AboutWounded Knee Expertise I can advise on anything having to do with hiking and backpacking skills and equipment, including map and compass and orienteering skills. I cannot advise on the use of GPS devices. I cannot advise on car camping or group camping (10 or more people). My primary geographic expertise is in the US Northeast, but I know how to find information on hiking and backpacking just about anywhere.
Experience I've been hiking and backpacking for about 40 years, including ongoing section hiking of the Appalachian Trail (almost 1300 miles so far). I have hiked extensively in the New York Metropolitan Area, as well as various other areas from Virginia north, including upstate New York, New England, and Eastern Canada.
Publications New York Walk Book, 7th Ed. New Jersey Walk Book, 2nd Ed.
Education/Credentials Not applicable to this area of expertise.
Question hi,
me and 3 of my friends are trying to going backpacking for a weekend in jersey but nothing like camp grounds were prety experianced in backpacking but just have trouble finding places. do you think the delawre water gap would be ok... please add any other suggestions where to go
thank you
Answer The Delaware Water Gap area is good -- just make sure that you follow the rules. There's a backpacker's camping area about 2 miles up the Appalachian Trail from the DWG parking area, but it has no water, so you'd have to bring your own. The Sunfish Pond area is very nice, but you can't camp close to it -- you have to be at least 1/2 mile away (there are signs letting you know when you get too close). If you follow the Appalachian Trail along the Kittatinny Ridge, you'll find a whole lot of campsites -- just be aware of whether there's water available and how close you are to the road crossings (again, you can't camp within 1/2 mile of a road crossing). There are some good sites on the ridge above Buttermilk Falls near Walpack, and there are a bunch of good sites within a few miles or so of High Point. Almost everything else that I know of in NJ is either public campgrounds or cabin camps, and it sounds to me like you want to avoid such areas.
If you want more details about any of these areas, let me know.
