|
Hiking the Middle Mountain Trail |
 |
You cannot park at the Middle Mountain Trailhead because it is on private property. So, you need to drive another 1/4 mile to the Touch-Me-Not Trailhead and park there. It is just a grassy area with a DEC Registration Box. Park on the grass and register here. Then walk back up the road 1/4 mile to a private road.
|
|
 |
After hiking back up Beech Hill Road to this road with a DEC sign on it. Take a LEFT and walk up the road 400 feet, you will find the trailhead to Middle Mountain.
NOTE: The road is PRIVATE PROPERTY, so do NOT drive up the road. Furthermore, there is NO place to turn around.
|
|
 |
This is the Trailhead to Middle Mountain off Beech Hill Road. Take a LEFT and start hiking up the trail. The trail has ascends up the base of Middle Mountain. Most of the incline is easy-to-moderate.
|
|
 |
As with most of Delaware Wild Forest, there are some nice fern glades along the way.
|
|
 |
As you ascend up Middle Mountain Trail, the trail will have some sections that have a moderate incline.
|
|
 |
The Middle Mountain Trail has some nice windy sections through fern glades that are quite enjoyable.
|
|
 |
After a hiking up 1-1/4 miles from Beech Hill Road, you will come to the only view point on this hike. Sadly, it is overgrown. We hope that in the future, it will be cut open for a better view.
The summit for Middle Mountain is another 900 feet away. The incline to the summit is mild, so you might not notice that you have passed it.
|
|
 |
After the summit plateau, the trail will start to descend down the west side of the mountain at a mild drop in elevation. In this picture you will turn left and continue to descend.
|
|
 |
 |
The trail down the west side of the mountain is fairly mild, and the trail base is very nice. |
The trail level off before the end of the trail at Mary Smith Hill Road Parking Area. |
|
 |
When you are almost at the Parking Area on Mary Smith Hill Road, the forest will open up slightly.
|
|
 |
This is the Mary Smith Hill Parking Area. It is on DEC land. There is enough space for 3-4 cars. There are 3 Primitive campsites down (north) Mary Smith Hill Road. One of the Primitive campsites is across the street.
|
|
 |
This is Primitive Campsite #1 on Mary Smith Hill Road. It is almost directly across the road. The Mary Smith Trail runs right next to it. It is at the highest elevation and right next to the trail.
|
|
 |
If you hike further down Mary Smith Hill Road (further north), you will come to the second Primitive Campsite #2 on the left side of the road. This was tends to have more water issues.
|
|
 |
If you hike further down Mary Smith Hill Road (further north), you will come to the third Primitive Campsite #3 on the right side of the road.
|
|
|
S E C T I O N S
|
W E A T H E R
|
O T H E R
|
Middle Mountain trail