Progress on New Jersey's Newest State Park

New Jersey's newest State Park spans nine miles from Montclair to Jersey City on a former rail line that has been transformed into a vibrant linear park that will provide recreation, transit access, and community connections for over 1.5 million residents.

The nearly one-mile Newark segment of the park was the first to be constructed following the groundbreaking in July of 2025. Once complete, walkers, joggers and cyclists will be able to travel from Branch Brook Park Drive to Broadway on a meandering ADA-accessible trail lined with native plantings. 

Once complete, the nine-mile greenway will connect eight municipalities across Essex and Hudson counties – Jersey City, Secaucus, Kearny, Newark, Belleville, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge and Montclair.

The Greenway’s design includes several features that enhance safety and user experience while preserving the surrounding environment. Downward-facing lighting will ensure pathways are well-lit without disturbing nearby residents or natural habitats. The project also features separate paths for pedestrians and cyclists, designed to promote safe speeds and provide places to sit and enjoy the trail’s natural setting.

The property that will become New Jersey’s newest state park is closed to public access while under development. Due to the legacy of industrial pollution in the vicinity, its prior railroad usage, and the dilapidation of existing infrastructure, the future park is not currently suitable for public use. The construction of the park is ongoing, and it is expected to be fully developed and open to the public by the end of 2026.

New Jersey's Newest State Park - State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites

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Geological Hike at Haney's Mill

View on the Delaware Water Gap (1871) by Edmund Foerster

The Delaware Water Gap is bounded by Mt. Minsi in Pennsylvania and Mt. Tammany in New Jersey. Once touted as a scenic Wonder of the World, it is an impressive site when motoring through on Interstate 80 or viewed from the overlooks along Route 611 on the Pennsylvania side.

Before the Gap formed. Mt. Minsi and Mt. Tammany formed one continuous ridge -- the Kittatinny Ridge, along which the Appalachian Trail runs through the park today. Here at the Gap, this ridge is composed of two different sedimentary rock formations: the Shawangunk Formation and the Bloomsburg Redbeds.

Haney’s Mill is in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area of New Jersey, and it offers a beautiful view and an interesting geologically themed hike that allows you to walk back 430 million years. (That should impress the kids.)

via http://www.geocaching.com

The presence of limestone not far from the sandstones and shales on neighboring Kittatinny Mountain is evidence of environmental changes that occurred in this region over millions of years.

If you look up and to the west, you’ll see the crest and western flank of Kittatinny Mountain. The rocks you see on Kittatinny Mountain are older than the limestones in the outcrop there.

The gray, white, and red rocks on Kittatinny Mountain, called sandstones and shales, formed from sediments that were deposited in rivers and shallow marine environments. The light gray rocks where you will be hiking are limestones, formed under different conditions, in the quieter waters of lagoons and intertidal zones.

The gray sandstones are middle Silurian in age, approximately 430 million years old. They formed from quartz-rich sediments left behind by fast-moving rivers that once flowed through the Taconic Mountains. The Taconic Mountains were part of a mountain range that once existed to the east and north of this site, but has since eroded away.

Over several million years, conditions changed, and the environment became more tranquil. Slow-moving rivers carried less sand and clay to the coast, and the coastal waters became clear. Slowly the type of sediment that formed in the marine waters changed from river-supplied sand and clay to limestone formed by marine animals.

THE TRAIL: A footpath, located across Capner Street, can be accessed through the paved parking lot on the north side of the park. The entrance to the footpath is just before the electrical transfer station adjacent to the Morales Nature Preserve. Once on the footpath, proceed north approximately 50 yards, until you see a path to the right angling down toward the brook. The exposures run north-south along the brook. You can park in the small dirt lot just south of the bridge over Flat Brook. This is also a popular fly-fishing spot.


