This trail surpasses the myopic beauty of most Delaware County hiking trails by providing a variety of views, scenery, wildlife, flora as well as choices in degree of workout.
A couple of drawbacks, that have nothing to do with the trail itself, are directions provided by partnering organizations and parking.
To elaborate on directions - from the village of Delhi, take Delaware Avenue aka county Route 18, also known as Back River Road to Glen Burnie Road, rather than taking state Route 28 South, toward Bovina and Andes to pick up Glen Burnie Road.
Though either direction will get you there, the southerly direction, which I took, is the scenic route, adding unnecessary but picturesque miles onto the trip.
There is only room for three vehicles at the trail head, which is marked by a smallish sign around a blind curve, on a windy section of a dirt and gravel road. I recommend parking on the shoulder of the roadway, above or below the trailhead - which is wide enough to accommodate several vehicles.
CMC has provided several pamphlets in the trailhead sign-in which give a recommended route for either of the two trails OR a combination of both. They know what they are talking about.
The 1.2 mile Quarry Trail is an excellent warm up for the large loop which includes the 1.8 mile Summit Trail.
I bumped into CMC volunteers who were in the midst of trail maintenance and gave plenty of advice about the trail, which they have all hiked several times.
I also bumped into two trail runners. This 20-something duo gained my respect within the first five minutes of our encounter. Not only were they both outfitted in running shorts and sneakers, they had picked up a red handkerchief dropped by the trail maintenance crew mid-way on the Quarry Trail with the intent on returning it to them - and, they were RUNNING while talking. Respect.
The pair stopped long enough for me to snap a photo of them as they made their way back from what must have appeared to them as a mismarked trail near the abandoned stone quarry.
The Quarry Trail is peppered with a macramé of artistically crafted stone walls that intersect intermittently with the old logging/quarry road which serves as the trail. The craftsmanship displayed in the wall-building, which varies from two- to four-feet in height, speaks to not just the work ethic, but attention to detail, in days gone by.
Another tip for hikers as the Quarry Trail becomes the Summit Trail is to CROSS the old roadway that leads to the former fire tower to pick up the trail. I missed this on the first pass, making an assumption that the trail followed the old road on a decline. It was only when I failed to spy a blue or red trail marker after several hundred feet, that I backtracked UP the old road and noted the marker opposite the exit of the Quarry Trail.
The trail footing is firm yet soft (not many rocks), clear of debris and expertly maintained, making the climb and the descent easier than expected.
There are rock ledges and caves along the trail, which trail maintainers described as "Porcupine Caves," which caused me a bit of concern about hiking with a dog. Not a single porcupine was spotted along the trail that was filled with birdsong, mushrooms and an occasional toad.
The trails are shaded in a light-to-heavy canopy of mostly young and mid-growth hardwoods about 90% of the way. One becomes grateful for that during ascension of the Summit Trail.
The first clearing, which provides a spectacular view of distant mountaintops, is welcomed and almost precisely timed to a needful rest and rehydration break.
CMC was thoughtful in placing a lovely bench/art-piece at the site, which makes for off-the-ground-seating and interesting photos.
The second viewing location, the site of the former fire tower, is breathtaking, and for future trips, is a great place for a picnic lunch, sketching, photography, reading or painting.
From here, the descent begins.
The descending trail is neatly mowed through a blackberry bramble that rambles for what seems like miles. The bushes were heavy with un-ripened fruit, which the first weeks of August will change.
It was along this trail that I spied two common, but slithery and silent, snakes. One was large and lazily crossing the freshly mowed trail; the other small, spry and climbing uphill - directly beneath my right foot. From that point on, I was resistant to taking my eyes off my footing lest I encounter another of their tribe.
#Charliebrowne responded to my shrieks by first making certain that I was not in imminent danger and then by walking a mere six inches away from my right side, for the next several hundred feet. As if reading my mind, he then switched tack and padded three feet directly in front of me to scare away any other shriek-inducing reptile. Good Dog.
The remainder of the trail is the stuff that famed local artist Richard Kathmann's (and fellow tree-hugger-lovers') dreams are made of. The young hardwoods that cover the hillside are nestled in a carpet of sea-green ferns waving in an ever-present light breeze.
The appearance of stonewalls further down the trail herald the end of the four-mile loop.
The trail peaks at 2,817 feet, making it a hearty challenge to Delaware County hikers. I underestimated the amount of water I would need for myself and my four-legged friend and only brought 32 ounces. I recommend carrying more than you think you will need, because no matter the weather, you will need it.
I am also happy to report that bugs were not much of a problem. I did not apply insect repellent, except on my socks and boots out of tick-induced fear, and found myself doing very little bug-waving.
The trail is scheduled to be officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday, July 29, 2016.
Happy trails fellow hikers, this is going to be a favorite!
Wonderful commentary and descriptions. I can't wait to try this trail. Thanks, Lillian!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the details.... def. checking this out!!!
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