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| Penn Branch Huckleberry Quaker Bridge Loop, NJ | | -
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| | Penn Branch Huckleberry Quaker Bridge Loop, NJ | | | |
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Penn Branch Huckleberry Quaker Bridge Loop, NJ
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| Hiking | 10.10 Miles |
172 AEG |
| | Hiking | 10.10 Miles | 4 Hrs 32 Mns | | 2.26 mph |
| 172 ft AEG | 4 Mns Break | 10 LBS Pack | | |
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| no partners | | With more time available I went back out to explore some more of the Penn Branch trail south of where I deviated in May. I parked at the same location as I had a few weeks ago. Although sandy, the road from Atsion, over Quaker Bridge, and on to the Washington Turnpike through Penn Swamp is in good shape. This seems to be a fairly well maintained route. Some parts are hardpacked and gravelly, others just sand. No mud holes, but that is reported to change in winter.
Unless ticks have died off as summer progressed, which may happen in "dry" times, this area seems to be relatively tick free. It was burned once to twice over the last decade, and I think they were summer, "wildfires".
The most interesting area continues to be the area along the Basto River, nearer to QB, and where it is very open. I wish I knew what this area looked like 24 years ago, but I don't remember, despite having seen it, I am sure.
I found the proper trail junction for the Huckleberry Trail. This one has blue plastic circles nailed to trees, not painted rectangles. Also, there was a small sign pointing to Basto Village. The Huckleberry trail was nice. The eastern side was nicer, as the western side is thickly overgrown with extremely dense pine regeneration following a fire. That area only burned once, so it wasn't opened up again in 2022. However, the open area near to QB will grow and may soon look as dense in a few year. The eastern side was more of a classic NJ Pinelands forest of mostly pitch pine and some southern red oak over various low shrubs. There was some species of large squirrel I encountered in the western section, which was interesting.
Once I got back to the Penn Branch Trail I was soon at my May TH. I then took the road back to my car. The east side of the road has no recent fire history and is very thick. The west side is much more pleasant to look at, be it, move through, and there was game in it. I saw a lot of deer out there, and I bet they were healthier than any deer in the dense and thick area. If only the NJ FS believed in active management and had a better burn program on their land. |
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