Information for Teachers and Lifelong Learners:
http://www.nps.gov/dewa/forteachers/curriculummaterials.htm
http://www.njgeology.org/
DELAWARE WATER GAP  (Images of America)
When Dinosaurs Roamed New Jersey

Greenbrook Sanctuary

Greenbrook Sanctuary is a 165-acre nature preserve located in Tenafly, New Jersey, within the Palisades region of Bergen County. It's about 4.7 miles north of the George Washington Bridge, off Route 9 West. This sanctuary is a unique blend of natural beauty and tranquility, offering a serene escape from the urban sprawl of nearby New York City

In the wildest, most secluded acres, trees rise 100 to 130 feet and are often over 200 years old. Hikers and walkers here feel hundreds of miles and years away from the cities in such primeval forests.

The sanctuary boasts a range of ecosystems, including mixed oak forests, cliff edges, ponds, ravines, meadows, and wetland forests. These support a wide variety of plant and animal life, such as over 250 species of birds and numerous small mammals.

It has a network of  6.5 miles of trails suitable for all levels of hikers, offering stunning views of the Hudson River and the surrounding landscape.

The sanctuary is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including deer, foxes, and birds of prey like bald eagles and peregrine falcons.

If you pay attention to geological features, the area features rocky cliffs, wooded areas, and a shoreline along the Hudson River, providing scenic views and unique habitats.

A five-acre pond with a small adjoining bog increases the great diversity of this sanctuary. The 250-foot Greenbrook Falls is one of three major streams that drain the area and tumble down the ancient diabase cliffs into the Hudson River. Views of these waterfalls, the Palisades and Highlands to the north, and the densely populated cities across the Hudson, are possible from several promontories which look down 350 feet into the river.

During the migratory seasons, it is not unusual to observe eighty species in one day, including twenty varieties of colorful warblers and, in the fall, thousands of hawks (and an occasional eagle) soaring along the cliffs. Nesting birds are the great horned owl, broad-winged hawk, pileated woodpecker, ruffed grouse, wood duck, scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, worm-eating warbler, and indigo bunting.

Common mammals include the nocturnal raccoon, red fox, striped skunk, gray squirrels, chipmunk, muskrat, cotton-tail rabbit, and the secretive white-footed mouse, short-tailed shrew, and common mole. Deer, opossums, weasels, flying squirrels, and red bats are also occasionally seen.

One caveat is that access to hiking Greenbrook Sanctuary requires a membership. Palisades Nature Association, (PNA) is a non-profit organization of conservation-minded people, founded in 1946 to preserve the natural character of the Palisades cliffs and to develop a wild sanctuary. PNA administers Greenbrook Sanctuary and members are required to follow the rules and regulations to support their conservation efforts, ensure the safety of fellow members, and preserve the wildlife and natural environment of Greenbrook Sanctuary.

More Information at njpalisades.org and greenbrooksanctuary.org/

NY & NJ Trails

You can enjoy some excellent hiking trails and hikes within or just a day-trip away from New Jersey. People from other parts of the country (and, unfortunately, a lot of people in NJ) find that surprising.

Since 1920, the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference has partnered with government and private landowners to create, protect, and maintain a network of 1,700 miles of hiking trails in the New York-New Jersey metropolitan region.

The Trail Conference is a volunteer driven not-for-profit organization with a membership of 10,000 individuals and more than 100 clubs.

Want to take an easier hike and see waterfalls? Try They have a nice online search tool for finding hikes by difficulty (Easy, Moderate or Strenuous) or by Views and Features like waterfalls.

Hedden County Park in Morris County, NJ an easy 3.2 miles hike that includes a waterfall - or - try Falling Waters and Grand Loop Trails at Schooley's Mountain County Park (also Morris County) which is just 2.5 easy miles with a waterfall view.

Want more of a workout and also a hike you can take public transportation to instead of your car?

Horse Pond Mountain Loop at the Long Pond Ironworks State Park is 6 moderate to strenuous miles. Crossing a causeway over the Monksville Reservoir, you'll pass the historic buildings of the Long Pond Ironworks on your way.

The Trail Conference can even provide the best map for the hike.

