Hike #1291; Pennsauken and Camden
1/20/19 Pennsauken to Camden with Jillane Becker, Thomas Huber, John DiFiore, Shane Blische, David Goldberg, Sarah Jones, Brittany Audrey, Justin Gurbisz, Kevin Kowalick, Kathryn Cataldo, and Serious Sean Dougherty
A view to Philly from Heritage Park Boardwalk
It had been a bit of time since last I hiked in Camden. I suppose it would have been about a year ago when I walked across the Ben Franklin Bridge to get the train at the end.
"Let's Blow Some Mud"
This time, I came up with a route specifically because of the outcome of the last hike we had done on the former Pennsylvania Railroad’s Atlantic Division.
On that one, we started in Mt. Holly and I intended to do about 21 miles west to Pennsauken to finish.
Unfortunately, we ran somewhat behind, and we didn’t get to Merchantville till about right at dark.
I didn’t want to miss anything on the Atlantic Division, so rather than just push through those last miles after dark, I decided to make another hike of it.
The former Camden and Amboy RR
There really wasn’t that much left to do in order to get to the western terminus of the Atlantic Division from where we left off, but there’s a lot of really interesting stuff in the Camden area, I figured I would come up with an interesting route to use anyway.
I decided we would finally revisit the Cooper River Greenway for probably the first time since 2008 (although we did check out a little of it on our perimeter hike in 2015). I could connect that from where we left off in Merchantville, and we could approach the rest of the Atlantic Division from the west to east rather than vice versa.
Heritage Park Boardwalk
We could then walk into Camden downtown, and either have the time to go back up to where we started, or simply take the light rail back directly, since it’s so cheap and runs pretty regularly.
I made the meeting point the Pennsauken Transit Center, where people can switch trains between the Atlantic City Line on the NJ side of the Delair Bridge and the River Line, which uses the historic route of the Camden and Amboy Railroad, which was the first regular locomotive service passenger railroad in America.
Tippin's Pond
When we had done the perimeter of NJ, I didn’t try to get through by way of the tracks to the south. It’s pretty well used.
This time, I had a look at it over by the station platform and saw how it could be possible. It would depend on the trains.
Once everyone had arrived except Kevin, who was going to meet up with us later on, we headed to the tracks and passed under the Atlantic City branch to start walking to the south. A train had just gone by when we were there, which gave us a pretty safe window of time to get to the next point where we’re farther from the tracks.
Tippin's Pond
After just a short distance, tracks came in on the right and there was a spur to the left as well, followed by a dirt road straight ahead, just up hill from the active tracks.
Delaware Gardens Park
That was where I wanted to be. We had hiked that before in early 2015. I recognized the abandoned building back in the woods to the left of us. Justin had climbed onto the roof of it I think back at that time, but I don’t think he remembered. He had been out in Poughkeepsie the night before and slept much of the car ride down.
We walked a little further from this point, and then came to the intersection with Cove Road, with a grade crossing leading off to the right toward some sort of power plant thing. From just across the tracks is the start of a trail.
My then and now from previous visit
Off to the left, we could see the historic Vennell Tavern, built in 1795 along the edge of Tippins Pond. I think it was Serious Sean said something about doing a then and now of it, to which I was able to say that I already had one of it from farther back!
Old spur into what used to be Campbell's Soup
As a side trip, we headed down across the tracks and walked out the Heritage Park Boardwalk to the Delaware River waterfront.
We could see Philadelphia clearly from out there, which was quite nice.
The boardwalk was covered in graffiti more than it was the last time I had been out there.
I also noticed this tme, probably because there was far less ice, that there was an odd stone work that passed from the shore line toward the water a bit more. I’m not sure what that could have been. It looked stone, so maybe it could have been part of a ferry.
Justin found a cock.
We made our way back out, passed Vennell’s Tavern, and then turned right into more park land along the shore of Tippin’s Pond.
This was a lovely little spot to be this time of day. We went out onto the docks to check out the water before moving on to the south.
A path went into the woods and split. We kept to the right, which took us up hill through a hole in a chain link fence to the dead end of Springfield Avenue.
