Hike #317 11/18/7
Hike #317
On Indian Rock, Split Rock Resevoir
11/18/7
My next hike would be a loop within the Farney Highlands of northern Morris County NJ. Originally intending to hike the entire Four Birds Trail for twenty miles (actually 19.4 miles with a breif road walk), I had to change the plan, or at least felt I should change the plan due to the fact that it was snowing and there would'nt be as good views.
Sign board at Split Rock
Split Rock parking area
Captain Soup at Split Rock Reservoir
Split Rock parking lot
Split Rock parking lot
Split Rock parking lot
Dam of Split Rock Reservoir
Split Rock Reservoir
Four Birds Trail near Split Rock
Split Rock Reservoir
Split Rock Reservoir
Split Rock Reservoir
View along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Split Rock Reservoir
Split Rock Reservoir
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail, Split Rock Reservoir
Along Four Birds Trail
Along Four Birds Trail
Bridge near Durham Pond
Along Durham Pond
Durham pond
Durham Pond
Dam on Durham Pond
At Durham Pond
Durham Pond dam
On Durham Pond dam
Durham Pond
Durham Pond
Durham Pond
Bridge over the outlet of Durham Pond
Durham Lake
Swamplands in the Farney Highlands
View along Four Birds Trail
Bridge on old Wharton and Northern Railroad
Old Wharton and Northern Railroad
Along old Wharton and Northern Railroad. This might be the most out of shape I ever was!
Old Wharton and Northern Railroad bed near Charlottesburg Reservoir
Swamp with an old truck in it! Farney Highlands
Misty Pond in the Farney Highlands
Misty Pond
Misty Pond
Misty Pond
Base of Indian Cliff
View of Split Rock Reservoir from Indian Cliff
View from Indian Cliff, Split Rock Loop Trail
View from Indian Cliff
Split Rock Reservoir from Indian Cliff
The group on Indian Cliff
Split Rock Loop Trail
Split Rock Loop Trail
View of Split Rock Reservoir
View from Split Rock Loop Trail
Split Rock Reservoir
View from Split Rock Loop Trail
Split Rock Loop Trail
Split Rock Loop Trail
Split Rock Trail
Split Rock Loop Trail
Glacial erratic on Split Rock Trail
Split Rock Loop Trail
View from Split Rock Loop Trail
Split Rock Furnace
A furnace at Split Rock
Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Dam
Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Dam
Split Rock Dam
At Split Rock Furnace
Looking up out of the furnace
Inside Split Rock Furnace
Inside Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Furnace inside
Split Rock Furnace
Split Rock Dam
After initially meeting in Hibernia at the end of Four Birds Trail, I opted instead to follow Jean Fletcher, who maintained a section of the trails, to Marcella where we followed the Split Rock Road across the dam of the namesake Split Rock Resevoir and began a hike from there for a loop. Joining me other than Jean were "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Ron Phelps, Jason Itell, Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, and newcomer Jaqueline De Melo. From the little gravel parking area on the southeast side of Split Rock Resevoir, we walked in the ligh snow showers to the west down Split Rock Road and across the dam of the resevoir. The ruins of an old furnace were just below the dam to the south, and in great shape. On the other side, just a bit up the hill, we came to where the Four Birds Trail crossed the dirt road, and began ascending, following it northbound. Immediately I enjoyed the trail as it navigated through the uneven terrain passing over and around rocky outcrops and glacial erratics with enough ups and downs to make for a very good workout. There were some limited views of the resevoir to the east of us as well. The white blazes could at times be difficult to follow, what with the snow coming down, but usually we could see the next blaze by the time we reached the previous one. Amish Paul kept diverting away from the group to cut the many corners the trail made hard, and at one point it took us a good distance away from the resevoir and back. There was supposed to be an enourmous tree called the Sentinal Oak along this section, but I somehow missed it. We continued north and the trail took us more closely to the edge of the resevoir's edge, but still making it's way up and down a bit from the shore. As we neared the northern end of the resevoir, Wyatt spotted something in the woods to the left made of stone. As we stared at it, it became apparent that it was a nicely built stone bridge, and so we had no choice but to venture off trail to check it out. It turned out to be a bridge that made up part of the dam of Durham Pond, part of a boy scout reservation adjacent to Split Rock Resevoir. Split Rock Resevoir and Durham Pond were within sight of one another, though I suspect the Durham body outdates Split Rock. We admired the view, and Wyatt and I walked out onto the dam for a closer look. I walked all the way across, including through the slippery park where the water was spilling over into the creek below. We bushwhackd back down to Four Birds Trail, crossing the ruins of a smaller dam at what must have long ago been a pond, then reached the trail. We continued north along the resevoir, then turned away to the west when we reached the end. There was a bit of an ascent called Riley's Rise just before turning to the west, and a vista called Tom Tom Lookout that did'nt really show very much, just a bit of a rock outcropping. We continued up and down a few times heading west, passing over