Appalachian Trail between the Coppermine and Kaiser trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Mohican Outdoor Center Area Trails Home Page
Length: 1.9 mile, one way
Time: 1 hour
Difficulty: Moderate with lots of rocks on the trail
I hiked a 1.9-mile section of the Appalachian Trail as part of a loop with the Coppermine and Kaiser trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, a hike of about 6.5 miles. I started and ended the hike on the Coppermine Trail at the Old Mine Road trailhead. The general trajectory of the loop hike is uphill on the Coppermine Trail, level along the Appalachian Trail, and downhill on the Kaiser Trail, which is similar to the Coppermine Trail in difficulty. This report covers only the Appalachian Trail segment heading south from its intersection with the Coppermine Trail. See the Coppermine Trail and Kaiser Trail reports for information on those hikes.
Map of trails near the Mohican Outdoor Center at Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The Appalachian Trail at the Coppermine Trail intersection is hard to follow, for the place is nothing more than an open area with a bunch of rocks. In order to get your bearings, you must know that the route of the Appalachian Trail is marked with white blazes, which are paint splotches on trees and rocks that serve as Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs. In a perfect world, you can see from one blaze to the next, but rarely is the word perfect, and such is the case at the intersection. I saw one blaze but couldn’t find another. What you need to do is look for a large pile of rocks within eyesight of the obvious blaze and head in that direction. Once there, you’ll see a second blaze and a more defined trail.
Rocky area at the intersection of the Coppermine and Appalachian trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Look for white blazes to find the route of the Appalachian Trail at the intersection with the Coppermine Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The route of the Appalachian Trail is marked with white blazes on trees and rocks
I described the overall trajectory of the loop hike as “level along the Appalachian Trail,” but that’s somewhat of a simplification. The trail actually heads up and over the top of a mountain, but the ascent and descent is minimal compared to the ascent and descent on the Coppermine and Kaiser trails. What makes this section difficult to hike is the extreme amount of rocks on the trail. If you have been on the Appalachian Trail north of the Coppermine Trail, this is old news. I previously hiked the section between the two Rattlesnake Swamp Trail intersections, and the terrain is pretty much the same.
Extreme rocky terrain on the Appalachian Trail between the Coppermine and Kaiser trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The first half mile of the hike is up a fairly steep hill. Grades average around 15%, which is the start of strenuous hiking, and some short segments (100 to 150 feet) have grades as steep at 30%. Once at the top, there is a 100-yard downhill stretch, then its uphill once again for another half mile, though this time the average grade is less than 10%. The trail remains difficult to follow in some areas because there is no path worn into the dirt—you are walking on rocks—and the area surrounding the trail is no different than the trail itself, so keep an eye out for the white blazes.
Extreme rocky terrain on the Appalachian Trail between the Coppermine and Kaiser trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The Appalachian Trail runs along a ridge through the forest, and views of the valley below are few and far between. However, there is one nice view about 1.4 mile from the Coppermine Trail intersection of the Lower Yards Creek Reservoir. This and another view of the reservoir right at the Kaiser Trail intersection are the only scenic views on this section of the Appalachian Trail, though the are very good ones.
Appalachian Trail between the Coppermine and Kaiser trails runs along a ridge far above the Lower Yards Creek Reservoir, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
View of the Lower Yards Creek Reservoir from the Appalachian Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
By the time you reach the view of the reservoir, you will have been hiking along flat ground for a quarter mile, and the terrain remains flat until a tenth of a mile prior to the Kaiser Trail. The route is still a little difficult to follow, so once again, look for the white blazes.
Level terrain along the Appalachian Trail near the intersection with the Kaiser Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
There is one section of rocks that you must sit and slide down—or jump down from if you are young—but other than this, you can make pretty good time on this section of the Appalachian Trail.
Large rocks along the Appalachian Trail near the intersection with the Kaiser Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
The last tenth of a mile on the Appalachian Trail is downhill, and at the bottom is the intersection with the Kaiser Trail. As mentioned, there is another view of the Lower Yards Creek Reservoir. I turned onto the Kaiser Trail, thus ending my hike along the Appalachian Trail. See the Kaiser Trail report for information on the last leg of the loop hike.
Trailhead for the Kaiser Trail at the intersection with the Appalachian Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
View of the Lower Yards Creek Reservoir from the intersection of the Appalachian and Kaiser trails in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
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Last updated on February 6, 2024
