As a way to get people to enjoy the outdoors, Upper Delaware has partnered with the New York State Department of Conservation, the Pennsylvania State Game Lands, Sullivan County, N.Y., Boy Scouts of America, and Damascus Township, PA, to create the Take A Hike! program which includes six local trails.
Located in Masthope, Pennsylvania on PA Game Lands 316, the Cobey Pond Trail is one of the trails included in the Take A Hike! brochure.
The Cobey Pond Trail is a three-mile lightly trafficked loop trail near Lackawaxen Township. The gem of this trail is the pond itself and is good for all skill levels. The trail is family friendly with its flat terrain.
It can be a perfect starter trail for young hikers or can even be enjoyed while pushing a jogging stroller. Dogs are also permitted but must be kept on a leash. This easy trail offers several activities to enjoy whether it be bird watching, wildlife viewing, or wildflower identifying. With a combination of gravel roads and grassy mown wooded paths, this trail is best used from May through October.
Upper Delaware’s “Take a Hike!” brochure highlights six local hikes and provides the names, locations, descriptions, and difficulty levels of trails in the Upper Delaware Valley.
It also provides a checklist to keep track of the trails you’ve hiked which can be turned in upon completion at Upper Delaware’s park headquarters or the Zane Grey Museum as well as mailing to the park for the coveted “Take a Hike!” patch. This resource is available on the web at www.nps.gov/upde/planyourvisit/take-a-hike or by calling (570) 685-4871 and asking a park ranger to put a copy in the mail for you.
If you are seeking even more hiking opportunities close by, look at the Trail Keeper (www.trailkeeper.org) page for plenty of hiking options just across the river in Sullivan County, New York
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Monday, June 21, 2021
Contact: Cory Dame
845-295-2445
cory@sullivanrenaissance.org
Presented by Sullivan Renaissance and Friends
[Liberty, NY] – Did you know that there are over 100 native tree species growing in New York State? Sullivan Renaissance along with special guest presenters, Lisa Lyons of Morgan Outdoors and Kate O’Conner, Conservation Manager at The Beaverkill Valley Land Trust, will lead a tree walk at Walnut Mountain Park in Liberty. Join us on Wednesday, July 7 at 6:00 PM to learn some of the key native tree species in our area, their ecology, and characteristics for identifying them throughout the year. Hear about invasive pests and pathogens that are affecting our forests, and become acquainted with the park’s carriage roads and single-track trails that you can return to for future walks, hikes, snowshoes, and cross-country ski adventures.
“We are thrilled that Lisa Lyons, a dedicated Sullivan Renaissance volunteer and owner of Morgan Outdoors will be leading us along the wide carriage trails that wind through a varied canopy at Walnut Mountain, said Cory Dame, Sullivan Renaissance Marketing and Communication Manager. “Lisa brings an adventurer’s view of the nature trails in the Catskills, while Kate O’Connor brings a specialist’s eye to the presentation. The combination of these two women will make for an amusing exchange of knowledge about our native trees.”
Lisa M. Lyons is the owner of Morgan Outdoors in Livingston Manor. As an avid hiker and snowshoe, she enjoys sharing her love of the outdoors and has led outings on Walnut Mountain’s beautiful, woodland trails for many years. She volunteers with the NY-NJ Trail Conference for trail maintenance in the Catskill Park. Lisa has been a passionate Renaissance volunteer since 2002 and particularly loves working on healthy community initiatives such as trails and community gardens.
Kate O’Connor is the Conservation Manager for the Beaverkill Valley Land Trust and works with Catskill Mountainkeeper to supervise their Catskill Stewards Program. She is passionate about studying and stewarding the forest. Prior to her current role she spent several years working on forest pest research in New York with State Parks and Cornell University’s Hemlock Initiative. During her time at Cornell Kate was an instructor of research and recreational tree climbing techniques with Cornell Outdoor Education. She climbed for a number of canopy research projects. Kate holds a degree in environmental biology from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.
Please remember to wear hike appropriate footwear. Pack rain gear, just in case of showers. If severe weather emerges, the walk will be rescheduled for the same time on the following Wednesday. Park at the trailhead near the pavilion on Town of Liberty Park Rd, off Route 55, Liberty, NY 12754. Light snacks will be provided. The first 20 people to register and attend will receive a gift for use on future explorations of our woodlands.
Register at SullivanRenaissance.org or call 845-295-2445. Follow Sullivan Renaissance on Facebook and Instagram for event updates, how-tos, and ways to volunteer.
Sullivan Renaissance is a beautification and community development program principally funded by the Gerry Foundation with support from Bold Gold Media Group, The River Reporter, The Sullivan County Democrat, and WJFF Radio Catskills.
