Hike #853; Allamuchy to Hackettstown

Hike #853; Allamuchy and Hackettstown

5/31/15 Allamuchy to Hackettstown with Matthew Davis, Dan Asnis, Serious Sean Dougherty, Marion Barbato, Linda ?, John Huber, Jen Berndt, Michele Valerio, Joe Tag, Alyssa Lidman, Julie Valasquez, Dan Ginsberg, ?, and ?

The group at Rutherford Hall

This next hike would be somewhat different than others, sort of like a night hike but also a regular event.

In the past, we have done the Warren County Land Preservation Day and I would host a short hike to go along with it. The event had then been held at White Lake Natural Resource Area, but this time was the first in a plan to move the event around the county. It would be at Rutherford Hall in Allamuchy. Also, the event is usually a Saturday, but this time was held on Sunday instead, which meant I could arrange a regular hike around the event.

I planned on a short loop at the start of the day, then we'd do a longer hike after the event, with the middle part incorporating all. We had a Metrotrails table set up at Land Preservation Day, and it was a really fun time.

When we arrived at the hall, it was pouring down rain like mad. Assistant State Park Director John Trontis, an old friend from even before I worked for Hunterdon Parks, was there and we chatted for a bit. One newcomer, who's name I don't remember off hand (I feel awful about that) was waiting to join only for the morning part.

Matt was there, ready to set up with me, as well as Serious Sean and Marion, and John H. The rain let up very soon and it became beautifully sunny, so we were ready to do some hiking. We claimed our table for the event, and then were ready to go. We got on Allamuchy Pond Trail along the south side of the namesake body of water to pass around it in a loop. The bugs were awful out there. I pointed out invasive species and talked about the history of the area as we passed through.

Baby ground hog

At the start, there were lots of baby ground hogs sitting out on the grass. They were so young that they weren't too scared. One of them let me just walk up and pet it. They were absolutely adorable. They must have been too cold to move from the rain.

We continued walking and made our way along the south side of the lake. The bugs were getting to be really really bad. Mosquitos. We had to keep moving pretty fast to avoid them all. When we got around the lake, we headed out to Rt 517 because the trail still wasn't really finished. It had been in the works for a long time. This took us back around and to the event in time for the opening announcements.

Steve Ellis speaks at the opening

Everyone was called to attention, and Corey Tierney introduced my former boss, Steve Ellis, Northern Region State Parks Superintendent who gave a great speech about the importance of our open spaces and history

Freeholder Smith speaks

Guy Rutherford speaks to the people

Steve was followed by Freeholder Director Ed Smith who spoke about our historic and natural resources in Warren County. I was pleased to hear of his interest in the Morris Canal. I'd met the other two Freeholders and had had some nice discussions with them, but Mr. Smith had never been near enough to talk to. It was nice to hear his words of support toward parks.

Following Mr. Smith, the honored guest was Guy Rutherford, descendant of the family who built Rutherford Hall. He told us a bit about the history his family had in the building, and how pleased he was to see the place preserved in such a way.

We took to our places at our tables, with the Metrotrails set up sharing a table with our friends from Musconetcong River Watershed Association. We had great discussions with them as well as other people from throughout Warren County. Matt and I had the good mind to set up directly across from the Brook Hollow Winery table, and got a couple of bottles which made the event so much happier. Dan Asnis set up his computer at the table with the rough draft of the documentary on the Warren Highlands Trail he had filmed. It was nice to have something going. Julie sat at the table too when Matt and I were away networking. At some point she crawled under the table to take a nap. I got a scare from her when I reached under the table to get my backpack and found a girl sleeping there. It was like the shock of finding a dead body or something!

Hanging at the Metrotrails table

We had a lot of visitors from the hiking group including the Lidmans. It was really a nice time to be around and chat with everyone. Matt and I were feeling really happy with how everything was going. A lot of people were asking us questions, and it was nice to have stuff out to show people too.

More members of our group started showing up a bit later to do the remainder of the hike.

Happy times

It was also really nice that I finally got to have a conversation with Freeholder Smith. We discussed common sense land management practices, echoing what other counties are doing in some ways, but having something sustainable. We chatted about farmland preservation with trail easements rather than outright land ownership on part of the county, and he told me how he wanted to market on what we have rather than keep buying more. I told him of the importance of our greenways and completing them, and I didn't think we were in disagreement. It was really a nice discussion.

Matt agreed to pick up our stuff and man the table a little longer while the rest of us began walking. We went the same way around the south side of Allamuchy Pond, but then took the woods road up hill to the Deer Park Trail. I led everyone along this to the Barberry Trail and showed them the weird growing trees that probably came about from their roots over logs that had long since rotted away. Julie's boyfriend Dan came along, and he turned out to be really cool and fit in with us well.

From Deer Park Pond, we continued on the trail around to the original woods road access. We took this onward to the old stone house to the south.

Abandoned

The sad state of the place is worse every time I visit it. It is so sad to see it in such decay. Years ago it wasn't bad at all. It wasn't even that long ago it was still lived in. We went through all the rooms and looked around as we usually do, then moved on along the Deer Park Road. When we got to the bend, we took the left onto the unmarked trail by the old farm pond. This was the route I wanted to be the Warren Highlands Trail. In the past, it was more overgrown, but this time it was more worn in and very easy. It turned onto an abandoned power line right of way, with poles still in place, then descended to the right to the former Mattison junkyard.