Monksville Reservoir from Horse Pond Mountain

Join the NY-NJ Trail Conference

Walking The Path A Little At A Time

Crossposted from Weekends in Paradelle, where I had written about how "Less Is More" thinking had led me to rethink my Appalachian Trail hiking plans.

The "true" Appalachian Trail (AT) hikers are known as "thru-hikers." Those are people who hike the trail from end to end, all at once. That was my original plan and inspiration. You read the books about those experiences and see that they are life-changing experiences, and you feel inspired.

You also realize that it will cost thousands of dollars in supplies and take about five months (on average) away from family and work to accomplish. Of course, you don't just start walking. You need to be a seasoned hiker, in excellent condition, and with a wealth of outdoors knowledge.

Realizing that being a thru-hiker was not meant to be for me, I decided on a simpler path. There are several ways to do that.

Day hikers spend an afternoon covering about 2-6 miles. Weekend hikers have their backpacks with several days of provisions. Both approaches are a good way to train and to evaluate whether or not you're ready for a more challenging adventure.

Taking it up a few notches brings you to the section hikers. These hikers will take to the wilderness for weeks. They will take on a portion of the trail piece by piece. This occurs with not only the AT but many other long trails that are done in stages over many years.

It's still my hope to do section hikes, even if I never connect all of them into a completed AT hike.

Most books will tell you that the most important factor is your physical condition. So, I may have to have the long-postponed knee surgery before I get too ambitious. I have done 20-mile hikes, but experienced hikers always say that it's those 50+ mile hikes that will open your eyes to what it's all about mentally and physically.

There are many books on all this, including guides to individual states and areas like the Appalachian Trail Guide to New York - New Jersey

I bought a number of the guides, but I would also recommend some of these titles for "armchair hikers" who want to experience the thru-hike via someone else's experiences.

• Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion-2010 (Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association)
• AWOL on the Appalachian Trail
• Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike Planner
• The Appalachian Trail : How to Prepare for & Hike It
• Walking the Appalachian Trail
• The Best of the Appalachian Trail Day Hikes
• Appalachian Trail Hiker: Trail-proven Advice for Hikes of Any Length
• A Guide to Car-Hiking The Appalachian Trail
• Solemates: Lessons On Life, Love & Marriage From The Appalachian Trail
• On the Beaten Path: An Appalachian Pilgrimage
• Long-Distance Hiking: Lessons from the Appalachian Trail

More Online
http://www.bucktrack.com/Thru-hiking_the_Appalachian_Trail.html
http://www.whiteblaze.net

A Week of Hiking

New Jersey offers many hiking options considering its small size. We have some rugged mountain climbs, serene lake loops, and even a fairy-tale forest stroll. This week, I'm posting about some hikes that are new here or updated posts. 

You can find other posts on these topics via my link tags hikes, and hiking. There are also hikes based on locations and features, such as waterfall hikes.

Even in these hot summer days, it is often cooler in the woods, but be prepared. Don't walk or hike beyond your ability. Stay hydrated. Protect yourself from ticks. Bring a friend.

Hike Governor Mountain

 

Governor Mountain in Ringwood State Park offers you a good hike on the Cooper Union Trail to a rock outcrop for a stunning view over the Wanaque Reservoir. 

A guide from njhiking.com gives you options: a 7.3 or 2.2 miles round trip. The shorter version delivers the same view for less effort but the full route is a worthwhile ramble through a pretty forest.

Post-hike: Explore the grounds of Ringwood Manor, the Victorian-era summer estate of Abram S. Hewitt. Ringwood, Passaic County, New Jersey.

Bobcats, Sussex County, NJ

A nice post, report and a clear video of some bobcats sighted (a rare enough sight in NJ) while hiking the Cedar Swamp Trail in High Point State Park by the folks at NJ Hiking. 

And it wasn't reported as being a mountain lion!

see njhiking.com/bobcats-new-jersey

Ready to Hike New Jersey

Image by Hermann Traub from Pixabay

Are you ready to hike some of New Jersey? NJ is ready for you with hikes of all lengths and difficulties. A great resource is njhiking.com with information like directions, maps, and photos. Here are just a few different hikes around the state.

