Rattlesnake Swamp and Catfish Fire Tower Loop Hiking Guide
This loop links the orange-blazed Rattlesnake Swamp Trail with the Appalachian Trail on the Kittatinny Ridge, north of the Water Gap in the national recreation area. It passes Catfish Pond, where the Park Service notes abundant beaver activity, climbs gently to the ridge, and follows the AT to Catfish Fire Tower, a steel lookout with views over the Delaware Valley. It is a gentler ridge hike than Tammany, with more swamp and pond than scramble.
Route from the Mohican Outdoor Center
The Rattlesnake Swamp Trail starts next to Trails End Lodge at the Appalachian Mountain Club's Mohican Outdoor Center, 50 Camp Mohican Road in Blairstown. The Park Service lists the trail at 2.6 miles one-way, easy to moderate, with 312 feet of climbing. It skirts Catfish Pond and the swamp, then reaches the Appalachian Trail; turn right on the AT for valley views and the fire tower, and the park says the return is about 1.4 miles. Mapping apps measure the whole loop at about 4.4 miles with roughly 470 feet of gain. The AMC describes a similar fire-tower hike from its center as about 5 miles.
Catfish Fire Tower
The tower is a 60-foot Aermotor steel lookout built in 1922, with a small cab that was rebuilt in 1993. The cab has been locked except when a fire observer is on duty, so plan on views from the stairs and the open ledges nearby rather than from inside. A dirt fire road reaches the tower from Millbrook Road, so you may meet people who came up the short way.
Wet Feet and Beavers
The Park Service warns that numerous small stream crossings and the swamp itself can make this trail very wet, and a hiking blog that walked it in cold weather found it very wet and muddy. Waterproof boots are worth it. Around Catfish Pond, look for lodges, dams and freshly gnawed stumps. Despite the trail's name, the park says rattlesnake encounters are no more likely here than anywhere else on the Kittatinny Ridge, though it still pays to watch where you step on sunny rocks in summer.
Parking, Dogs and Fees
The AMC says parking at the Mohican Outdoor Center is free for day visitors as well as overnight guests, and there is no Park Service fee for this area. An alternate start is the shoulder of Millbrook Road where the AT crosses it. Leashed dogs may use the national recreation area's trails, which include this loop; the outdoor center's own lodging is a separate matter, so check AMC rules if you are staying overnight. Bears are active along this part of the ridge.
When to Go
Spring through fall is the easy season here, with fall color from the tower as the reward. In winter the Park Service keeps open trails open, but says trailhead parking depends on conditions and may be limited, and the mud described by hikers turns to ice. Ticks are common in the wet, brushy lowland stretch, so check yourself and your dog afterward.
Hiking tips for Rattlesnake Swamp and Catfish Fire Tower Loop
- Wear waterproof boots; the swamp section and stream crossings are often muddy.
- Turn right where the Rattlesnake Swamp Trail meets the AT to reach the fire tower views.
- Expect the tower cab to be locked unless an observer is on duty.
- Park free at the Mohican Outdoor Center or on the Millbrook Road shoulder at the AT crossing.
- Watch the pond edges for beaver lodges and fresh chew marks.
Nearby trails to explore
- Van Campens Glen Trail
- Sunfish Pond Loop
- Mount Tammany Red Dot and Blue Dot Loop
Hike this trail with TrailMates
This is a mellow ridge loop with a fire tower at the top. Use TrailMates to find hikers heading to Catfish Fire Tower in the Delaware Water Gap. Download the TrailMates app to connect.