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This is Hike #51 ("Jenny Jump Ghost Lake Loop") in the book
60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City (2nd edition).
We hiked parts of this forest over five years ago. That was in May when the trees were filled with
leaves, and they were all green. Today the fall foliage was still hanging on in Northern New Jersey, though the majority of leaves were already on the ground.
With the amazing views from the ridge, and the beauty of Ghost Lake, it's a wonder this forest isn't more popular. We passed only one other hiker during the
entire hike! I'm not complaining. It's a little hidden gem, and we plan on returning to hike the Mountain Lake area, which is west and disconnected from the part
we hiked today.
Total distance traveled was 4.6 miles in just over 3 hours. (Click on the thumbnail to bring up a bigger image in a pop-up window)
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 Road to the visitor's center |
 Uh-oh! |
 Park building |
 Poor Smokey! |
 Orchard trail is a road initially |
 Look at those roots! |
 View NW to PA |
 Boundary wall |
 Mansion in valley NW |
 Delaware Water Gap on horizon |
 Stubborn fall foliage |
 Ghost Lake trail |
 Significant leaf drop |
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 Intersection |
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 Fall foliage ... |
 ... on our out-and-back ... |
 ... to the lake |
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 Ghost Lake trail |
 Descending |
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 Views opening to SE |
 Cabin ruins |
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 Gorgeous foliage |
 Cabin ruins |
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 That's not Jenny! |
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 [Photo by Laura] |
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 Continuing on Ghost Lake trail |
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 Dan attacked by foliage [photo by Laura] |
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 Descending to the lake |
 Huge rock formation |
 Dan dwarfed [photo by Laura] |
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 Ferns line the path |
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 Lots of color! |
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 First view of Ghost Lake |
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 Western part of lake |
 Cold water kills? |
 View NW |
 Underwater well? |
 We just climbed the ridge |
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 Laura on the grassy berm |
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 West part of lake |
 Lake color |
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 West part of lake |
 Heading back from the berm |
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 Color on the Summit trail |
 One of first viewpoints |
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 On the ridge |
 All views ... |
 ... are to the SE ... |
 ... on this stretch |
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 More ridge to climb |
 View NW to PA |
 Delaware Water Gap |
 Looking NW |
 And more ridge walking |
 Two glacial errata |
 Farmland through trees |
 Valley to the SE |
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 Southern-most lookout |
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 Colorful hill south |
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 There's a tower behind the trees |
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 Cabins near visitor's center |
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Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |