Short-but-steep loop to Sunfish Pond via the Garvey Springs trail and includes Laurel Falls.
4.6 or 2.8 miles, total round trip. Steep climb; surface is very rocky, especially where the Appalachian Trail hugs Sunfish Pond.
| 4.6 or 2.8 miles | This hike guide: Detailed instructions and photos follow below. |
| Shorter | 0.3 – Just hike to Laurel Falls. 2.8 – Out-and-back on Garvey Springs and Buckwood to Sunfish Pond. Noted below. |
| Longer, from this lot | Appalachian Trail – Sunfish Pond to Raccoon Ridge Lots of trail options in this area, such as adding in stretches of the Appalachian Trail. |
| Nearby | Coppermines – Rattlesnake Swamp; Van Campens Glen, Catfish Fire Tower; Rattlesnake Swamp – Catfish Fire Tower Loop; Sunfish Pond (via Dunnfield), Mt. Tammany |
Our two cents:
This solid hike packs Sunfish Pond, the Appalachian Trail, and a waterfall in under 5 miles… so what are you waiting for?
Garvey Springs is the fastest – but steepest – route to Sunfish Pond but you can do this loop in the opposite direction for a more gradual climb with a steeper return. Garvey’s has a stretch of ankle-roller rockiness that can be a wee bit brutal going downhill though.
Laurel Falls is very close to the parking area, just up the Douglas Trail a bit, and will be at the very end of this hike.
Updated: 6/2024 – Re-hiked, in reverse; minor edits. 3/2024 – Refreshed page, minor edits; not re-hiked. Older change log at page bottom.
Hike Info:
Map/Books:
Kittatinny Trails section #120. Follow along on your smartphone with our Interactive Map link above.
This route isn’t in any books that we know of, but individual trails are described in Kittatinny Trails.
Parking: 41.01317 -75.08217
Douglas Parking Lot Trailhead, 134 Old Mine Rd, Columbia, NJ 07832. Rt. 80 W to the last exit in NJ (1) for Millbrook/Flatbrookville which bears right onto River Road/Old Mine Road.
Cross a one-lane bridge with a stop light and continue on Old Mine Rd for about 4 miles, passing a sign for Worthington and the driveway to the park office. The lot will be on the left and has a sign.
Related: Waterfalls in NJ / Best Waterfall Hikes in NJ
Restrooms:
From the lot, walk back into the campground area to a bathroom building on the left. Rustic outhouses at the Douglas backpacker camp.
Hike Directions:
Overview: Garvey Springs (ORANGE) – Appalachian Trail (WHITE) – Buckwood (BLUE) out-and-back to a view of Sunfish Pond – Appalachian Trail (WHITE) – Douglas (BLUE)
Note: The Douglas trail used to be a BLUE DOT on WHITE but is now just BLUE. Some photos below still show the old markers.
0.0 – From the parking area, cross Old Mine Road and veer left to start following Garvey Springs (ORANGE).
At a trail bend Laurel Falls off on the right. It is easy to overlook this if the water flow is low. You’ll get up close to these falls at the end of this route.
0.6 – Continue on Garvey Springs (ORANGE) as it turns left and follows Rock Cores (GREEN) for a bit
The trail turns right and continues steeply uphill.
1.3 – Garvey Springs (ORANGE) ends. Turn RIGHT and now follow Appalachian Trail (WHITE) briefly. [Appalachian Trail (WHITE) also goes left].
Turn LEFT and follow Buckwood (BLUE) up to a view over Sunfish Pond and a nice break spot.
//Alternate: Instead of turning on to Buckwood (BLUE), stay on Appalachian Trail (WHITE) to the pond; cutting out Buckwood (BLUE). //
//Alternate, longer, from the viewpoint on Buckwood: The Appalachian Trail along Sunfish Pond has very rocky sections that are nearly scrambling (see photos below). There is an alternate route using a Fire Road that has the same distance and a much easier trail surface. The trade-off is it’s duller and doesn’t hug the shore of Sunfish Pond so there are no views.
//Alternate/longer, continued: To do this, continue on Buckwood (BLUE) from the viewpoint over Sunfish Pond. Make a right onto Sunfish Fire Road. At Dunnfield, turn RIGHT and head towards the other end of Sunfish Pond. Turn LEFT to continue on the Appalachian Trail (WHITE) and continue with this description from 2.2 below.
From the break spot and viewpoint on Sunfish Pond, retrace Buckwood (BLUE) back to the Appalachian Trail.
1.5 – From Buckwood (BLUE), turn LEFT to again follow the Appalachian Trail (WHITE).
// Short – 2.8 round trip: Instead of continuing on this route, retrace from here: Turn RIGHT back on the Appalachian Trail (WHITE) and then take Garvey Springs (ORANGE) down to the lot.
The Appalachian Trail (WHITE) is VERY rocky along Sunfish Pond.
Sometimes the trail is just picking a way over a jumble of rocks.
There are several open spots for views of the pond.
There may be evidence of beaver activity along the way.
In Spring, towards the other end of the pond, we’ve often spotted tadpoles in the shallow areas.
2.2 – Continue on Appalachian Trail (WHITE) passing a sign about Sunfish Pond and a stone marker.
2.9 – At the trail kiosk near the Douglas backpacker camp, start following Douglas (BLUE). [Appalachian Trail (WHITE) veers off to the left]
The small sign for Douglas Trail has a right arrow that is slightly misleading; it points to a trail that toward the camp. There are views beyond the camp when there are no leaves on the trees.
The actual trail is the wide path and shortly there should be a blue trail marker.
Douglas (BLUE) switchbacks steeply (but not as steep as Garvey) down a wide path with many dead trees.
4.0 – Veer RIGHT to continue on Douglas (BLUE). [Rock Cores (GREEN) goes ahead and leads to another parking area near the park office].
4.2 – Veer LEFT to continue on Douglas (BLUE). [Rock Cores (GREEN) goes right]
Nearly back, with the lot in sight, the unmarked path to Laurel Falls is off on the right. With leaves on the trees, the falls might be harder to spot. There is a path by the A.T. camping sign but it was rather overgrown in June we last hiked here – go a few steps more.
Nearby is a plaque explaining that the Douglas trail is named for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas.
Fun facts: In 1967 Justice William O. Douglas hiked with a thousand others to “Save Sunfish Pond” and protest against expanding the pond for water storage as part of the Tocks Island Dam project. Sunfish Pond was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1970. [Source: Hiking and history at Sunfish Pond]
Past the plaque is a Douglas Trail sign, turn RIGHT and follow a unmarked trail along the stream to the lower falls.
Continue a bit on the unmarked path to arrive at the lower cascade of Laurel Falls:
Close up of lower Laurel Falls shows the stepped rock formations that the water tumbles over.
Continue climbing uphill on the casual path to the upper section. The upper cascade of Laurel Falls is a two-tiered stepped falls:
There is a third smaller cascade after a steep climb – but this can be skipped as it’s not as impressive as the first two and probably not worth the climb up.
Backtrack on the unmarked trail to Douglas and to the parking lot.
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Hiked: 6/15/24. In reverse – Douglas, Sunfish, Garvey.
Hiked: 4/7/19. Trail Blog: “Hiking Laurel Falls and Sunfish Pond in Spring“
Updated: 5/2021 – Description changed to reflect that TURQUOISE is now called Buckwood (BLUE); not re-hiked.