The Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area circles Pickeral and Front ponds

Length:  1.5-mile loop
Time:  1 hour
Difficulty: Easy with a few short, moderate hills

The Two Ponds Trail is one of the many trails that begin at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (PEEC) located in the central section of Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Pennsylvania. This is a loop trail with one trailhead on the other side of Emery Road from PEEC’s main parking lot and the other near the forest on the right side of the building at Campus Road. Being a loop, you can start at either trailhead, but the hike is intended to be done in the counterclockwise direction by starting at the Emery Road trailhead. This is also the start of the Tumbling Waters Trail, a longer trail that branches off from the Two Ponds Trail at its far end.

Trailhead for the Two Ponds Trail across the street from the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Pocono Environmental Education Center trail map (click to enlarge)

The reason the loop trail has an intended direction is because there is a trail brochure that goes along with the hike. For those who want one, they are on sale for a small fee inside PEEC. Numbered posts along the trail correspond to information in the brochure. Hiking in the counterclockwise direction brings you to the posts in chronological order.

Numbered posts along the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area correspond to information in a printed trail guide

For the first three quarters of a mile, the Two Ponds and Tumbling Waters trails share the same path. This is symbolized by white and orange blazes, which are paint splotches on trees that serve as Hansel and Gretel breadcrumbs. White is for the Two Ponds Trail, and orange is for the Tumbling Waters Trail. The numbered posts also have white and orange numbers, indicating that some stops go with the Two Ponds Trail brochure and others with the Tumbling Waters Trail brochure (which is also available at PEEC).

White and orange blazes on trees indicated a shared path between the Two Ponds and Tumbling Waters trails, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Just yards from the start of the hike is a bird blind overlooking the first of the two ponds the trail circles, Front Pond. Inside is information on the birds that live in the area. Unfortunately, you can barely see the pond anymore due to excessive vegetation that has grown up to block the view.

Bird blind at the start of the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

I didn’t purchase a trail guide, so I didn’t learn much along the way except at Stop 4, the Trash Graveyard. A side trail leads to the graveyard where information about how long particular types of trash take to decompose is written on plywood tombstones. The stop comes a tenth of mile into the hike.

Side trail to the Trash Graveyard at Stop 4 on the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Trash Graveyard at Stop 4 on the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Just past the Trash Graveyard is a short stretch of rocky and rooty terrain where the Two Ponds Trail crosses a stream. While there are a few spots along the trail with such terrain, most of it is fairly smooth and easy to hike. It’s not completely flat, but any hills are mild in grade. And by the way, by the time you reach the stream crossing you will have left Front Pond behind. There hasn’t even been a glimpse of it other than what you saw at the bird blind, which is almost nothing.

Rocky stretch of the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Two Ponds Trail crosses Brisco Mountain Road .2 mile from the start. The trail does not continue directly across the road, which causes a little confusion. Look to your 2 o’clock position and you’ll see a post marking the point where the trail continues.

Western intersection of the Two Ponds Trail and Brisco Road in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The trail proceeds up a moderately steep hill for nearly a tenth of a mile, and once at the top it immediately heads downhill on a rocky section of trail. At the bottom is the second pond, Pickeral Pond. (The photo below was taken looking back up at the rocky, downhill section.)

Steep section of the Two Ponds Trail just north of Pickeral Pond in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Two Ponds Trail is Figure 8-shaped, with the center part of the Figure 8 coming right before Pickeral Pond. If you want a shorter hike, take a left here to hike around Front Pond only. Stay to the right to begin the lower half of the Figure 8 around Pickeral Pond.

Two Ponds Trail at the northwest end of Pickeral Pond in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The trail follows right along the shore of Pickeral Pond for a tenth of a mile before veering west and leaving it far behind. There are plenty of clear views of the pond on this stretch of trail.

Pickeral Pond near the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Pickeral Pond near the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Once the Two Ponds Trail veers away from the pond, it becomes quite root-y and passes through perpetually wet terrain on a number of elevated walkways. There are also dozens of trees down—a tree graveyard—another indication of wet soil.

Wet area on the west side of the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Many trees are down along the west side of the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Two tenths of a mile after departing from the shoreline of Pickeral Pond, the Two Ponds Trail splits with the Tumbling Waters Trail. There is a small sign identifying the Two Ponds Trail, but directional information is also provided by the blazes on the trees. On one tree is a white and orange blaze, indicating the two trails are still following the same path, but just feet farther ahead is a tree on the left side with two white blazes that stairstep to the left. Two blazes indicate a turn, and the stairstep direction indicates which way to go—left to stay on the Two Ponds Trail. The Tumbling Waters Trail continues straight ahead.

Split between the Two Ponds and Tumbling Waters trails on the south end of Pickeral Pond in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

This split marks the far end of the Two Ponds Trail. Just past the intersection, it curves to the left and heads southeast for 400 feet down a short-but-moderately steep hill before curving left again to begin the hike back to PEEC right along the eastern shore of Pickeral Pond. At least that’s what I experienced.

If you look at the map provided by the National Park Service, the Two Ponds Trail continues farther east before curving back towards the starting point, coming nowhere near the eastern shore of Pickeral Pond. I have a hiking app that shows the same thing. However, it also shows a trail running right along the shore of the pond, and this is where I ended up. In fact, I don’t even recall seeing an option to continue farther east. Regardless if two trails exist, I can’t imagine anyone wanting to walk farther out into the forest instead of taking a more scenic route along the pond. So, if you come to a fork that I didn’t notice, stay to the left. I made this correction to the map at the top of the page (path in red).

As for photography, Pickeral Pond runs north to south and has a long eastern and western shoreline. Since the sun rises and sets east to west, if you get good photos on one side of the pond, you will get crap photos on the other side (sun over your shoulder on one side—good, versus sun shining in your face on the other side—bad). I got spectacular photos along the western shore, so the eastern shore photos weren’t very good. Also, there aren’t as many clear views of the pond on the east side.

View of south end of Pickeral Pond from the Two Ponds Trail in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

At 1.1 mile into the hike, you’ll be back at the north end of Pickeral Pond where the Figure-8 cut through is located. In the summer, there are canoes stored along the shore for use by those attending PEEC events.

Canoes on the north end of Pickeral Pond used by the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

To return to the starting point, take a right where the canoes are. Do not cross the footbridge to the other side of the pond, which is where you were earlier. The terrain remains relatively flat and easy to hike, but there are still plenty of roots on the trail surface, so watch your footing.

East side of the Two Ponds Trail between Pickeral and Front ponds, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

In less than a tenth of a mile, the trail merges with an old road and then almost immediately forks off to the right. There is no directional signage indicating which way to continue—road or trail—but a little ways down the hiking trail are trees with white blazes on them.

Two Ponds Trail temporarily merges with a dirt road on the east side near Front Pond, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Two Ponds Trail comes back out onto Brisco Road at 1.3 mile into the hike. Just prior to the road, it descends down a moderate hill for nearly a tenth of a mile. Cross over the road and continue along the shore of Front Pond. You’ll have a clear view from here.

Two Ponds Trail near the eastern shore of Front Pond in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Front Pond near the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The Two Ponds Trail eventually comes to a grass overflow parking lot at the corner of Brisco Mountain and Emery roads. Enter the overflow lot and take a left towards the forest where a short gravel path connects the overflow parking lot to the main PEEC parking at its Campus Road entrance, thus ending the hike. This is where the Campus Road trailhead is located.

Intersection of the Two Ponds Trail and Emery Road near the Pocono Environment Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Two Ponds Trail’s Campus Road trailhead on the right side of the Pocono Environmental Education Center in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

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