Blue Mountain via Appalachian Trail in Kittatinny Mountains, PA

Hike Blue Mountain via Appalachian Trail Kittatinny Mountains, PA

Class 1 6.8 miles 900 gain 1-2 hr Out + Back Dec 30, 2021
Effort
Beauty
Personality
Solitude

Blue Mountain via Appalachian Trail GPX Track

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While home for the holidays to visit family in NJ, I made plans with friends who live out in PA. I noticed they lived absurdly close to the only peak with 1000+ feet of prominence to my parents' NJ home, 60 miles away as the crow flies. I could almost hear my friend's eyes roll through text when I told her I'd be a little late because I needed to get Blue Mountain. This hike follows a portion of the Appalachian Trail. The first half mile has most of the vertical gain for the ascent, but then becomes more or less flat and the trail gets rockier as it progresses. After about two miles, the Appalachian Trail crosses over a service road and continues north, but doesn't lead to the summit of Blue Mountain. To get there, I turned right onto the service road and followed the remaining mile or so to the summit area, where the land has been cleared for radio towers. The fog made the hike pretty, but it would otherwise not have been a particularly interesting hike.

PEAKS ON HIKE
Elevation (ft) / Prominence (ft)
Peaks on hike
Elevation
Prominence
1
Blue Mountain
1695 ft
1035 rise

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Appalachian Trail parking lot.
Appalachian Trail parking lot.
Starting up the A.T.
Starting up the A.T.
Most of the vertical gain is within the first half mile.
Most of the vertical gain is within the first half mile.
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The trail gets a bit more rocky. The wet rocks didn't help.
The trail gets a bit more rocky. The wet rocks didn't help.
Image 7 from gallery
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Very cool fog.
Very cool fog.
The A.T. meets up with a service road. Head east along the service road.
The A.T. meets up with a service road. Head east along the service road.
Along the service road.
Along the service road.
Image 13 from gallery
Blue Mountain summit.
Blue Mountain summit.

Hire me or show me some love!

Hire/refer me as a web developer or send me a few bucks if you find my site useful. I’m not sponsored, so all fees are out-of-pocket and my time preparing trip reports is unpaid. I really appreciate it!