Hike 21: Jenny Jump State Forest – Ghost Lake and Summit Vistas

For hike 21 – I traveled north to Jenny Jump State Forest to check out Ghost Lake and the ridge summit views. I’ve never hiked in the park before, but it’s been on my list for quite some time so I was glad to finally get there.Jenny Jump State Forest Hike Track 05292016Hike 21 stats:
Date: May 29, 2016
Weather: 90°F, sunny
Trails Hiked: Swamp Trail, Ghost Lake Trail, Summit Trail
Distance:  5.76 miles
Time: 2:38
Total Ascent: 956′
Highest Elevation: 1,093′
Highlights: Ghost Lake, Summit Overlooks
Trail Map

DCIM119GOPROI parked near the cabins just passed the park office (maps are available on the office porch) and hit the Swamp/Summit trail. At the junction I continued left to stay on the Swamp Trail – I’d return via the Summit Trail at the end of my hike.DCIM119GOPROThe relatively flat trail ventured through thick forest towards the camping area. Being memorial day weekend, I wasn’t surprised to see reservation tags on every single campsite – what did surprise me was the group of 20 or so VW campers that were taking up a good number of sites. After leaving the Swamp Trail and walking a bit on the paved road I finally came to the head of the Ghost Lake Trail.DCIM119GOPROThe trail is a bit rocky in parts and brings you down some steep sections – but the trees and massive boulders are worth the effort.DCIM119GOPRO

DCIM119GOPROThe trail ends at Ghost Lake, which was filled with lily pads, frogs, and few visitors.DCIM119GOPROThe Ghost Lake trail is an out and back, so after a few minutes exploring the lake area I headed back up into the woods – past the boulders to a viewpoint near an old foundation.DCIM119GOPROI continued on until I met up with the Summit Trail, I turned left and headed up the ridge.DCIM119GOPRODCIM119GOPRODCIM119GOPRODCIM119GOPRODCIM119GOPROThe Summit trail has great viewpoints of the Delaware Water Gap to the west as well as the  Great Valley to the east. This eastern viewpoint was a perfect spot to stop for lunch.DCIM119GOPROAfter finishing my sandwich I continued on the trail, enjoying a few more viewpoints before reentering the woods and making my way back to the parking lot.DCIM119GOPRODCIM119GOPROJenny Jump was everything I had hoped it would be – if you’re looking for a shorter hike; the awesome viewpoints are easily accessible from the parking area near the cabins. The State Forest is definitely worth checking out!