Hike Mount Minsi
Bangor, Pennsylvania
Description
Added by Michael Martineau
Distance: 5.5 mile loop. 1,000 ft elevation gain. Panoramic views of the Delaware Water Gap. Small waterfalls. Rhododendron walls.
This is a great 5.5 mile hike at the Delaware Water Gap. You follow the Appalachian Trail the entire time (white marked trail) as it climbs to the top on Mt Minsi. There are multiple viewpoints on your way up that provide a great view of the water gap as well as some very picturesque trail points. The trail can be crowded especially on nice days.
From the parking lot, the trail head is very easy to locate as you pass the kiosk on your drive in. The white trail starts off as more of an emergency access road that leads you around a bend to a nice lake on your right hand side. Be sure to look to your left and even climb down the rocks for a small waterfall. Continue on the trail (emergency access road) and be on the lookout to your left as the white trail cuts off from the emergency access road. From this point on the trail is very easy to follow as the white marks are visible on the trees and some rocks.
The first overlook you get to has a lot of traffic noise as Rt 80 is below (only time you hear it). There are multiple points of this hike where rhododendron line both sides of the trail almost making walls. Continuing through the rhododendron you will come to a part where you have to cross a stream with a tiny waterfall. This is a great spot to take a little break, eat a little snack/have some water and relax. When ready, proceed on, until it looks as though the trail is leading you right over the edge of the mountain. This is another great photo spot overlooking the water gap. Scramble up the rocks on your right (nothing difficult all part of the trail) and the trail will level off a little before making the final steep push upwards.
When you arrive at the “top” there are a few option, continue forward on the white trail where there will be more viewpoints or turn right and follow the emergency access road back down (more gradual then the hike up but not marked) to the parking lot. If you are doing the 5.5 mile round trip hike you would take the emergency access road back down
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Hike Mount Minsi Reviews
Hiked this a couple times while doing this section of the AT, but also came back to visit with my family. Good view at the top, but it was a bit challenging to hike up. A good friend of mine got engaged up here!
4.0
I've done this hike a number of times in all seasons. Three really nice views, one of the Delaware looking toward Mt. Tammany and more from toward the top of Mt. Tammany itself and then looking south down the Delaware. Once saw a huge black bear cross the trail in front of me coming down the fire road at dusk.
3.0
The hike was about an 1hr30min to top, and a little less on the way back. The view was lovely, but we could hear the highway most of the way up (which is pretty distracting when you're trying to commune with nature).
3.0
We hiked Mount Minsi yesterday and it was a great day off. Our trip total mile wise was 6.5 miles. When we got to the top where there is the option for the emergency access road we continued on maybe a quarter mile further to the "vista" outlook and it was gorgeous, also seemed as if it was a place where people camp or could camp as it was relatively flat and there was an old fire pit. Drive was easy, parking lot was easy to find, hike was ok. Going up was challenging as there was about a mile of stone stair cases but other than that the rhododendron make you feel like you're hiking thorough the jungle and there were not very many nats or flies. If you're trying to decide between hiking boots or sneakers, definitely wear boots, there were many times I could have rolled my ankle the loose stone but my boots saved me. Pack a lunch or a snack as the view at the top is a nice stop for lunch!
4.0
Fun hike. Good views of the Del and Mt Tammany. Quad burn on the ascent. Cool foliage that looks like mangroves but not sure. Parking lot is a little difficult to find but not too bad
4.0
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Nearby
Sunfish Pond via Red Dot, Tammany Fire Road, Turquoise and Dunnfield Creek Trail
Hike to Sunfish Pond
Hike Mt. Tammany via Red Dot Trail
Hike Mount Tammany's Red Dot and Blue Dot Loop
Hike the Mount Mohican-Raccoon Ridge Traverse
Kayak/Camp in the Delaware Water Gap
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