Park (East Rim) and Colton Point State Park (West Rim). The views from the numerous lookouts that dot the rims in these parks are spectacular.



Colton Point State Park

In the summer, mornings are often misty due to the warm moist air rising and meeting the cooler air from the mountaintops. Often mist is trapped in the canyon until the sun's rays can burn through.

 

 

Leonard Harrison State Park

Pine Creek Rail Trail follows Pine Creek for most of the way.

The canyon offers many recreational activities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, fishing and birdwatching. The area has several good hiking trails but the crown jewel of the gorge which attracts thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each year is the multi-purpose Pine Creek Rail Trail. The hard packed gravel trail voted as one of the “10 great places to take a bike tour” spans 57 miles from the towns of Ansonia to Jersey Shore.

 

If you are into hiking here are a few suggested Short Hikes: The Overlook Trail (.6 miles) is situated in Leaonard Harrison State Park. Colton Rim Trail (1.5 mile) is in Colton Point State Park. The Turkey Path Trail is a steep trail that descends 1 mile to the floor of the canyon. There is a waterfall close to the bottom that has a lot flow in the spring but turns into a trickle towards late summer. For a longer and more challenging trail, the West Rim Trail offers a 30 mile blazed trail that traverses the West Rim of the canyon.

 

For more information visit the following related links.

VisitTioga: Pine Creek Rail Trail
Map of Pine Creek Rail Trail
Pine Creek Outfitters
Colton Point State Park
Leonard Harrison State Park
Maps of Leonard Harrison and Colton Point State Parks