Atop Kittatinny Ridge in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area lie Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond, two of Northwest New Jersey’s most scenic mountain waters. Carved out by glaciers more than 20,000 years ago, Crater Lake is the more popular of the two, offering great views just steps from the parking lot. For those seeking a longer hike, nearby Hemlock Pond is well worth the extra effort and also features great views around its shoreline. Continue reading to learn more about reaching these two lakes.
Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area
Nearby Attractions: Blue Mountain Lake, Long Pine Pond
Hike Information
Distance: 3.7 miles
Ascent: ~500 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Attached is the route as described below for reference. The elevation profile and route were created on AllTrails. Users can download the route to use on their preferred GPS. Click here for information on how to use the GPS routes on your phone.
Background
Crater Lake is a glacial lake on Kittatinny Mountain, a long ridge extending from Mount Tammany near the Pennsylvania border to High Point near the New York border. Crater Lake was formed approximately 10,000 to 22,000 years ago during the last glacial period, when the Wisconsin Glacier covered northern New Jersey. As the glacier advanced, it scoured the ridge’s bedrock, carving out the depression that created the lake. Nearby, Sunfish Pond is another well-known glacial lake on Kittatinny Mountain.
During the 1960s, Crater Lake was slated to become a residential community as part of the proposed Blue Mountain Lakes development. The full project saw little construction before the land was federally acquired for the proposed Tocks Island Dam project; neighboring Lake Success and Hemlock Pond were both created during this development period.
Parking and Skyline Drive
The parking area for Crater Lake is at the end of Skyline Drive, a 2.2-mile dirt road at the top of Kittatinny Mountain.
The road offers a few pull-offs with some views to the east.
While most of the road is good, the last half mile has large potholes and rutted sections. Most standard vehicles should be able to make it with caution, but low-clearance cars should avoid the road. If you have driven the nearby Mountain Road to Buttermilk Falls, you will be fine.
If you are not comfortable driving, you can park at the intersection of Flatbrookville-Stillwater Road and Skyline Drive and hike in, either via the Appalachian Trail, which passes through the intersection, or along Skyline Drive. The information below assumes you parked in the main parking lot, though.
Note: Skyline Drive (and its access from Flatbrookville-Stillwater Road) receives no winter maintenance and is closed when snow is on the ground.
The Hike
The hike around Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond is about 3.7 miles and features 500 feet of elevation gain. Most of the route is fairly easy and follows wide, double-track woods roads. The only exception is the connector between Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond, which is rocky single-track.
Despite going around two lakes, the water views are surprisingly limited. Fortunately, the views you do get are very good.
The View Before the Hike
Before you even begin the hike, you can see Crater Lake. Walk to the clearing at the end of the parking area and take in the view of the water.
Beginning the Hike
From the parking area, locate the wide woods road behind a gate. This marks the start of the Orange Crater Lake Trail.
Follow this road straight for about 800 feet until it makes a sharp right turn. As the road turns right, turn left to stay on the Orange Trail.
The trail remains wide and obvious, but it is no longer a gravel road. Just after leaving the road, an obvious side trail runs to the left. You can follow this trail to a view of Crater Lake.
After taking in the view, return to the Orange Crater Lake Trail and follow it for another 800 feet to an intersection with the White Appalachian Trail.
To skip Hemlock Pond and continue with Crater Lake, click here.
Hemlock Pond
Turn right on the White Appalachian Trail and follow it for about a hundred feet until you reach the start of the Green and Orange Hemlock Pond Connector Trail.
The connector trail is a short, approximately 0.4-mile trail connecting the Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond Loops. Unlike those trails, the connector is rugged and has a modest descent (and a later ascent on the return).
At the end of the connector, you will reach the Green Hemlock Pond Trail, which loops around the pond. As with Crater Lake, the trail doesn’t follow the shoreline, but it offers a few opportunities for views. You can reach the first of these views by crossing the Green Hemlock Pond Trail where the connector trail ends and following a short unmarked trail to a great view of the water.
After taking in the view, return to the Green Hemlock Pond Loop and turn left (right if you didn’t go down to the water as recommended).
Numerous marked and unmarked trails circle the pond. Whenever you see a trail, stay to the left to complete a circuit around the pond. At one point, you will cross over the dam for Hemlock Pond.
As with the prior viewing area, the view from here is excellent.
On the south shore of the lake there is another short unmarked trail to the left reaching the water. While the prior overlooks were better, this one is still very good.
Soon, you will reach the Green and Orange Hemlock Pond Connector Trail again. Take this trail back to the White Appalachian Trail. Turn right onto the White Appalachian Trail, which soon merges with the Orange Crater Lake Trail. Continue straight here (or turn left to return the exact way you came).
Finishing the Crater Lake Loop
After about 0.3 miles, you will reach a weird section of trail: a fork where the White Appalachian Trail turns right, while the Orange Crater Loop Trail turns left. Then, less than 300 feet later, the trails crisscross.
I highly recommend turning right here to briefly take the White Appalachian Trail.
Almost immediately, you’ll reach a scenic overlook.
After taking in the overlook, you’ll reach an intersection with the White Appalachian Trail and the Orange Crater Lake Trail. Turn right to take the Orange Crater Lake Trail. Alternatively, you can follow the Appalachian Trail for a slightly shorter route, but this goes down a steep hill and is not recommended.
From here, the Orange Crater Lake Trail gently winds back to the parking area. After about 0.75 miles, you will reach Lake Success to your left. This lake is easily the least impressive lake on the hike (and in the area as a whole) and is mostly covered in lily pads.
From Lake Success, it is only a few hundred feet back to the parking area. Just before the parking area you can take in one last view of Crater Lake.
Review
The hike around Crater Lake and Hemlock Pond is very good. All the trails are well-maintained and easy to follow. Of the two main lakes (ignoring Lake Success), Crater Lake gets most of the attention, but I actually find Hemlock Pond more enjoyable, though both are worth visiting.
My only complaint is how annoying it is to get to: it’s in the middle of the Delaware Water Gap, and there are no convenient ways to get to it; while I typically enjoy long scenic drives, none of the roads to Crater Lake are particularly enjoyable, and it just feels tedious to get to. Maybe that is a good thing, though, since Crater Lake is already decently popular. If it were easier to get to, it would likely be too busy to be enjoyable.
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