Luzerne County Highpoint Trip Report

Cherry Ridge (2,460+ ft)

Date: July 22, 2007
Author: Fred Lobdell

This HP lies in Ricketts Glen State Park. The Cherry Run Trail passes to the east of the high ground but doesn't go over the ridge. This is the same trail that Mike Schwartz noted as being blazed by orange plastic over yellow paint. I decided to tackle this one from the state park side rather than the way Mike did it. My one word of advice to others contemplating doing this from the south is:

DON'T!

Do it the way Mike (and presumably others) did it, from Mountain Springs Road. I hiked perhaps 3 to 4 miles before bushwhacking steeply uphill to my left to attain the ridge. That's where the fun begins. The bushwhacking along the ridge is abominable but I was lucky enough to find a use trail that carried along the ridge crest for a while, taking me into the highest contour. The trail then continues and drops into the next valley, so I had to bushwhack along the ridge, trying to visit all the possible areas that might be the true HP. Most of these were at the base of large trees. Even doing this CoHP the way Mike did it would still be unpleasant but at least it would be significantly shorter.