Year in Review - The Best and Least Favorite Hikes of 2014

It was a good year of hiking. In all, I went on 36 recorded hikes and a few short ones that I didn't record on my GPS tracks. Some of the hikes I took were before I started my blog and will eventually be posted. Unfortunately, my hiking expeditions were cut short this year by an annoyance known as plantar fasciitis which to this day, is still having an effect on my ability to walk long distances. I've been to a foot doctor and am currently going to physical therapy and it's slowly but surely starting to heal. I have good days and bad days where before, I was experiencing pain every day so progress is being made. There's no quick fix for plantar fasciitis so it's a matter of having patience and doing the exercises and stretches the physical therapist has advised me to do. Luckily, I recognized what it was before it got to a point where I would cause further damage by continuing to hike.

Ok, I got off the beaten path a bit. Time to focus on the actual subject matter at hand which is the best and least favorite hikes of 2014. I was all over the place this year and what's cool about this is, I've hardly touched the surface with the number of places I still have plans to explore (once my foot heals!). Some of my hikes were excellent, others not so much. Originally, I was going to use the word "worst" to describe and title my least favorite hikes but no hike is a bad one in my opinion no matter the conditions. Without further ado, here they are:
 
Favorite Hikes

Wissahickon Valley Park: Not only are there 57 miles of trails at this park, the geography is outstanding. There are lots of rock formations, cliffs, and hills surrounding the Wissahickon Creek along with a number of tributaries that run into the Wissahickon with their own rock formations providing numerous photo opportunities. If you want to go for a leisure stroll, you can take a walk along Forbidden Drive and check out the waterfalls. There's also the Wissahickon Gorge and the hills surrounding the valley around the Wissahickon Creek. I've only covered 10 miles of these trails and will eventually be returning to see more. As an added bonus, most of the trails I was on were in good condition and well worth hiking. 

One of the many rock formations at Wissahickon Valley Park

French Creek State Park - Horse-Shoe Trail: I chose this hike because of the historical information I found out about some of the areas I explored, namely the Six Penny Creek and Day Use Area. Somewhere within the Six Penny Creek area, a community of African-Americans from the south who had escaped slavery were said to have lived in the valley from the 1780's on and worked at the local forges and furnaces (Hopewell, Joanna Furnaces, forges in Birdsboro) as well as other jobs in the vicinity. Starting in 1835, the area was also said to have played an important role in the Underground Railroad movement. 

In the Six Penny area from 1933 to 1942, the Pennsylvania Civilian Conservation Corps also had a role to play although I don't know how much. I have yet to find a solid reference but I believe the CCC were the ones who built the day use area. 

Last but not least, the now abandoned day use area was once a popular swimming spot until the late 1970's when it was closed due to bacteria in the water. At the time, this was one of the only places to go swimming in Berks County since Hopewell Lake had been closed to swimming in 1973 due to contamination of the water caused by geese. There are still remnants of what used to be there and it's well worth the adventure. 

Section of the Six Penny Day Use Area

  
Nockamixon State Park - Mountain Bike Trails: This was the best hike I was on this year as far as the condition of the trails go. While they're supposed to be for mountain biking, there's nothing stopping you from going hiking on them. The trails in this section of Nockamixon State Park are very well maintained and in excellent condition. They don't pose much of a challenge with only a few hills to traverse but the condition they're in and the scenery make the hike well worth while. From what I saw while I was there, it's a pretty popular place for mountain biking so be ready for this if you go. 

Jay Walk section of the mountain bike trails at Nockamixon State Park

Most Challenging

Wissahickon Valley Park: Along with it being one of my favorites, Wissahickon Valley Park was also the most challenging hike I had been on this season. The hills surrounding the valley and the Wissahickon Creek are plentiful, rocky, steep, and will give you an excellent workout. As I've already mentioned, there's also the Wissahickon Gorge you can check out as well as the 57 miles of trails. 

Section of the trail at Wissahickon Valley Park

 
Honorable Mention: French Creek State Park - Mill Creek, Lenape, and Buzzards Trails. If you're looking for a decent challenge, the eastern side of French Creek State Park is a good place to go. While there aren't as many hills as there are at Wissahickon Valley Park, they're steep enough to give you a good test of endurance. These trails are also the most secluded in the park and can be tough to traverse in some areas due to the rocks. Be sure to wear good shoes/boots and bring plenty of water with you. Take note that some of the trails in this section of the park are not well marked, especially within the boundaries of Hopewell Furnace. 

Section of the Lenape Trail at French Creek State Park

Least Challenging 

Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve: This is a nice place to go on a cool spring day or if you'd like to take a leisure walk around a nature preserve. There are few hills and most of the trails are easy to walk. Most of the land at this preserve are relatively open fields and provide little cover so if you're planning on going there, bring sunscreen or go on a day where it's not too hot outside so you won't end up being baked by the sun. The Wissahickon Trail (also known as the Green Ribbon Trail) runs alongside the preserve and can add some distance to your hike. 

Yellow wildflowers in a section of trail at Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve

Peace Valley Park: There are more miles of trails at Peace Valley Park than at Gwynedd Wildlife Preserve and with a few minor exceptions, this hike is almost entirely flat. The area close to the Peace Valley Nature Center and the trails in the northern section that run alongside the North Branch Neshaminy Creek have some hills, but they pose little challenge. The only real challenge to this hike is the distance. If you only hike around Lake Galena, it's approximately 6.5 miles. If you head to the trails in the northern section on both sides of Lake Galena and North Branch Neshaminy Creek, you'll be adding a few more miles to your adventure. Most of the trails at Peace Valley Park are paved which I'm not a big fan of but you'll find unpaved trails in the same areas mentioned above. 

