Exploring New Trails In The Rain At The Bethlehem Authority Wild Creek Reservoir In Carbon County
Thanks to the City of Bethlehem, and the Bethlehem Water Authority, I have found some new woodlands to hike in and explore, over 22,000 square acres of them. These woodlands, are located at the Wild Creek and Penn Forests reservoirs owned by the City and Authority in Carbon County. I came across these reservoirs while looking at maps for new places to hike. I learned that Bethlehem Authority’s 22,000 acres of woodland are open to the public and enrolled in the PA Game Commission’s (PGC) Public Access program.
On Saturday morning I had originally planned to drive to Hawk Mountain to look for migrating raptors. However, it was cloudy with some rain in the forecast. So I decided to drive the 35 miles from my house in Luzerne County to the Wild Creek Reservoir. The resevoir is in the watershed of the Lehigh River. It is located near Beltsville State park in Carbon County. I was unfamiliar with the area and followed Penn Forest Road, a few miles past Beltsville State Park, on a gravel road through a heavily wooded area. It was a beautiful drive. 
There were many red gates along the road leading to trails in the vast woodlands owned by Bethlehem Authority. Motor vehicles are prohibited on the trails. I chose a trail randomly, parked my Jeep near the gate and began hiking into the lush forest. It was scenic hike on a grassy trail through a mixed hardwood/hemlock woodland. 
It was cloudy and mild for late September with a light drizzle falling as I walked through the mostly oak, second growth woodland. The trees were showing the first hints of their Fall colors.
There were many ferns growing along the trail and most had already begun to fade into their colors of Fall, including cinnamon ferns, 
bracken ferns, 
and hay-scented ferns. Thrse ferns filled the air with their wonderful sweet aroma. 
I followed the trail as it gradual continued up a ridge under the canopy of trees. 
Fallen maple,
and oak leaves were scattered on the trail. 
Fan clubmoss and
common hairmoss provided a deep green contrast to the yellow, browns and reds of the fallen leaves. 
A few mushrooms grew in the moss, this is a species of mycena mushroom, 
a few grew on the trail I believe this is a brittlegill russula mushroom,
and a few grew on the trees along the trail, this is a birch polypore. 
There was not much wildlife or bird activity on the trail. I did hear some black capped chickadees, a lot of blue jays and a few red-bellied woodpeckers including this one. However, it was difficult to get good photos in drizzle in the deep woods. 
There was evidence there were other birds in the woodlands, I believe these holes were made by pileated woodpeckers. 
The trail continued up the ridge and soon came to an area where large rhododendron shrubs surrounded the trail. I would love to be here ion June when these flowers are in bloom.
The trail passed through some soggy areas,
and I saw a few red efts here the land stage of the eastern spotted newt. 
The trail then passes through a mostly hemlock tree woodland,
and then began a steep climb up a mountain side. 
As I struggled up the steep, and now rocky trail, a heavy rain began to fall, making the trail slippery. It required some exertion to climb up, what I now realized, was Call Mountain, And the heavy rain didn’t allow me to enjoy the woodlands along the trail, but I can see this will be a great area to hike in the future, and especially when the migratory song birds return in the Spring. 
I came to the top of the ridge and followed the trail for about another half mile. I had hiked 2 1/2 miles and came to the headwaters of White Oak Run.. an area I hope to explore on future hikes. 
I started my return hike, and it rained most of the way back down the ridge of Call Mountain. It was just as hard walking down the wet trail as it was hiking up.
The rain stopped when I had reached the bottom of the steep[ incline on the trail, and there was now a few birds active in the woodlands, including a few eastern towhees,
and a large flock of northern flickers that was migrating south. 
I noticed some more mushrooms on my return hike including this another species of russula, 
and a couple shaggy mane mushrooms.
I also noticed endangered American climbing ferns or Hartford ferns growing near the end of the trail. 
I ended my 5 mile hikes on this cloudy and rainy Fall day. It wasn’t the best day for hiking but I enjoyed the opportunity to explore this new trail. I look forward to hiking here, and on , the many other trails I drove past. I wanted toi hike more in the Lehigh River watershed of Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is one of the three scenic and historic rivers we are blessed to have in our area. I love living in and exploring the woodlands and forests of our Commonwealth an sharing the eauty I find. Itr looks like I found another place to do that. Here is a link to a gallery on my website with some more photos from my hike. Wild Creek Reservoir Bethlehem Authority Carbon County September 28 2024.
Show me a healthy community with a healthy economy and I will show you a community that has its green infrastructure in order and understands the relationship between the built and the unbuilt environment.
~Will Rogers
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