Washington Valley Reservoir, East Branch Reservoir, Buttermilk Falls and a hawk watch. 6.4 miles, total round trip. Easy to moderate trail surface. Hard-packed and rocky, but with loose, smaller rocks. 

Rutgers Ecological Preserve is a small parcel of old-growth forest with a network of easy, scenic trails near the Rutgers New Brunswick campus. 3.8 miles, compact red clay/shale, roots. Somewhat hilly with a few somewhat steep ones. A rock hop over a small stream on the blue trail but there are alternate trails and lengths. Well-maintained trails.

Rattlesnake Swamp – Catfish Fire Tower Loop This is tougher than some trails but, as always, you can do alternatives. Nice views from the Appalachian Trail and Catfish Fire Tower. 4.9 or 2.0 miles. Rocky and rugged, steep up to the A.T. and it can be muddy on Rattlesnake Swamp.

Waterfall Hikes in NJ

The NJ Hiking website has some nice information if you like - as I do - hiking to a waterfall. Though waterfalls look best in the spring or after heavy rain, trails can be muddy then, so decide if you want the best view or dry boots and socks. (Winter frozen waterfalls and water is also pretty cool.) Some falls are an easy walk from a parking area and others are real ikes on trails. Their waterfall hikes collection is at njhiking.com/tag/waterfall/.

Here are just 4 examples. 

Buttermilk Falls is a very short climb from a parking area up the stairs around the falls, but you can continue on the blue trail at the top, but it is steep right from the start and more than a stroll in the woods. Alternatives: Buttermilk Falls trail to an unmarked woods road to Hemlock Pond and return; roughly 5 miles. 

Ramapo Valley Falls is a short, easy hike to get to this waterfall but you can also do a longer loop hike in this popular park in Bergen County. Ramapo Valley County Reservation to Hawk Rock and Cactus Ledge viewpoints, continuing to Bear Swamp Lake, and ending with a pretty waterfall is 7.4 miles on a rocky trail surface, hills, and multiple stream crossings on rocks or logs. You can also do a short 1.4 miles yellow trail to the waterfall and back the same way.

Hemlock Falls was my childhood hike destination in Essex County and we hiked to it and biked to it from every direction. It is the tallest waterfall in South Mountain Reservation and can be reached via a short easy hike, or take in the view from historic Washington Rock on a longer hike to the falls.

Chikahoki Falls can be found in Norvin Green State Forest. This route takes in Chikahoki Falls, Otter Hole, and an awesome viewpoint at Wyanokie High Point with 360° views of the area, including NYC on a clear day. It is 7.7 miles on a rugged, rocky, path with a few decent elevation changes. There is an extensive trail system so it’s easy to create other shorter or longer loops. Ringwood, Passaic County, NJ.

Start the New Year with a Hike in a NJ State Park

 The NJ Park Service is offering 28 hikes and one lighthouse climb as an activity to start off 2022 and as a way to appreciate New Jersey’s beautiful state parks and forests.

The State Park Service began participating in First Day Hikes after the program became a nationwide event in 2012. First Day Hikes began more than 20 years ago at the Blue Hills Reservation, a state park in Milton, Mass. The program was launched to promote healthy lifestyles and year-round recreation at state parks.

The DEP’s Division of Parks and Forestry manages nearly 450,000 acres of land, including 40 state parks and forests. Last year,  the State Park Service did not host any formal guided first-day hikes due to COVID-19 outdoor gathering restrictions, but still encouraged park users to go for a hike with their immediate family. In 2020, more than 2,000 hikers traveled 5,625 miles on First Day Hikes throughout New Jersey’s vast network of trails.  

Here are a few suggestions, and there are more at nj.gov/dep/ at different difficulty levels. All events are free, and some require preregistration. Some events also are weather-dependent. 

