Graystones Preserve (Mud Run - Carbon County) for Sale

[salvelinus]

Swattie, all I remember is tiptoeing along the edge of the pool with the water to the top of my waders. I might have gotten out and crawled on hands and knees through the rhodo. It is a beautiful stream below, nothing but falls and plunge pools, but I don't think it's worth the effort unless you are a young man looking for adventure. I certainly would have never done it alone. Luckily we were able to rehydrate at the Old Hickory Inn just up the road.

 

[JasonC]

The tougher to get to and more remote everyone makes it sound like, the more I want to see and fish it!

Two words: drone fishing.

 

[Swattie87]

salvelinus wrote:
Swattie, all I remember is tiptoeing along the edge of the pool with the water to the top of my waders. I might have gotten out and crawled on hands and knees through the rhodo. It is a beautiful stream below, nothing but falls and plunge pools, but I don't think it's worth the effort unless you are a young man looking for adventure. I certainly would have never done it alone. Luckily we were able to rehydrate at the Old Hickory Inn just up the road.

Yeah, most of the time the word on the fishing from what I've gathered is that's it's meh, and doesn't correlate to how the good the habitat is and the remoteness and difficulty of access. I like the adventure and challenge of figuring out legal access to places like this. I'd like to fish it once, just to see it, regardless of how it fishes. How it fishes would determine whether the effort warrants a return trip.

Like I said, last time I was there I spent 2+ hours on a hot July morning battling the rhodo on the north hillside coming down from 534, still in HRSP. I eventually gave up and just walked the trail down to the mouth of Hawk and fished Hawk back up. Wet wading Hawk felt great to cool off.

From the topo map, even if you get past the rhodo on the north side, there's no guarantee you'll be able to safely get down to the stream. Looks insanely steep and doesn't level out until you get down into the posted Graystones section. Even if you make it to the stream, there's no guarantee you'll be able to wade your way upstream. The stream is pretty big (by small stream standards) and has enough gradient that it will likely make some massive pools you can't wade through. Couple that with the cliffs, and you may not be able to get around them either, without actual rock climbing skills/tactics. All of this plus the blocked access from below via Graystones, and the corner hole below Hawk, and the lower HRSP stretch has a multilevel defense system, lol.

For anyone looking to do this, I would rate this as a 10 in terms of difficulty and danger in terms of accessing a stream, and getting back out safely. There's other nearby streams that are similar in terms of difficulty and gradient, but Mud is a MUCH bigger stream. Be smart.

 

[Bamboozle]

I fished Mud Run somewhat frequently a LONG time back when the trail accessed from a grassy field immediately west of the Turnpike overpass on 534 was pretty good.

Even back then the fishing was just OK to lousy although you could fish up & downstream with relative ease.

Fast forward to about 10 years ago and an attempt to head back down via the same trail...

...The rhododendron growth was incredible and hiking down the trail was brutal.

Once down at the creek, moving upstream above the Turnpike was about impossible because of the rhododendron and access downstream was equally brutal unless you waded down the creek which isn't always the best option for a lot of reasons.

Intelligently I had a GPS and marked the trail in because I would have NEVER found my way back otherwise.

The fishing still sucked and was definitely not worth the effort when so many other places fish better and easier a few minutes away.

I don't bother dreaming about Mud Run any longer although I wouldn't mind fishing at Greystones if one you buy it. ;-)

 

[k-bob]

"Yeah, most of the time the word on the fishing from what I've gathered is that's it's meh, and doesn't correlate to how the good the habitat is and the remoteness and difficulty of access. I like the adventure and challenge of figuring out legal access to places like this. I'd like to fish it once, just to see it, regardless of how it fishes. How it fishes would determine whether the effort warrants a return trip. "


Maybe 8 years ago I hiked down to the point where mud run leaves hrsp and enters greystone -- with advice from someone who had done it before. Stretch I was on is shown in a picture in Landis w a waterfall.
I stayed in hrsp.

Never went back cause I only caught BT and stockie bows, looking for ST,but also because I view getting to and crossing mud run too risky down there. Flows were highish and I felt that I was far from any other person. If you want to go there low flows might be better. also, if you fish upstream from that stretch, I think you will have to go back downstream to get out of the ravine. every crossing again, back the same way.

Might only try this w/ a gps and another crazy person and a lot of daylight time, good weather, low flows, etc. Fishing was meh at best.

btw I believe this is that stretch of MR.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBNnIeIX33o

First, have to hug the hrsp border along a field at the start (see sat maps). after walking along field maybe maybe half of the distance which the hrsp border is paralell to 534, turn left / south and hope some trail remains appear... make sure you have a gps map that shows you the hrsp border and there is or was? a tiny trail thru rhodo down to the stream. I believe this trail stays near HRSP border. get near mud run about the point where it leaves hrsp... snake habitat, ledges between you and stream, careful. of course have gps record way back. if you dont make it to the stream but have great hike it could be worse.

http://www.docs.dcnr.pa.gov/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_004632.pdf

I wont go back, too much hiking/wading work and risk for me given the fishing wasn't great. it is a beautiful area but again you might only want to be there at low flows ... working up mud run requires crossing it in chutes ... and then doing it again to walk back down stream go back on what trail there is.

good example for the idea that remote areas don't necessarily fish well. I am sure there are EZ access places w much better fishing

 

[k-bob]

"Even if you make it to the stream, there's no guarantee you'll be able to wade your way upstream. The stream is pretty big (by small stream standards) and has enough gradient that it will likely make some massive pools you can't wade through. Couple that with the cliffs, and you may not be able to get around them either, without actual rock climbing skills/tactics. All of this plus the blocked access from below via Graystones, and the corner hole below Hawk, and the lower HRSP stretch has a multilevel defense system, lol."

good example of how someone w swatties experience can predict what a trip will be like. then there are the stockie bows!

