On the crest of the Kittatinny Ridge (Blue Mountain) in Heidelberg Township, about 0.4 miles east of the east parking lot on Bake Oven Rd. at the crest of the ridge. This site straddles the ridge in Lehigh and Carbon counties.
PA Game Commission
S.E. Office
610-926-3136 •
www.pgc.state.pa.us
For information about the fall hawk count, call the Lehigh Gap Nature Center at 610-760-8889.
From the interchange of I-78 and Rt. 100, take Rt. 100 north about 8.2 miles to the T-intersection with Rt. 309. Turn right onto Rt. 309. In just 0.2 miles, turn left (towards Germansville) onto Bake Oven Rd. Follow Bake Oven Rd. for about 4.3 miles through the stop sign at Mountain Rd. to the stop sign at the T-intersection with Church Rd. Turn left to continue on Bake Oven Rd. and turn right onto the gravel road that shortly enters the woods and begins up the ridge. Continue 1.7 miles to the parking lot that is on the right at the crest of the ridge. The trailhead is at the far end of the parking lot. Access to the knob is via the Appalachian Trail. Follow the trail (white blazed markers on the trees) east for about 0.4 miles.
Bake Oven Knob is a prominent feature on the Kittatinny Ridge. Three outcroppings provide excellent lookout sites for hawk watching. The south lookout,
at 1,560 feet above mean sea level (about 800 feet above
the south base of the ridge), offers impressive views of the Lehigh Valley as well as an unobstructed view up the ridge
to the northeast. |
There is little in winter to interest a birder.
There is a spring hawk flight but it is not as good
as the fall flight. Other spring migrants include warblers
and hardwood forest species such as Wood Thrush and
Scarlet Tanager.
Nesting birds of note include Ruffed Grouse (now rare), Wild Turkey, Pileated Woodpecker, Great Crested Flycatcher, Scarlet Tanager and several species of warblers including Black-and-white and Chestnut-sided.
The biggest attraction is the fall raptor migration when up to 14 species of raptors can be seen in a single day. The fall warbler migration can be good some mornings in late August and September. Other migrants seen from Bake Oven Knob include loons, cormorants, geese, swans, Ruby-throated
Hummingbirds, swallows and winter finches. Common
Ravens are present many days.
- Bake Oven Knob should be avoided during the rifle deer hunting season.
- Take care when climbing over rocks that can be slippery when wet.
- There are no
restrooms.
- The Kittatinny Ridge has been designated an Important Bird Area by Audubon Pennsylvania.
- Visit the PA Game Commission website, www.pgc.state.pa.us, for dates of hunting seasons and blaze orange clothing requirements. Please follow State Game Land or hunting regulations posted
in parking areas. There is no hunting on Sundays.
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