At an easy beginner level, take a 1.5-mile walk through the New Jersey State Tree Farm and Trails within the Pine Barrens at the Forest Resource Education Center in Jackson Township, Ocean County, starting at 11 a.m. Hikers will see the headwaters of the Toms River and the center’s Maple Sugar Shack and are advised to dress appropriately for the weather. Leashed dogs are welcome. Call (732) 928-0987 to register.

A step up to a moderate difficulty can be a three-mile guided walk around Somerville in Somerset County to learn about the borough’s 18th-century Tunison’s Tavern and Gen. George Washington’s passage through the area 245 years ago following battles in Trenton and Princeton. The walk meets at the Wallace House and Old Dutch Parsonage parking lot, starts at 2 p.m., and is open to all ages. Registration is required and may be made by calling (908) 725-1015 or emailing wallacedutch@dep.nj.gov.

If you're up for a more difficult day hiking, you can do a rugged 16 miles on the Warren Highlands Trail between Phillipsburg and Ragged Ridge in Warren County. There are no restrooms or stores along the hike route. 

For a complete list of hikes and related details, visit njparksandforests.org/firstdayhikes

2022 First Day Hikes

2022 First Day Hikes - New Jersey State Parks, Forests & Historic Sites

Has the Outdoors Seemed More Crowded This Summer?

On a challenging Black Diamond trail in Monmouth County - Photo via Flickr

Though hiking and camping have been showing increased popularity in the past decade, there has been a big jump in the past three summers.

An article at outsideonline.com made this personal observation.

In 2013, I hiked to one of the most beautiful places in the world: a glowing turquoise lake cradled by alpine tundra and framed by 13,000-foot peaks. It was a clear fall day, and I didn’t see another person on the entire 3.5-mile Ice Lakes Trail, in southwest Colorado.

I was so enchanted that I returned the following year, and the year after, and every year after that. Each time I saw more and more people as I huffed up the steep switchbacks to Ice Lake, one of two high-altitude lakes accessed by the trail. By 2019, 125 to 250 hikers a day were tackling the trek on busy weekends. A year later, even that figure seemed low. As hiking emerged as one of the few safe activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, 400 to 600 people a day came to the Ice Lakes Trailhead—every day of the week, all season long.

Trails around the country, including New Jersey, have seen increased use. I know two couples who drove cross-country this summer and tried to visit some national parks. They told me the crowds were big and without reservations there was no way they were camping or even getting into a few of them. Some national parks' visitation numbers almost doubled from 2019 to 2020. That was pre-pandemic. 

People might have stayed home in 2020 but the pent-up desire to hit the road and get outside has hit hard this summer. Last year, I saw increases in our local parks and trails with people wanting to out of the house.

A study commissioned by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), showed that 8.1 million new hikers hit the trails in the United States in the same time period.

What have you observed about numbers in your local outdoor places lately?

Waterfall Hikes in New Jersey

I love waterfalls of all sizes, from the power of the Great Fall in Paterson to small tumbling waters on streams. As a kid in Essex County, Hemlock Falls in South Mountain Reservation was a frequent place to visit by bike.

Paterson's Great Falls of the Passaic River is the top waterfall site in NJ, but for a real hike, as opposed to a nice walk, head over to nearby High Mountain.

Hikes that include a waterfall are a great hike break in the heat of summer or when they are partially or totally frozen in winter. In spring, especially after a rainfall, they will have their greatest drama.

Hemlock Falls was one of our stops while hiking through South Mountain Reservation along with historic Washington Rock, fishing at Diamond Mill, and back in my childhood, a visit to the "Deer Paddock."

On the njhiking.com website, you will find waterfall hikes. A few are excerpted below.

at Buttermilk Falls

Buttermilk Falls is reachable and via some elaborate stairs you can get some great views. If you go up a steep uphill to the Appalachian Trail you can hike to to Crater Lake and on to Hemlock Pond.

Chikahoki Falls is located in the Norvin Green State Forest, up north in the Jersey Highlands. The recommended hike route includes the Chikahoki Falls, Otter Hole, and the viewpoint at Wyanokie High Point.