View of Lake Galena from a northwestern section of Peace Valley Park

While I enjoyed every adventure I was on regardless of the conditions, there were a few that I would have avoided or gone elsewhere had I known what I was going to run into.

Least Favorite Hike

Nockamixon State Park - Church and Mink Trails: This was the most messy hike of the season. If you've never been to this section of Nockamixon State Park I'd advise avoiding it since there are plenty of other trails within the park worthy of exploring. If you want to see for yourself, bring waterproof boots, gaiters, hiking poles for balance (no faceplants into deep mud for me, thanks), and a spare set of shoes you can change into after you complete the hike. Since these trails are used for horseback riding, the ground is soft, badly rutted, and when it's wet, there are mud and puddles that are a good few inches above ankle deep and near impossible to avoid unless you want to walk through thick bushes. Not all of the hike was bad, especially the spillway and a few sections of the Mink Trail, but when you spend the majority of your hike trying to work around deep mud and puddles, it tends to put a slight damper on enjoying it. 

Section of Church or Mink Trail with deep mud at Nockamixon State Park

Dishonorable Mention: Tyler State Park - Equestrian Trail: While this certainly doesn't deserve the distinction of being a least favorite hike, giving it a dishonorable mention I felt was appropriate. To be fair, most of Tyler State Park is good hiking with the exception of the equestrian trail that runs along the western side of Neshaminy Creek. Like the Church and Mink Trails at Nockamixon State Park, there are sections where there's deep mud and puddles that are impossible to avoid unless you want to walk through thorn bushes, stinging nettle and poison ivy. Unless you have the proper gear, it would be advised to avoid the trail that runs alongside the creek from the dam above the pedestrian bridge (where the boat launch area is) northward until you reach the Dairy Hill Trail. Some of the unpaved trails are also not very well maintained and tend to be overgrown and hard to find. There were sections where I only knew it was a trail because it had been matted down by previous horseback riders or hikers. 

Section of the equestrian trail at Tyler State Park

Most Popular

These adventures were the most viewed by my readers and for good reason. Both places offer scenic adventures whether they're big boulders or tall cliffs and each have their own challenges that are well worth the effort.

St. Peters Village: I've spoken of St. Peters Village a number of times throughout my blog and am going to say it here too. This is one of my favorite spots to go when I need some quiet time. I've been going there a few times a year for over 20 years and never tire of the place. Most of the time, I usually hang out close to the rocks but if you're looking for an adventure, there are plenty of trails and a few quarries in the area worthy of exploring. I'm not talking about the quarry that's right next to St. Peters Road either, that one is fenced off where the others are easily accessible if you know where to find them. 

Section of rocks on French Creek at St. Peters Village

Ralph Stover State Park: Also known as High Rocks State Park, this park offers a spectacular view of the Tohickon Creek and the valley below from the top of 200 foot cliffs making it a popular attraction throughout the seasons, especially in the fall when the leaves are changing color. My most recent visit was in October to see the fall colors and it was beautiful. These cliffs are also popular for rock climbing. There are also trails which run alongside the Tohickon Creek in both directions, some of which aren't on any map so there's more to explore than one may think unless you go there.

Looking down on the Tohickon Creek from the top of the cliffs at Ralph Stover State Park

Honorable Mentions

These places didn't make it to my list of favorites since I limited myself to three choices but this certainly doesn't mean they're not worthy of the road trip to explore them. If you enjoy outdoor adventures, you'll also enjoy these places. 

Haycock Mountain: I was there twice this past summer and found both experiences to be fascinating. On top of the mountain, there are huge boulders you can climb on, and on the western side, there are four different rock gardens similar to what you'll find at Ringing Rocks County Park in Upper Black Eddy, PA. If you want to check out the rock gardens, you may have to bushwhack to get to a few of them. One of the rock gardens is just off a trail but I was unable to find trails that led to the other two I explored. The fourth I have yet to visit since it's secluded from the rest. 

View looking up towards the top of Haycock Mountain

 
Fiddlers Creek Preserve and Baldpate Mountain: One of two hikes that I took in New Jersey that are just across the border from Pennsylvania. Fiddlers Creek Preserve is a relatively easy hike but once you cross the street to Baldpate Mountain, there are a few areas that will give you a good challenge, one of which I didn't notice until after I had completed my hike which makes a good excuse to return, like I need one! What impressed me about Baldpate Mountain was not only the scenery but also that I hardly found any trash on the trails. I usually end up picking up trash on just about every hike but there, I didn't even find a cigarette butt! 

Section of trail at Baldpate Mountain - yes, this was the trail!

That about wraps it up for this post and for the year 2014 and to say the least, it was an awesome year of hiking. In the beginning of 2014, I could hardly go 6 miles without being tired out or having blisters on my feet (I chose the wrong boot size to start, slightly expensive mistake and a lesson learned) and by mid to late summer, my longest hike was 16 miles. In all, I hiked approximately 231 miles this year with an average ending up at around 6.4 miles per hike. Not too shabby for someone who only this year decided to take hiking more seriously than I used to. I've learned a lot and I still have a long way to go! 

Happy holidays, happy adventures and happy hiking!

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