Big Bear Peak (1072 above sea level) and then reached the dirt Timber Brook Road. We opted to follow the old road (which only 4 wheel drive vehicles could possibly navigate) to the north where we reached the right of way of the Wharton and Northern Railroad (which we'd hiked on 3/4/7). We turned right following the rail bed and soon reached the junction with the original route of the Morris County Railroad (the predescessor of the Wharton and Northern) before they had to reroute it to the west for the construction of Charlottesburg Resevoir. We began following this original line to the northeastern direction. We followed the rail bed around some big puddles, and then reached what looked like another connecting rail bed, while the original W&N continued straight into the water of Charlottesburg Resevoir (which was named for the wife of King George III). Ron went down to the water to have a closer look while the rest of us followed the dirt road to the right, which still appeared to have the grade of a railroad. I had thought maybe it was a temporary track for use while the newer line west of the resevoir was being constructed, but as of this writing I still do not know. We followed this road grade until we reached a woods road that headed back to the south, and we turned right ascending. Captain Soup and I stayed in the front on this incline, and e we turned right at a fork. The woods road took us up to the shore of Misty Pond, a lovely little lake with obvious and abundant beaver activity. Though the NJ Walk Book described this as being a completely natural beaver lake, this was not so. An old dam made of stone held back the great majority of the water, while a small beaver dam had been erected over where the dam had apparently been purged. We walked out across the dam and utilized the the beaver dam to take us across to the other side. Once on the other side, we kept our eyes open for the trail. Soon, we reached the blue blazed Split Rock Trail, which makes a full resevoir loop with the Four Birds Trail. I ran up the hill to the west, still in close sight of the others, where I reached Four Birds Trail. Somehow we did'nt see the turnoff for the Split Rock Trail along the way. I turned back and together we hiked on along the Split Rock Trail's blue blazes on a knoll separating Split Rock Resevoir and Mystic Pond. We soon began to ascend on switchbacks steeply up Indian Cliffs. When we reached the top, even though there were plentiful flurries falling, the view was absolutely incredible, looking south over the Split Rock Resevoir and much of the rolling highlands around us. We had to stop to admire the view for a while, though it was unsettling how slippery the rocks were at such a steep drop off. We continued on along the ridge to the west of the resevoir and descended to Split Rock Road, a dirt woods road near the west shore, and the trail followed it for a bit. There was a nice rock along the way with a great view of the resevoir. We continued walking, and I saw where it looked like the trail used to go off the woods road to the left, but was apparently moved (blazes were painted out black), and the current trail with newer looking, easy to follow blazes followed, leading me also to the west and gradually ascending. No one else followed me on the trail, as they stayed on the road. Eventually, the trail began to enter thickets of Mountain Laurels and switch back, so I had to have everyone bushwack up to where I was. Wyatt and Ron joined up with us a little further up where they found a sort of gully to ascend in. Amish Paul went on his own back to the end via the woods road, and everyone else joined me bushwhacking straight up. There were a couple small views along this stretch of trail, but the trail soon continued southeast a bit more out of view of the resevoir. There was supposed to be a viewpoint called "Double Peak" on a short side trail, but I somehow missed it, sadly. Still, there were some really cool rock outcrops along the route. The trail continued weaving around, and eventually dropped us back off on the dirt Split Rock Road and crossed directly to more closely follow the eastern shore. We continued on, then ascended again back up and across the road onto a power line right of way. The trail followed this very briefly then reentered the woods where there were glacial erratics on some meager views. There were again some ups and downs, and one nice view over the valley below the resevoir. We went as far as the valley view and then decided it best i we were to cut down into the valley to make our way back to the cars, as it was getting dark. We bushwhacked down hill gradually into the valley, which was'nt really too bad, and reached an old woods road. We turned right and did'nt go far before we came to an old kiln or furnace in great shape. We soon reached the base of the dam of the resevoir and the old furnace we saw earlier, which was magnificant. It was open in the front, and so Wyatt, Ron, and I crawled into it first. It was amazing to be able to stand within this old furnace and look out the top. It was similar to what I'd imagine looking out a well would be like. Everyone checked it out, and since we were right by the cars, it was a perfect way to end a great hike. We climbed up alongside the dam, trying to avoid being in proximity to cars passing by (since we were'nt supposed to be down there), and soon reached the cars to finish the trip.