Cascades are small waterfalls, typically in sets that fall in stages down a steep rocky slope. You'll find some along hiking trails in Apshawa Preserve on the Apshawa Brook in the Jersey Highlands and Butler reservoir. You will also find cascades in Hacklebarney State Park
along the Black River in Chester

For more NJ waterfall info:
The Waterfall Record 
The Waterfalls of NJ 

Rails to Trails

The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) serves as the national voice for more than 160,000 members and supporters, 31,000 miles of rail-trails and multi-use trails, and more than 8,000 miles of potential trails waiting to be built, with a goal of creating more walkable, bikeable communities in America.

There are more rail trails in New Jersey than you might imagine, especially in the northern part of the state.

Screenshot of rail trails in NJ via RTC's TraiLink

My neighborhood rail trail is the West Essex Trail in Essex County. It's a short stretch of 2.84 miles that runs from the Essex-Passaic County Line in Cedar Grove to Arnold Way in Verona.

Being an old railbed, the surfaces are mostly cinder and gravel. In most places, it is raised above the trail sides from the railroad days and so it is usually dry. Of course, after a big rain and lacking proper maintenance, there are sections where the water has broke through or damns up after a heavy rainfall. Besides walkers and runners, you'll see bikers and a few cross country skiers after a snowfall.

RTC has been around since 1986 working coast to coast to support the development of thousands of miles of rail trails. I wish that my local trail could have been saved to a greater extent. Where it ends in Verona is where the railbed was given over to construction for a row of townhouses. Luckily, the West Essex Trail crosses close enough to the Lenape Trail that if you want to take a longer walk or hike it is possible.

Because railroads ran both through open prairies, mountain passes, across canyons and along riverbanks, as well as through cities, the variety of settings for these trails across New Jersey and other parts of the country are very diverse.

In urban areas, I think it was (and still is) critical to save these corridors as green spaces which can completely redefine the livability of a community.

You can support RTC and also TrailLink.com, a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, that provides maps and information about trails.

I have several RTC t-shirts that I'll wear when I'm on one of the rail trails which will sometimes start up a conversation with a fellow wanderer about what these trails are all about.

National Trails Day June 2

This Saturday, June 2, is National Trails Day and the NJDEP is encouraging residents and visitors to enjoy the outdoors and New Jersey's extensive network of trails and get out there this weekend..

This year’s events help mark the 50th anniversary of the National Trails System Act, signed into law by President Lyndon Baines Johnson on October 2, 1968. This law launched a national strategy to create and manage both urban and wilderness trails across the nation.

“New Jersey boasts some 1,500 miles of trails, opening up a wide variety of environments for exploration – coastal marshes, urban waterfronts, the Pine Barrens, and the hilly Highlands and Skyland regions, to name some,” said Acting Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe. “There are few better ways to appreciate nature than hiking a trail.”

The vast network of trails in the state offers opportunities for a wide array of activities. In addition to hiking and nature appreciation, trails offer opportunities for cycling, horseback riding, backpacking, skiing, as well as places to launch canoes and kayaks. Always check ahead to determine approved trail uses.

An initiative of the American Hiking Society, National Trails Day was first celebrated in 1993 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the National Trails System Act. It is now an annual event designed to promote the many attributes of recreational trails.

In New Jersey, dozens of events are planned. Highlights include:

• Assisting with trail maintenance in Bass River State Forest in the Pine Barrens of Burlington County;
• Participating in the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference Open House in Bergen County;
• Celebrating National Trails Day with a variety of events in Cherry Hill, Camden County;
• Taking a weekend horse-riding and camping trip in Sussex County;
• Canoeing while pitching in with a river cleanup in Hunterdon County;
• Geocaching at the Trailside Nature and Science Center in Union County.

For more details and additional events, go to americanhiking.org/national-trails-day/find-an-event/   Please note that some events require a RSVP or preregistration.

National Trails Day helps foster a public understanding of the importance of trails and the perseverance and dedication of those who helped establish, preserve and maintain them. Trails provide health and fitness opportunities, outdoor classrooms for nature study, greenways for wildlife conservation, links with historic sites – and an economic boost to regional tourism.

