Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail Almost 44 to 50-Rockwood to Markleton
The trail from Rockwood to Markleton is very pretty like most of the trail. But for me it was the worst and the best.
I got to see lots of little toads all over the trail but I also saw three live snakes and one dead snake. Most likely because the toads had just hatched along the side of the trail.
But overall just a lovely little walk.
Last of Mile 43-Rockwood and Weeping Rock Wall
Mile 43 is down the way from the Rockwood visitor center. But the weeping wall is great and I will redo a bit of Rockwood.
Rockwood has a great bike shop, Bed & Breakfast, Campgrounds, and a Gas Station with a restaurant/bar and little store. See Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) Trail 36ish to Almost 44-Garrent to Rockwood for more information Mile 43.
Just past the visitor center on the right is a picnic area.
But you have this great rock wall.
The the weeping wall is just so peace for so that your trip stops for a moment before you even began.
Mile 44 marker.
44 Miles-Casselman River, Almost Dried up Waterfall, Little Waterfalls, A Small Snake, and A Big Black Snake
Mile 44 is starts with one long straight away.
Then a bit of a turn to the right.
But right back into a straight away.
With views of the Casselman River all the way.
The waterfall is a bit dry but this would be a great place to be on the during the Spring.
The next one has a bit of water in it.
This little guy refused to move for a full five minute so I could not get past him. Amazing what a 6 to 8 inch snake can do to me!
Now this one was half in the grass as I was walking up. He took his sweet time staring at me for a long period of time. He finally moved across the trail which is generally about five feet across in most areas but I would say that this is about 8 feet across here.
Therefore, this guy was over 3 feet long but under 4 feet. I almost went home for the day. As he went across the trail to the edge of the grass on the other side and stared at me as I walked past him.
The trail leads to the left but look at what is around the corner.
This amazing little waterfall.
A little turn to the left.
Mile 45 marker.
Mile 45-Dry or Low Water Waterfalls, A Snake, Trail Camera, Casselman River, and Rock Walls
The little ponds on the side of the mountain have all the little tadpoles becoming frogs and toads which the little snakes are looking at as dinner.
The trail straights out a bit before going to the left.
Plus around the next turn is a nice little picnic area.
Then of course there was this one that refused to move. He was about 12 to 14 inches long that was a bit more stubborn. He took about 20 minutes of playing dead before crossing the trail.
Another straight away after the turn to the left.
But I love these trees all standing in a roll.
A bit of a dry stream.
But this one still has a bit of water left.
It is a bit cooler during this part of the trail.
Around the next corner is a bit of a straight with a turn to the right.
A bit of a straight away with another small turn to the right.
The trail turns a bit dark and a bit of a turn to the right.
I just think that this was a very cool rock wall with a few interesting trees and vines.
I thought that this was a mile marker as I was coming around the corner but it is a little camera to count the people that cross the trail.
The canopy of tree leafs over the next bit of trail.
This dried up waterfall will be back in the fall.
The Casselman River opens up on the right side of the trail.
The Mile 46 marker is in the middle of the straight away.
Mile 46-Casselman River, Dried Up and Low flowing Waterfalls, Rock Walls, and A Dead Green Snake
On the right is the Casselman River through the trees…
On the left, are little waterfalls that are mostly dried up for the summer. A bit of water will come down during the days of a rain storm but mostly dry.
The trail is a bit of a straight away but just so nice in the shade on a hot day.
With a few little waterfall stream going down.
About half way down the straight away, a nice little bench is hiding.
I love rocks with trees….
Another little waterfall.
The trees are a bit hanging over the trail and make a bit of a darkness to the trail.
As the Casselman River starts to hide itself behind the trees.
The trail starts to open up with a turn to the left.
But back into the darkness.
The trees here remind me of being very young and looking up at the adults towing over me.
But they are pretty.
The trail is a bit of a straight away with just a bit of a turn for a while in the sun.
But back to a darkness with the tress hiding the sun beating down on you.
