Lehigh Gorge State Park: Drake's Creek (4-Oct-2016)

With the whitewater season over, I went to check out the condition of Drake's Creek, one of the access points to the Lehigh River in the Lehigh Gorge State Park. I started a little more than half way down the access road and walked it and the creek down to the Lehigh. 

The amount of trash between the access road and the creek was about the same as my first visit to this location. Some of the same spots had the same kinds of trash items in almost the exact same places as before.

The colors of the newly fallen leafs added to the beauty of the creek. For the most part the creek itself was trash free. Only a couple pieces were picked up right on the creek bank. 

Like all of the waterways around the water level was very low. Even the smaller falls only had a trickle flowing over them. 

This was the most trash in one spot along the access road. Both trash and cut Rhododendron was tossed off the side and the trash wasn't the easiest to retrieve. The cut branches of Rhododendron really made it tricky getting to some of the items further down the slope that can't be seen in the photo on the left. On the right is all the trash picked from this particular spot. 

I was not looking for caterpillars on this trip, this one though was hard to miss. A friend identified it as Paonias excaecta. There are several caterpillars that look very similar, so this is one case where a quick internet search could give you a misidentification. It is always best to use guides or ask those who can positively id species if you want to know exactly what you find is.

This area which rafting companies use to get rafts down to the creek and out to the river bothers me. The companies really should do a better job of keeping this area clean. Around this raft sliding apparatus and to the creek I picked up everything in the right photo. Some of the items I found here can definitely be tied directly back to the rafting companies. 

Looking down river on the Lehigh. There was some washed up trash along the bank here and some discarded in the brush between the bridge and the river. 

A whistle! This one is in much better condition than those I carry on my PFD so it is going to replace one of them. Whistles are required while boating in Pennsylvania, so never launch your boat without one. 

Looking up river, the water is extremely low. 

The rail bridge that runs over Drake's Creek. It serves as a pretty cool gateway to the river. 

Penny taking her final looks of the creek before we packed up and headed out. Had a sack full by the end. This was less than my first visit, but on that one there was also a lot of older trash. 

Found a variety of fungus. I am adding the photos because I think the diversity in fungus is interesting, but I am unable to identify these to species.

These were neat. 

The oddest looking fungus of the trip. There were many of these on a steep slope along the access road.

All that was picked up on this trip. After sorting out the recyclables I loaded everything into the car. Luckily it was trash night for me and I was able to quickly dispose of the non-recyclables at home. 
You too can help with taking out the trash! If you get out hiking take a grocery bag with you, give it a second use and fill it with trash while you are out! Every bit helps. You can also help contributing to this project here: Help Fund Taking Out the Trash

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