Inside Split Rock Furnace
1.) Historic marker about Split Rock Furnace which sat below Split Rock dam1a-1e.) Getting ready to walk at the parking area along Split Rock Resevoir (JI)1f.) Crossing the Split Rock Dam (JI)2.) On the Four Birds Trail along the west end of Split Rock Reservoir2a-2c.) Split Rock Resevoir (JI)3.) Somewhat of a view of Split Rock Resevoir from the Four Birds Trail3a.) The group pausing for a view (JI)3b.) The view (JI)4.) Nice colorful section of Four Birds Trail4a-4b.) Me after taking the above picture, catching up (JI)4c.) Along the trail (JI)5.) Split Rock Resevoir5a.) Another view (JI)6.) Jaque along Four Birds Trail6a.) Another one of Jaque (JI)7.) A large new house on the hillside above Split Rock Reservoir seen from Four Birds Trail7a.) This is the bridge that came into view from the Four Birds Trail (JI)8.) We found these old toilet locations along the edge of Durham Pond9.) Nice bridge over the outlet of Durham Pond9a.) The group on the bridge (JI)9b.) View of Durham Pond (JI)9c.) View along the perimeter road south of Durham Pond (JI)10.) Wyatt out on the outlet dam of Durham Pond11.) Jaque and Jason along Durham Pond on the bridge12.) Wyatt on the old dam12a-12c.) Me walking out to meet Wyatt on the dam (JI)13.) The group on the bridge at the outlet of Durham Pond14.) Outlet of Durham Pond14a.) The swamplands we had to cross to get back to Four Birds Trail (JI)15.) View of Indian Cliffs from the Four Birds Trail16.) Former Wharton and Northern railroad bed and bridge south of Charlottesburg Resevoir17.) Original route of Morris County Railroad/Wharton and Northern that was relocated as a result of the construction of Charlottesburg Resevoir18.) On the rail bed19.) Following the original rail bed toward Charlottesburg Resevoir20.) An abandoned truck along Mystic Pond20a-20b.) Approaching Mystic Pond (JI)21.) The dam at the base of Mystic Pond22.) Crossing the dam, which was reinforced by beavers where it had been purged, on Mystic Pond, off trail in the Farney Highlands23.) Approaching the ascent of Indian Cliffs24.) Great view of Split Rock Resevoir from Indian Cliffs25.) View of Mystic Pond from Indian Cliffs25a.) View from Indian Cliffs (JI)25b.) Admiring the view (JI)26.) The group at the view at Indian Cliffs27.) Me at a viewpoint along Split Rock Trail on the east side of the resevoir28.) Along Split Rock Trail29.) View across Split Rock Resevoir30.) Seasonal view of Split Rock Resevoir from Split Rock Trail30a.) Split Rock Resevoir (JI)31.) View of Split Rock Resevoir32.) Captain Soup and the gang at a turn on the trail32a.) The group along the trail (JI)33.) Jason on the trail34.) Along the trail on the east side of the resevoir35.) Ron with a giant glacial erratic36.) Getting dark along the trail37.) Somewhat of a view as we headed south on Split Rock Trail.38-40.) An old furnace near the Split Rock dam41.) Split Rock Furnace42.) Split Rock Dam43.) Wyatt in Split Rock Furnace44.) Looking up at Split Rock Dam45.) Split Rock Dam46.) The group at Split Rock Furnace46a.) At the furnace site (JI)47.) Looking up out of Split Rock Furnace...yes, we were inside!48.) Wyatt climbing inside Split Rock Furnace49.) Wyatt, Me, and Ron in Split Rock Furnace50.) Ron and I in the furnace51.) Wyatt in the Furnace52.) Split Rock Dam
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