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Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower - 1 member in 20 triplogs has rated this an average 5 ( 1 to 5 best )
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Aug 11 2025
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Aug 11 2025
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking2.56 Miles 211 AEG
Hiking2.56 Miles   1 Hour   23 Mns   1.99 mph
211 ft AEG      6 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Kind of a casual walk out near the hill for some elevation and to listen for eastern wood pewees and eastern whip-poor-wills. Heard both, but katydids drowned out the whip-poor-whills after dark set in.

Being late summer, both were not as active as they were 2 months ago, but unfortunately the extremely late sunset makes it hard to want to stick around to hear them when they are very active in May and June. Sunsets after 835 PM are insane. Plus, it was super wet then and insects were horrible.

Still fairly mild for the day, but the dry weather is moving out with humidity coming back strong. Back to normal summer weather.
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Nov 10 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Nov 10 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking4.64 Miles 518 AEG
 Hiking4.64 Miles   1 Hour   48 Mns   2.63 mph
518 ft AEG      2 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
A few laps on a gloomy day. Also went down to the tracks. Kinda dull. Makes me miss the gap.
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Oct 18 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Oct 18 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking3.76 Miles 653 AEG
 Hiking3.76 Miles   1 Hour   31 Mns   2.69 mph
653 ft AEG      7 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Out on an exceptionally pleasant Fall day. 70°, dry and sunny.

I was surprised to see two smoke plumes while passing through Tabernacle, which is a small farming area. One was a new start on the Fort Dix ranges, and the other is the July Tea Time Hill fire which has flared up in the swamps since there has been little rain here since July. It's almost Arizona like!

The tower was manned due to the higher fire danger and so I went up twice. Route Scout actually picked up the tower as spikes on my route during my first and forth lap. These disappeared with syncing, but I added back in the AEG.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/p ... %20ECOLOGY

A link to the USDA Fire Effects Information System site for Atlantic White Cedar. While I have not been out in the location of the fire, it might be worth an exploratory trip in the future. This fire, unlike the dormant season prescribed fires the state prefers, has potential to reproduce Atlantic White Cedar, which is increasingly rare. Excessive 18th and 19th century logging, as well as conversion of suitable sites to agriculture for mostly cranberry bogs, as well as reservoirs for the bogs, is to blame.
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
Mostly brown but a little red in the heath.
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  3 archives
Sep 29 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Sep 29 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking8.33 Miles 275 AEG
 Hiking8.33 Miles   2 Hrs   55 Mns   2.89 mph
275 ft AEG      2 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Lousy weather so no trip to the Gap. Felt like this instead of laps.
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Sep 16 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Sep 16 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking3.74 Miles 552 AEG
 Hiking3.74 Miles   1 Hour   28 Mns   2.61 mph
552 ft AEG      2 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Lousy weather forecast this week, so I went out for some laps today. Overcast, humid yet cool, and rather silent.
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Sep 12 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Sep 12 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking3.65 Miles 556 AEG
 Hiking3.65 Miles   1 Hour   29 Mns   2.55 mph
556 ft AEG      3 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Out for more evening AEG. Not anywhere near as nice as Tammany, but it's close by. It definitely smells better down here with the pines and sand, but I like not having sand in my shoes, too.

I was surprised to hear whippoorwills after dark. Lots of them. I figured by now all migrants are gone as even the peewees left or fell silent weeks ago. About the only birds I hear now are the winter chickadees. Well, aside from the two bald eagles I heard and then saw today.
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Sep 05 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Sep 05 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking3.95 Miles 605 AEG
 Hiking3.95 Miles   1 Hour   35 Mns   2.58 mph
605 ft AEG      3 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
More AEG laps. Really nice out, with fall like weather. Looks like fall, and it was silent save for a few chickadees. No more pewees heard. I need something more, so hopefully either Sourland or a Penn Branch hike soon.
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Aug 31 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Aug 31 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking3.67 Miles 549 AEG
 Hiking3.67 Miles   1 Hour   32 Mns   2.50 mph
549 ft AEG      4 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Out for the AEG.
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Aug 28 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Aug 28 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking4.02 Miles 608 AEG
 Hiking4.02 Miles   1 Hour   47 Mns   2.54 mph
608 ft AEG      12 Mns Break
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
A few afternoon laps on a pretty nice but admittedly warm and humid day in the mid-90s with a dew point in the low to mid-70s. Not sure why it felt fine, but I was soaked when I finished.