Ray Mattison was a hermit that lived up on the mountain, but was expelled from the property some years ago by Park Police. All of his huge collection of cars were hauled away, and his house and trailer still remained. The house was in far worse shape than it had been on my previous visits as well.

Mattison house

The main part of the roof was now collapsed, but the back portion of the house was still possible to enter. I thought this might be my last time ever actually "in" the house, because it won't stand much longer. I looked around at stuff, then headed out and over to the trailer next to it. It looks like old Ray might have lived in the house until it got too bad, then moved into the nearby trailer. The trailer was now in worse shape than ever too, barely possible to enter it.

We headed down hill from this point on Mattison Lane, the former driveway, and reached Waterloo Road. From here, we went directly across the street and into woods. The sky was getting dark and it was starting to drizzle a little bit. They were calling for some rough storms, but I didn't think it would be all that bad.

We went into the next abandoned house across the way, and I found the room with the Christmas Tree in it where Steve Rogers had filmed us for "Driving Jersey". This house had been up for a while, but I'm sure it's scheduled to be demolished as well. We went from here out to the garage a little further down, which was full of junk. It started raining a little more, so we waited out a bit of it inside the garage. When it started to lighten up, we continued on out to Colony Road. We crossed, and found that another house, one of the last ones that had still been lived in along the road, was now abandoned.

The doors were open, so I went on in to have a look. It was already getting to be in bad shape sadly. After checking this one out, we took the steps on the other side down to Saxton Lake, which was originally the slack water section of the Morris Canal, with it's towpath still in place. We reached the towpath and turned right. With the weather taking a break from the crappiness, I jumped into the lake for a brief swim. No one else seemed to want to come in, so I didn't stay for long. We continued on the Morris Canal route best former Lock #5 West, which was later used as a swimming area, then crossed Waterloo Road. The canal here is not full, but some water does pass through it through a drainage thing. The towpath is clear as both Morris Canal Trail and Highlands trail. We made our way along the path until Highlands Trail turned off to the left.

At this point, since it was starting to rain harder, we had a smaller group, and because we wouldn't be seen as easily, I led everyone over to the old house that sits partially on the old canal towpath. Surprisingly, no one wanted to go in, and they just waited outside. I went in and took a few photos, then came back out. We then backtracked to the Highlands Trail down to Waterloo Road. We stayed on the trail for a bit into Stephens State Park, using the Waterloo Valley Road bridge to cross.

House

It was now pouring down hard. We continued along the river along the Patriot's Path toward the Stephens State Park office, just hoping that the restrooms would be open. It was already getting dark because it was such a late start, but now it was even darker because of the storm clouds looming over us. Fortunately the trails within Stephens State Park at that point are so wide that it was rather easy to see. It was actually getting a little cold.

Stephens restroom

We hurriedly decked into the restroom at Stephens State Park office to take a break and dry off a bit. We used some of the park's carry in/carry out bags as makeshift ponchos. I lent my bigger poncho to Julie who had nothing to use. We tried waiting it out a little bit, but it was useless. The rain just wasn't stopping at all. I was almost ready to give up, but we had to go a little more distance to count the hike. We didn't quite cover the 15 miles I wanted to do yet.

We started walking a bit more through Hackettstown. It was pouring like mad. I walked the road with my muscles tightened, fists clenched to stay warm. I just focused on the task of pushing ahead. We eventually walked over to the hospital, but all the doors from the outside were locked up. We at least could hang out under the awning.

While sitting there, a patron came out and opened the door for us, so we were able to go in where it was a bit warmer. I dug through my bag to find my phone and see if anyone was around who could help us out. My local friend Kristina Garlick, who I used to work at the state with, lives somewhat nearby, and she had been thinking about joining us until the rain came. I gave her a call to see if she'd be willing to rescue us. We'd only need the drivers at the end point to get their cars and we could handle the rest. Thankfully, Kristina came through and was able to pick up some of the hikers and take them back.

The hike with the loop in the morning and in the afternoon came up to 14.5; with the wandering around the event and back and forth, as well as the old house and property exploring, we certainly pushed to over 15 just as planned.

Group at the end

The hike went overall very well, and the event was more enjoyable than it had ever been in the past. I'm feeling comfortable with our ability to come across as a bit crazy while still being professional. We can manage to be a bit more cutting edge in the way we accomplish things. Most of the hike was quite familiar to me, but we still managed to squeeze in a few things we'd never done before, which was fulfilling enough for me.

In the days following this hike, Matt and I attended a Freeholders meeting and discussed informally some of the things we wanted to do with Freeholders Smith and Gardner after the meeting. It was a really great conversation and they're happy with my ideas regarding some recreation developments. Matt chimed in with even more pertinent stuff which put in needed limelight with them. Both of our faces are becoming more recognizable in the face of land preservation and common sense recreational development, and I'm extremely happy with where we are, and optimistic about where we're going.