We walked past a few houses, and then passed through a grassy swath close to the edge of a steep slope above the River Line tracks. We were able to stay on the grass at the top beyond Lexington Avenue to Tinsman Avenue where we had to turn to the left.
Silliness
It wasn’t far we had to go up Tinsman before we could turn to the right into Delaware Gardens Park. This took us to a paved surface trail, which we followed to the right into a wooded swath, and then back out to 49th Street.
There was nowhere to go at the end of this, so we all turned to the left through Delaware Gardens Park, and then to River Road.
We turned right on River Road for a few blocks, and then turned right again on 47th Street into some new sort of condo area. A bit down, we turned to the left to start walking between buildings through parking lots and on sidewalks.
The park looking toward Atlantic Division
We went to the right at the end of the development, down hill and then under River Road to get to the parking area for the 36th Street Light Rail Station. I went up the slanted concrete below the bridge to the left, then came back down to the lot, where they had a larger caternary standing on display. There was never a track there; they apparently just add it for historic ambiance.
We continued through the station lot and out the other side beneath 36th Street. The road curved to the left, and I could see where there was a business formerly served by rail, with abandoned rails toward it.
Western terminus of Atlantic Division
It turns out this building was one of the former Campbell’s Soup buildings.
We continued to the south to the intersection with Lemuel Ave where we turned to the right. Justin found a big black dildo on the ground and impaled it with a stick to carry with him for a while. He ended up hanging it with the stick from a sign post further down the road.
We turned left when we got to 31st Street, because there is a park just south of there from which point the former Pennsylvania Railroad’s Atlantic Division is now a paved rail trail heading east.
JESUS
When we first approached the park, it was all ball sport area and high chain link fence. There was no way to get in initially. We had to keep walking for a ways and eventually there was a path in to the right.
We headed toward a large white building that has restrooms, but they were closed for the season.
We took a little break here, and Justin, Sean, and Brittany climbed on top of it.
We made our way from here out toward the railroad bed, which was rather obviously graded just a little bit to the south of where we were standing.
The rail trail
Only Shane and I went to the end of the fence to see the actual western terminus at the railroad yard.
The rail bed was a paved trail right from the start at a road access here. We peered through the fence to the end of it, and then began walking the trail to the east through the park.
There were a couple of accesses on the right, and some paintings about Jesus on one of the walls.
This railroad section was originally built as the Camden and Burlington County Railroad, which was completed through to Mt. Holly in 1867.
The rail bed
The line became part of the Pennsylvania Railroad system and was extended east to Toms River from which point trains could continue north to Bay Head, or east out across the Barnegat Bay to Island Beach. It became a major through shore artery.
The line was scaled back over time, but remains active from the crossing of the Atlantic City line east of Merchantsville to Mt Holly. The original western terminus was abandoned I think in the 1980s. Today, sections of it are trail, while sections of it still have track. It was the part of the last hike I wanted to see the most, but it got dark too soon.
The rail bed
We started walking toward the end of the wide open park, at Westfield Avenue, but there the thing was blocked off by a chain link fence. Fortunately, it was bent all up to the point it was easy to duck and get through.
We regrouped there, and our new friend Tom ran off to get coffee (he must have asked a dozen times at the parking lot if there was time to get coffee when I felt there wasn’t!).
We started joking around that we were in a ghetto area, and it should probably be pretty easy to get MD 20/20, which we discovered is really good with the weird flavors.
Rail trail
Some of us went back to check it out and see if they had it, and sure enough it was there right when we opened the door to the liquor store.
I got us a container of the Orange Jubilee flavor which is one of the best tasting ones to share.
We then headed further down the rail bed, which skirted the north side of Dudley Grange Park.
A little bit beyond this point, the paved trail came to an end. The railroad bed continued parallel with Rosedale Avenue to 36th Street ahead and beyond.
Dudley Grange Park
With the trail gone, we were immediately able to see some ties in the grass. After 36th Street, there were rails again, but it got pretty overgrown on the tracks. We had to leave them and walk the parallel Chestnut Avenue.