The tower was manned for the first time since June that I have seen. The Tea Time Fire was burning again out to the south. Swamps or lowlands in the interior have dried out and are burning, possibly in muck. There was a second area near Eagle as well.

Heard a pewee.

Managed to hike over 6,000' this month, mostly in laps. This would be terrible in AZ, but feels like a solid accomplishment here. I was thinking I would like to hike another 8,000' this year, and that feels optimistic given how NJ weather can be, but it isn't much more than I did this month.
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Aug 23 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Aug 23 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking4.05 Miles 615 AEG
 Hiking4.05 Miles   1 Hour   32 Mns   2.67 mph
615 ft AEG      1 Min Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
A lovely late afternoon lap hike. I was going to head back out to the Penn Branch trail and explore further, but this was probably a more efficient use of the time. I would rather spend more time out on the Penn Branch, and 90 minutes here is about my limit. This isn't Sombrero Peak, after all!

No birds heard, even near sunset. The sunset was a deep red, this evening. Road from Whitehorse is newly graded removing the low mud hole.
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Aug 16 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Aug 16 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking3.98 Miles 608 AEG
Hiking3.98 Miles   1 Hour   37 Mns   2.51 mph
608 ft AEG      2 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Some afternoon laps at the hill. It's late summer around these parts and it is getting very quiet out in the forest in the afternoon. I did hear a peewee for a short period of time, and some other birds I have forgotten, but mostly it is silent now. Tower has been unmanned on every visit since June, too.

Only high 80s with moderate humidity considering what it can be. After a low the next few days, it might only be in the mid-70s for a couple of days. Fall like. If there was a Sombrero, Piestewa, or Elden around here (in the coastal plain) this would be relatively tolerable place for someone like me. But, why would there be a steep 1200' to 2400' mountain on an otherwise flat plain next to the Atlantic Ocean? Maybe I can get to Sourland next week?
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Aug 01 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Aug 01 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking4.04 Miles 610 AEG
Hiking4.04 Miles   1 Hour   32 Mns   2.69 mph
610 ft AEG      2 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Back out at the tower for some laps. It had been a while so it was enjoyable while hiking it, even though it was warm and humid. There may not be anywhere near as much elevation here as in northern NJ, but it smells a lot nicer. Plenty of pine scent while hiking this. Didn't see or hear anyone else, either.

Being August 1, I was also delighted to hear at least one Eastern Wood Pewee, which are one of the few neotropical migrants to still sing and call this late into summer. Even in the Ritas, by now the Trogons are not very vociferous. I remember listening to an Eastern Wood Pewee in mid to late August of 1997, on a similarly hot day, in a area that was turned into McMansions.
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Jul 15 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Jul 15 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking5.76 Miles 640 AEG
Hiking5.76 Miles   2 Hrs   29 Mns   2.54 mph
640 ft AEG      13 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Been riding a bike and walking in the suburbs the last week. Just like the past, but not as fun. It was time for some laps here. Getting boring, but maybe it was the heat and extreme humidity. Really 98 wouldn't be that bad in AZ, and I would probably head out for Sombrero or Piestewa after 3 PM and enjoy it. Sure, if that warm, I would be happy to be done unless it was cooling off, but here with the humidity it becomes torture. Oh, well, it's over, and I did a little inspection of Tea Time Hill and the fire. It burned.

Hopefully I can take a trip back to Sourland Mt and do laps getting me over 5,000' for the month. It might take me 6 months, but maybe I can finally log over 4.5 million feet of AEG. I would be well over that if I had not left AZ like a retard. Der....
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Jul 01 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Jul 01 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking3.54 Miles 588 AEG
 Hiking3.54 Miles   1 Hour   27 Mns   2.47 mph
588 ft AEG      1 Min Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Evening hike. Smelled nice, but it's super humid. When isn't it here?
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Jun 21 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
 Hiking avatar Jun 21 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
 Hiking6.94 Miles 1,076 AEG
 Hiking6.94 Miles   3 Hrs   48 Mns   2.52 mph
1,076 ft AEG   1 Hour   3 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
It's supposed to be nearly 100 in the area over the weekend with high humidity, so I opted to do my laps today in the low 90s. In AZ it would be a nice cool day, save for the dew point in the low 70s.