A bit of a stream coming down…
Crossing to the other side to go down to the Casselman River.
The trail opens up to a nice sunny straight away.
And of course, the last snake of the day which looks like it was ran over by a bike.
Then back to a blanket of green. And in the hot July sun, this is great!!!!
A nice little stream coming down…
But just around the corner is Mile 47 marker.
Mile 47-Wet and Dry Rock Walls and Little Toads
Around the corner is a nice little picnic area. I relaxed here for a bit. It was very peaceful.
A bit of a straight away….
But around the corner is a bit of a rock wall area.
And a nice little straight away into a bit of a right turn.
A bit down the trail is this nice bench with a view of the Casselman River but the trees are so think that you can just make it see the river.
The trail gets a bit thinker with greenery.
The rock walls come more into view.
The trees start to make areas head look like tunnels in the distance.
But it is just the canopy of trees above and rock wall on the side.
With what looks like a weeping wall.
The trail becomes a straight away with a turn to the left in front of you…
But look at the upside down stairs on the rock walls.
It was so much cooler then the trail that had the sun beating down on this hot June day.
As you clear the rocks and this was late June that I did this half of the trail between Rockwood and Markleton…
These little guys are all over the trail having just gone from being tadpoles to frog or toads.
They are about the size of a nail on my index finger. My hands are very small. By ten years old, most children have bigger hands then I do…lol
The little frogs or toads litter the trail. I thought that they where small grasshoppers or flies at first and you can almost not realize that they are there if you do not look down.
The Mile 48 marker makes an appearance and the frogs or toads seem to disappear.
Mile 48-Just A Nice Country Mile
Mile 48 is very pretty but it really has nothing that jumps out at you. So it is just a nice country mile.
After a long straight away, the trail goes for a bit of a turn to the left.
Opening up to a bit of sky and sun. Not greatest on a hot afternoon…lol
But into the turn, the trees again shade you from the hot sun.
I thought that this was interesting.
A bit more shade. It was really hot this day…lol
The trees are just fabulous as you go to the left.
Around the corner, you get a bit more sunlight…
But as you round the corner, the trail has a bit more shade. It was a very hot day…lol
Then just this wonderful straight away.
Which keeps going straight.
And a bit more…
But half way down, the Mile 49 marker appears.
Mile 49-Leafs in a Pond, Dried Waterfall, Pretty Flowers, and Markleton
After the mile marker, the trail is just a nice straight away.
But the trees get a bit think and all you can see is green!
With little dried up waterfalls, I believe that this part of the trail would be most beautiful in the spring or fall. It is beautiful now but with the snow melting and rain, it would be even more so.
A bit of a water run of on the left side of the trail provides these wonderful little ponds that once had tadpoles in them. The water is so clear that you can see the decaying leafs.
The trail looks like you are going to enter a tunnel…
But as you get closer, it is only that so many leaf are soaking up the sunlight that they are not allowing the light to get completely through.
Small hills on either side of the trail make you feel a bit closed in and comfortable with the lower light.
Only to move a bit down the trail and get a nice kiss of the warm sun on your face.
The trail is just so peaceful that it makes me smile to be out in nature for the day.
Most of the mile is just a long straight away with little turns that allow your mind to wonder what is around the next turn.
As the trail lightness up, the Casselman River can be viewed through the trees.
A bit of a turn to the left…
The trail opens up to a little hill on one side and a little valley on the other side.
A little waterfall is on the side about a 1/3 of the way down the trail.
But towards the end of the straight away is Markleton!
And a beautiful sky that the trees have been hide you from most of the day.
Along the last bit of trail, berry bushes.
Pretty little purple and white flowers.
And the flower boasting to every bee that it has a bit of food for them.
Then a little bend which you can see the road.
With a few more berry bush and a new little purple flower to welcome you.
You have arrived at Markleton!
Across the road the trail keeps going. But down to the next opening on the left is the bathroom and a changing area.
But up this little hill…
The Mile 50 marker and you are now 1/3 of the way to completing the trail!!!!!!