Tekening Trails
Directions to trailhead
Take I-80 west to Exit 12 (Hope/Blairstown). Turn left at the bottom of the ramp and proceed south on County 521 for 1.2 miles to the old Moravian village of Hope. Turn right at the blinking light onto High Street and continue for 5.4 miles to U.S. Route 46 (along the way, the road changes its name, first to Delaware Road and then to Ramseyburg Road). Turn left onto US-46E. In 2.9 miles turn right onto County Road 620 which becomes Water Street in Belvidere in 1.8 miles. Cross bridge over the Delaware River (no toll) and continue .2 mile to Lower Mount Bethel Township Recreation Field parking lot on the left. Continue through the parking lot and park at the far end.
Hike Description
At the far end of the large parking lot take the trail to the left of the wetlands keeping right towards the kiosk at the fork. From the kiosk proceed uphill steeply for a short stretch, then turn left on the blue-blazed trail. At another fork, keep left on blue. At the next fork. .4 mile into the hike, again keep left and note that the blazes change from dark blue paint to light blue plastic diamonds. The trail now follows along the Delaware River. Cross a long, sturdy wooden bridge in another .3 mile.
About a mile into the hike turn right on the orange trail. The rest of the blue trail, the most scenic part, will be the return route. The orange trail ascends to and follows along a ridge where there are plenty of river views from up high in the winter. In .35 mile, turn right on red when red also goes to the left. Pretty soon you will notice informative identification signs on trees.
At 1.75 miles a faint trail comes in from the right. This is the yellow trail on the map although there are no blazes at this intersection. Continue straight on red. In another .15 mile blue crosses over. Stay with red but note this intersection for the return route.
After a few steps, a short side trail on the right leads to a vernal pool with an interpretive sign. Retrace to the red trail, turn left on red back to the intersection with blue, then turn right on blue.
The trail is now rockier and more uneven as it descends along rock outcroppings and comes closer to the river. An overlook deck is reached in about half of a mile. This deck offers great open views of the Delaware River both north and south.
Continuing on, stay with blue when an orange trail goes left in .35 mile and cross the bridge in another tenth of a mile. Keep right at the fork where light blue diamond markers become dark blue painted blazes. Stay on blue when a trail leaves to the north parking lot in .2 mile then just before the trail becomes paved, turn right and descend steeply to the kiosk, then the wetlands and back to the parking lot.
Click here for more pictures and a longer version of this hike.
Turn-by-Turn Description
[ 0.00] Take the trail from the far end of the parking lot at the wetlands
[ 0.05] Keep right at fork towards kiosk
[ 0.15] At top of steep climb keep straight on PPL blue trail when paved trail to visitor center goes right
[ 0.20] Keep left on blue when right goes to the PPL north parking area
[ 0.40] Keep left on blue when right goes to the PPL north parking area; blazes change from dark blue paint to light blue plastic diamonds
[ 0.70] Cross bridge
[ 0.95] Turn right on orange when blue continues straight
[ 1.00] At top of ascent keep left on orange when orange also goes right
[ 1.20] Tree with "wrong way" painted on it; keep straight on orange
[ 1.35] At T-intersection turn right on red when red also goes left
[ 1.60] Tree identification signs start
[ 1.75] Keep straight when yellow comes in from the right (faint trail, no markers)
[ 1.80] Keep straight on red when blue crosses over
[ 1.85] Short side trail on right to vernal pool; retrace, left on red
[ 1.90] Right on blue when blue crosses over red
[ 2.10] Continue straight on blue when red goes left
[ 2.45] Overlook deck
[ 2.80] Continue straight on blue when orange goes left
[ 2.90] Cross bridge
[ 3.35] Keep right at fork, blazes change from light blue diamonds to dark blue paint
[ 3.55] Keep straight on blue when left goes to PPL north parking lot
[ 3.60] At intersection with paved trail, continue right downhill on Lower Meadow Trail
[ 3.70] Pass kiosk on right, keep left at fork
[ 3.75] Back at parking lot