If I think about that trip fishing under a bridge doesnt sound too bad

 

[Out4Trout]

My experience in Mud Run is to only fish it in high water. I am fortunate enough to live in Towamensing Trails and we have a private section that runs through the trails by Wolf Run. I have fished it on and off for the past year and never see anyone else out there. After a good rain it seems full of fish but if you catch it on normal and/or low flow it seems like there are no fish at all in the water. I have also worked this theory on other areas of Mud Run and it always seems to fish best in higher water.

I also have some access to Mud Run through Indian Mountain Lakes and its the same story only there seem to be less fish on that side. I still have quite a few areas to investigate over there but again, high water seems to be the key to a successful day on Mud Run for me.

 

[Out4Trout]

This is the area Im talking about.

 

[k-bob]

would love to fish upper mud run, but as noted not public.

the last bit of lower mud run in hrsp down by greystone did not fish well even with a highish flow and was brutal to navigate because of the high flow in steep chutes.

 

[Swattie87]

Good info bob...I may try it again via your method...with at least one fishing partner with me. May be a good one to bring 3 guys into to be honest.

The flows to try that section in is a whole another wrinkle to add. Generally, I agree with O4T...”Small” streams generally fish their best when they’re higher after a good rain. Not blown out, but more water is generally better than less. Mud is big for a “small” stream, and with that kind of gradient, it’ll be downright dangerous, if not impossible to get around in high water. I imagine it’s called “The Wild Mile” for good reason.

I really just want to explore and see it, more so than find good fishing there. I’ll probably take bob’s advice and shoot for an outing during low water conditions. Sometimes I almost hope these really difficult places to get to don’t fish all that well...So I’m not tempted to do them again once I’ve satisfied my curiosity and seen them. Silly, isn’t it?

 

[k-bob]

if you go, start by walking along 534 as far as possible while staying in hrsp. this avoids brutal rhodo at start. then hug hrsp border, making left off of 534, then right to follow hrsp border near cleared field. follow hrsp brder 1/2 of its paralell length along this field before turnning left/south to look for trail to make right turn on. may eventually have to seek other tiny trails that cut through rhodo toward hrsp/grystne brdr on mud run.

I was there in nice high flows that should have improved wild Brown trout fishing. fishing wasnt good at all and stream crossings were made downright dangerous by these higher flows. imho low flows may be better, may not be good fishing to gain w high flows anyhow.

 

[Swattie87]

k-bob wrote: imho low flows may be better, may not be good fishing to gain w high flows anyhow.

My thought too. Thanks for the info.

 

[k-bob]

I dont have waypoints, possibly pasda lidar suggests the doable grade down there w/in hrsp ....

 

[foxfire]

Millsertime wrote:

salvelinus wrote:
I can only imagine what a membership cost. It's not on the website, so I'll go by the old "if you have to ask, you can't afford it".

I emailed them for pricing a while ago out of curiosity.

Full Annual Membership - $4,500/yr.
Weekday Annual Membership - $3,500/yr.
Corporate/Event Membership - available upon request
Full Stream Fishing Add-On - $1,000/yr.
Limited Hunting Add-On Available

Actually, really quite affordable, if that's your thing.....particularly by NYC standards.

 

[afishinado]

k-bob wrote:
I dont have waypoints, possibly pasda lidar suggests the doable grade down there w/in hrsp ....

It's not easy but can be done.

Park at the Hawk Falls parking area > don't try to access hiking down through Hawk Falls trail

Instead walk back along 534 and under the TP.

Walk into the open field on the other side of the overpass which is still HRSP.

Turn SW and walk along the border of the SP see map below. If you cannot find the exact border follow any trails or paths in the SW direction while staying on the highest ground.

Where the Greystone property and HRSP border meet is less steep as you can see from the map. That is your best point of entry.

The stream runs through a steep gorge and it will be difficult to cover the entire stream, depending on the water level.

There is a mix of steep gradient fast water as well as pools.

The lower the water levels the better chance you have of traversing the terrain along the stream.

You may have to retreat back downstream to find a place to climb back up on your return.

Take a partner or two.

Suggest you hike in and carry all your fishing equipment in a back-pack.

Start early and allow a whole day for the hike in and out.

Good luck.

 

[k-bob]

I agree w afish - look for trails along border, descend near where mr crosses hrsp border, low wtr gives better chance to move upstream. as he also notes, I would want to have a lot of daylight time ahead of me in case you need to retrace and go back out the way you came in.

 

[henrydavid]

Wasn't this a Donnie Beaver project at one time?