For more information, visit the New Jersey Trails program: www.trails.nj.gov

Using Trail Tracker for Your NJ Outdoor Adventures

We had a taste of warmer weather recently and some snow coming back this week. The former is good for a trail walk or hike, and the latter may be better for some planning.

The State Park Service launched Trail Tracker at the end of 2017 which is an app that helps park visitors make detailed plans tailored to trails, activities, and terrain that interest them. It is available through Google Play, the Apple app store and the Microsoft app store.

It was developed by the Division of Parks and Forestry’s Geographic Information System (GIS) department as part of a project to map and highlight amenities in the state park system. The state park system boasts nearly 1,000 miles of officially designated trails.

Batso Trail in Wharton

Our NJ park system is comprised of 50 parks, forests recreation areas and marinas, from High Point State Park in Sussex County to Cape May State Park at the southernmost tip of the state.

Hiking opportunities range from the rocky woodlands of the Highlands and Skylands regions to secluded sojourns through coastal marshes, Revolutionary War battlefields, and Pine Barrens forests. Some trails are designated for foot traffic only while others also accommodate bicyclists and horseback riders.

Trail Tracker NJ quick start guide (pdf)

Start 2018 With a First Day Hike

How will you be ringing in the New Year? I don't mean the Eve. I mean that first day. Do you have a resolution to be better about getting out and getting some exercise?

How about joining one of New Jersey's 2018 First Day Hikes? First Day Hikes is a national effort to get people outdoors. Yes, January 1 can be tough to get outside because of the weather and because we are recovering from the night before, but this tradition has gained numbers each year.

The New Jersey State Park Service is hosting 24 guided hikes, 2 mountain bike rides and 1 horseback ride in state parks, forests and historic sites on New Year’s Day as part of America's State Parks First Day Hikes program. 

These free First Day Hikes offer a great incentive to get outside, exercise, experience history, enjoy nature, and celebrate the New Year with friends and family in one of your state parks. 

For all hikes and rides, wear sturdy footgear and bring water and snacks. Check the weather before you leave the house and wear weather-appropriate clothing. Layers are best for exercising in colder temperatures.

One South Jersey biking possibility is the Batsto First Day Mountain Bike Ride in Wharton State Forest. This will be a guided 10-mile unpaved bike trail ride through the New Jersey Pinelands to ring in the New Year. They will meet in the Batsto Village Parking Lot at 11am. Bring your own bike to participate in this event. Registration for this ride is REQUIRED. To register or for more information email Gil Mika at wharton.nature@comcast.net

Need an easier way to get into 2018? I may ease into 2018 with one that is local for me - the Grover Cleveland’s Historical Visit & Hike. You can visit the Grover Cleveland Birthplace and/or join in on an easy/moderate 1.5 walk. The route starts at the Birthplace, proceeds down to and around the Grover Cleveland County Park, then back to the Birthplace. The Birthplace will be open from 11am to 12 noon. The Hike begins at 12 noon.

And there are plenty of options across the state at different levels.

Click the link below to see the list of all the hikes to welcome the New Year!

http://www.njparksandforests.org/parks/first_day_hikes.html

Appalachian National Scenic Trail and New Jersey

Most people who are not hikers probably don't think of New Jersey when they hear talk about the Appalachian Trail.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the Eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. The trail is about 2,200 miles (3,500 km) long. A beautiful 162-mile segment of the Appalachian Trail passes through the New York-New Jersey region.

final section of the AT through NJ

Probably equally surprising to even people living in New Jersey is that there are 10 National Parks in New Jersey.

1. Appalachian National Scenic Trail
2. Delaware Water Gap National Rec Area
3. Edison NHS
4. Gateway National Rec Area
5. Great Egg Harbor Scenic and Rec River
6. Middle Delaware National Scenic River
7. Morristown NHP
8. New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail Route
9. New Jersey Pinelands
10. Paterson-Great Falls

Since 1916, the National Park Service has been entrusted with the care of our national parks, which they do with the help of volunteers and partners.

