Smoke Stacks, Bald Eagles And A Close Encounter With A Coyote. A Hike To The Lofty Reservoir In Schuylkill County.

I hiked out to the Lofty Reservoir in Schuylkill County last Saturday morning. Its hard to believe it’s been 10 years since my last hike out to this remote reservoir on lands owned by the Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Mahanoy Township Water Authority. ( This is a link to a blog post from that hike with more info on the reservoir.   https://keepyoureyespeeled.net/girard-manor-and-torberts-glen-long-gone-and-almost-forgotten-another-walk-into-the-past/ )

I parked near the gate on the access road , which was closed but is open during hunting season. It is located at the end of the paved Girard Manor road in East Union Township.

It was party cloudy and mild when I arrived around 8 a.m. I walked on a steep dirt road down a ridge. The road took me through a mostly second growth hardwood woodland of oak and maple trees . There were already some of Fall colors in the trees., mostly the witch hazel and  birch  trees.

Most of the bracken ferns,

and many of the hay-scented ferns growing along the trail had also turned brown and yellow,

while some of the hay-scented ferns

and the marginal wood ferns remained green.

There were  many Fall wildflowers blooming  along the steep road  including calico asters,

hairy asters,

blue wood asters, if you look closely you can see a spotted cucumber beetle on this flower,

wrinkleleaf goldenrod,

yarrow,

rabbit tobacco

and American burnweed flowers. All of these flowers are native to Pennsylvania.

As I continued down the road  there were some hemlock and pine trees growing along the road.

I didn’t see any, but I heard a few common ravens cawing loudly in the trees tops. I would hear a lot of them on my 7 mile hike. I did hear and see this red bellied woodpecker.

I soon came to  some old concrete ruins along the road,

and then to the massive smoke stack or chimney that towered over the ruins.   I believe this was an old pumping station that was built in  1893.

I found an old newspaper article which reported that the Hon. W. L. Torbert,  the  owner of the former Girard Manor resort,  sold land to the Mahoney Water Company because there was an inadequate water supply in the city. Griard Manor and Torbert Glen where large estate which attracted many visitors on the later half of the 19th century.

This massive coal fired facility was built to  pump water from the Blue Head  Reservoir over Bearshead  Mountain and into the city. The water pipes and access road to Mahanoy City passed near the small patch town of Park Place where my maternal grandmother grew up . I wondered if she walked past this impressive structure and what she was thinking if she did.

I walked past the ruins, and picnic area used by the water authority employees, and to the small reservoir. I have seen bald eagles here on previous visits. There were no bald eagles on Saturday morning but I heard an eastern phoebe and a few eastern towhees.

After  walking  past the smoke stacks and abandoned power plant  I crossed a bridge over Messers Run.   I then came to the road to the Lofty Dam. It was about a 2 mile hike from the old power plant.

Here I saw more Fall colors on the mainly oak and maple trees along the dirt and sometimes grassy road.

The road follows, as some distance Messers Run in the valley between  the Blue Head and Bearshead Mountain. Blue Head could be seen through some clearing in the trees. but Bears Head was hidden by the trees along the trail. Bearshead Mountain  is the highest elevation in Schyulkill County.

Walking on the road, there were, in addition to the other asters I saw earlier, many white wood asters blooming along the trail.

It was quiet  as I continued on the trail. The only birds I heard were some more common ravens high in the tree tops or flying overhead and this northern house  wren perched on a fallen tree branch.

The trail  took me first through some groves of rhododendrons,

then mountain laurel. I have only hiked out here in the Fall and I need to get here in the Spring when the mountain laurel and rhododendrons are in bloom.

There were also a lot of cinnamon ferns growing in this  more moist section of the trail. There were a few small creek beds  along the trail flowing down from the Blue Head mountain but they were dry since there has been little rain here in Northeastern Pennsylvania the past few months.

There were a few puddles from a recent rain storm and I saw a few green frogs in the puddles.

I was still on the lands of the  Mahanoy City Water Authority but, I think, when I came to this gate I entered the lands owned by the State Game Commission and, I believe, was recently made a  part of the Weiser State Forest.

I continued on the road, up a ridge, for about another mile,

when I came to a large clearing,

and the Lofty Reservoir.  I believe the Lofty  reservoir was  built in the 1890’s too, as part of the project to supply water to Mahanoy City.

I hoped to see  some wildlife here, herons or other water fowl , or even a bald eagle but again I only heard the cawing of common ravens in the distance. I had hiked  more than I planned, I did 2 miles earlier  near my home, so I decided to take a rest under this large oak tree along the road near the reservoir.

I sat under the tree and took in the view of the remote  Lofty reservoir. It was peaceful although you could hear some occasional traffic from Interstate 81 a few miles to the east of the reservoir. I just finished uploading a video of the reservoir when, I looked up and case a large coyote running toward me on the trail. It was beautiful animal. I never saw a coyote this close. It rain about 10 feet past me on the road. I do t think it saw me sitting under the tree. It was an awesome experience.

I rested a few more minutes, and reflected on my close encounter with the coyote before heading back, It was a nice hike in the late September sunshine.

Fall was here, and I observed many fallen leaves on the trail including birch and

sassafras. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some  more photos wildflowers and plants I saw on  my 7 mile hike out to the reservoir. Lofty Reservoir Girard Manor  wildflowers and plants September 27 2025.

I didn’t see any wildlife on the way back but  I heard a few more common ravens and red – bellied woodpeckers. I returned to the smokestacks at abandoned power plant

where I saw this bald eagle fly over the Blue Head reservoir.

It flew upward and was joined by another juvenile bald eagle that appeared to be doing acrobatic moves above the reservoir.

It was an awesome experience and the large bird flew in circles above me,

twisting it’s body and wings as it did.

It got even more amazing after it soared overhead and was joined by four other bald eagles.  I believe a nest must be nearby. It was a remarkable experience.  Here is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some  more photos of the bald eagles and birds I saw on  my 7 mile hike out to the reservoir. Lofty Reservoir Girard Manor birds and  bald eagle September 27 2025.

I walked past the tall smoke stacks,

and the old ruins of the power plant,

and now had to climb up the steep access road.

It wasn’t easy after my 8 1/2 miles of hiking that morning.   I  struggled to the top of the ridge  where I parked my Jeep. It turned out to be a wonderful hike. I enjoyed the Fall colors, the close encounter with the coyote and the spectaculare show the bald eagle put on for me.  I have to get back soon. We are blessed here in Norhteastern Pennsylvania to have so many differnet areas to hike and explore. This  is a link to a gallery on my blog website with some  more photos from my 7 mile hike out to the reservoir. Lofty Reservoir Girard Manor September 27 2025.

I want to fly like an eagle, to the sea / Fly like an eagle / Let my spirit carry me  Steven Haworth Miller