It was tolerable for sure, and my hike was aided by frequent breaks as well as cicadas and eastern wood pewees calling. Weird hiking and not having a cooler summit this time of year, but at least I was able to gain a view from the tower.

I was shocked to see a tick on my leg. Not because they aren't here, but because I have been very careful to hike this loop and stay on the wide trail and sand roads. This area gets burned often enough I wasn't concerned with them, and they aren't in the sand. I must have brushed against some grass by my car and one was able to start crawling up my leg, which I felt.

After the hike I went for a drive attempting to find some quail habitat and hear them. No such luck. Wound up on 72 near the pygmy pines, which are not so pygmy.
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Jun 15 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Jun 15 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking7.36 Miles 1,058 AEG
Hiking7.36 Miles   3 Hrs   11 Mns   2.44 mph
1,058 ft AEG      10 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Well, another hike means another round of laps out on Apple Pie Hill. It's not bad, but I will need to find some motivation to start hiking other things, even if mostly flat. I guess if I could, I could easily repeat stuff like today and get 2000' or 3000' a week, but that would be really boring. We'll see.

There was a vehicle from Colorado parked at the parking area below the hill. Turned out to be a young couple with the man stationed at McGuire AFB. He was not familiar with the Barry Goldwater Range.
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Jun 10 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Jun 10 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking4.22 Miles 633 AEG
Hiking4.22 Miles   1 Hour   38 Mns   2.58 mph
633 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
After painting most of the day I was able to take advantage of a lovely evening to do some laps out on the only hill around with some steep slopes. It was quite nice. Lots of birds, too.

Preston texted and said that it was 102° and he was using an ice hat for his hike. I thought it was a bit brisk this evening and apparently it was only 65°, according to my car, for the drive home. I did think it was a little bit chilly for my last lap. So, while this is no Sombrero Peak, it also wasn't anywhere near brain roasting temperatures.
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Jun 01 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Jun 01 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking4.31 Miles 750 AEG
Hiking4.31 Miles   2 Hrs   3 Mns   2.72 mph
750 ft AEG      28 Mns Break10 LBS Pack
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Route Scout Route Recorded  on Route Scout | Pop | Map | Popup | MapDEX
Out doing laps on the last section of trail to Apple Pie Hill. About the best I can get locally, and it's pretty pleasant today.

Ascended the tower and chatted with the operator. He had just spotted a fire south near Washington ruins. I said they should manage it. NJ FS direct attacked. Oh, well.
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May 19 2024
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar May 19 2024
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking8.00 Miles 200 AEG
Hiking8.00 Miles
200 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Having not hiked anything substantial since Wilson Mountain and with very limited activity due to poor weather the last week, I eased into something very, very easy today. Too easy. 8 miles with no AEG is hardly a hike. Oh, well. I haven't been here in probably 24 years or close to it. Seems about the same, I guess. Not really. I don't remember it being this wet, overgrown, and dense. At least closing the tower to the public has stopped the trash and vandalism. Ended up taking far less time than expected, too, and I was at the tower in 75 minutes. About the same getting back. So long as I didn't pick up any ticks.

To my amazement I saw 5 other people out here. I find that enjoyable.
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  1 archive
Aug 15 1999
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 Guides 73
 Routes 176
 Photos 10,174
 Triplogs 2,324

46 male
 Joined Sep 08 2006
 
Apple Pie Hill Fire TowerWestern, NJ
Apple Pie Hill Fire Tower
Western, NJ
Hiking avatar Aug 15 1999
Jim • Triplogs 2,324
Hiking8.00 Miles 200 AEG
Hiking8.00 Miles   3 Hrs      2.67 mph
200 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Oh, who knows about the exact date. Back in the late 90s and into the amazing year 2000, I use to hike this trail. I biked it, too. I also drove the tower many times. It was like my Mt Elden, but no where near as (insert comparison here). Sometimes, when nostalgia hits, I miss watching deep red sunsets on a warm June night. The sound of Whip-por-whils , Pine Barrens Tree Frogs, Eastern Wood Peewees, and Katydids were the sounds of the warm summer months and life in a state noted mostly for it's human made features.
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average hiking speed 2.57 mph

WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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