New Jersey is home to 72.2 miles (116.2 km) of the trail. The trail enters New Jersey from the south on a pedestrian walkway along the Interstate 80 bridge over the Delaware River.

It ascends from the Delaware Water Gap to the top of Kittatinny Mountain in Worthington State Forest, passes Sunfish Pond, continues north through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Stokes State Forest and eventually reaches High Point State Park,where it turns in a southeastern direction along the New York border for about 30 miles (48 km), passing over long sections of boardwalk bridges over marshy land, then entering Wawayanda State Park and then the Abram S. Hewitt State Forest just before entering New York near Greenwood Lake.

In New Jersey the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference maintains and updates the Appalachian Trail.

If you want to explore our Jersey section of the A.T., here are some resources to get you started.

• https://www.nps.gov/hfc/carto/PDF/APPAmap1.pdf   map of AT  
• https://www.nps.gov/appa/ 
• https://www.nynjtc.org/park/appalachian-national-scenic-trail 
• planning your visit  https://www.nps.gov/appa/planyourvisit/
• doing section hikes is one way to cover the trail in NJ-NY or even the entire 2000 miles. For example, Crater Lake Trail to Buttermilk Falls Trail and the NJ Park Boundary at Blue Mountain is 4.5 miles of mostly moderate hiking difficulty.  https://www.nps.gov/dewa/planyourvisit/appalachian-nst.htm 
• https://www.nynjtc.org/view/hike
• Jersey-centric view of the A.T. http://www.princetonmagazine.com/hiking-the-appalachian-trail-national-scenic-trail-in-new-jersey/

Hike All of New Jersey's 21 Counties

Lake Aeroflex in Kittatinny Valley State Park is considered the deepest natural lake in NJ

Some early spring days and temperatures may have gotten you thinking about more outdoor activities. Walks and hikes are my own favorite way to get outdoors these days. Back in the days when my knees were in better shape, I really wanted to through hike the Appalachian Trail, but I knew that was a reach. I joined a hiking club that did the Appalachian Trail in sections which seemed more doable. Though I never did the entire east coast AT, I did cover all of its sections in NJ, NY, PA and sections in other states.

NJ.com ran an artilce recently with suggestions of where you might hike in each of NJ's 21 counties.  Setting a goal of doing a hike this year in each county would be a good way to get into hiking and see more of the state.

Starting up north, you could try a Sussex County hike in Kittatinny Valley State Park. In its 5,600-acres, there are trails of varying difficulty. Actually, for almost all of the 21 suggested locations, you can take a hike and also a gentle walk. These are not backpacking expeditions requiring training and special equipment (though there are a few tougher hikes in our state).

Kittatinny features some glacial lakes and limestone outcroppings that will be seen from two rails-to-trails paths and those Stokes State Forest, a popular destination featuring a portion of the Appalachian Trail, cliffs, Tillman Ravine and miles of good hiking trails.

And down south, you can try Cape May Point State Park. With 244-acres along the Jersey Shore, this spot offers some flatland walks and hikes through wetland marsh, coastal dunes and beaches. The area is known for its wildlife and birding - along with a World War II-era bunker offshore. There are no mountaintops to scale, but you can climb the Cape May Lighthouse. 

Alternately, you can explore Belleplain State Forest, which is in Cape May County but extends north into Cumberland County. The Forest offers several trails including a flat but longer (7.2 miles) East Creek Trail.

In between and in my own backyard of urban Essex County, there is one of childhood stomping grounds: South Mountain Reservation. At 2,112-acres, this urban nature reserve is located between the first and second ridges of the Watchung Mountains.

It is a great escape with woodlands, streams, creeks, ponds, a reservoir and Hemlock Falls. There are trails from less than a mile (a short walk!) up to 6 miles. As with any of these locations, you can bundle several trails together to create a longer hike.

An alternative spot is the smaller 400-acre Eagle Rock Reservation which is also an easily-accessed spot for a short day hike or ramble.