There were occasional openings to the right across the tracks over to Rt 537/Federal Street Overpass. To the left, and on the side of a building, there was a painting that basically asked for support to turn the railroad bed into a trail to connect communities. Just ahead, the railroad crossed over Rt 130, and the bridge is still in place. It’s just not an official trail bridge yet.
End of the trail
As we started to get closer to the Rt 130 overpass, I scanned over some of the pathways that crossed the tracks to the right. I spotted one that had another path along the tracks.
The rail bed
I called everyone ahead to come back, and we all got on the path along the tracks, which took us down from the rail bed almost to the edge of Rt 130. A path led us to the left just a bit and up to the west end of the bridge across the highway lanes.
The bridge had fence work and metal bars blocking people from crossing it. I was barely able to shimmy my way underneath the thing to get onto the bridge. I then ran across it through the weeds to see if getting through on the other side was feasible.
Not everyone would be able to fit through, but it was definitely passable.
The trail propaganda
The east side also had chain link fence and bars, and I was barely able to squish myself enough to fit through the widest opening, which made me feel a little better. I used to fit through so many things so much more easily than I can now.
130 bridge
There was some sort of weird white ball tower, which I thought was a water tower, in view in this area. I think someone told me it was a radar tower.
Some of the group went to cross the highway to the south, and the rest of us waiting on the grade just ahead, where it becomes the paved Merchantville Bike Path.
There was an old telegraph pole there that I think Justin hung from the support wire on, and Serious Sean did the same right after him, only he managed to climb his way all the way to the top of it.
Once everyone was caught up, we followed the trail, parallel with Chestnut Ave, to the east. Someone had carved a face into a tree stump just ahead at one of the crossovers. North Chestnut was on the left, and West Chestnut was on the south (if that makes any sense).
Serious Sean found an old belt buckle in the path that had an “MK” on it, and he enthusiastically said “YEAH! MARTIN KING! FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY!”.
Jillane pointed out that it was for some designer or something, Michael Kors.
MARTIN KING!
Just ahead, we reached on the right the historic Collins and Pancoast Hall built in 1893. It was used as an entertainment center through the early 20th century, but also hosted different club meetings, served as a store, and even the post office for a Time.
It was renovated to the bar in 2008, and today it is the home of the Blue Monkey Tavern.
I was hoping for both a spot at the Eclipse Brewing place ahead, as well as maybe a lunch break at the Blue Monkey, but the brewery doesn’t open until later on Mondays, and the restaurant is closed on Mondays. We would have to rework some of this one.
It was rather disappointing, because we didn’t go into the brewery last time specifically because I wanted to hit it when we did the rest of the Atlantic Division. We wanted to hit the tavern that time too, but it was over an hour wait to get in.
Kat looked up places and found a bar and grill a little to the northeast.
Collins Hall
We walked ahead a bit and passed the historic Merchantville station. I set up some then and now photos, and we continued along the railroad grade.
Collins Hall now
We turned left on Park Ave and headed up to Bryson’s Pub, which was open. We went in, and I asked about getting food for everyone, but we were looking at over two hours waiting for it all. We opted instead to walk across the street to a Mexican restaurant, La Guadalupana.
Logs and faces
I ordered a quesadilla thing, and it ended up being pretty big. It wasn’t very spicy or anything, but not too bad. We also didn’t have to wait forever.
I spent some time chatting with Tom about the hikes, and the places we’re both familiar with.
Once we were all done, we headed south Cove Road a short distance to the old railroad bed again. We continued on Chestnut Avenue parallel with the overgrown tracks, because the trail ended at Cove Road. We turned to cross them and then skirted the tracks through a storage yard ahead.
Some tracks!
We then approached the overpass of the Atlantic City line.
We had done this stuff on the previous hike, so we completed all of the main stuff I wanted to do at this point.
rail overpass
From here, we got across the bridge and then turned left down the slope through some woods. We then reached the active AC line and walked it to the south, under the bridge we had just crossed.
Trampoline!
After a little bit, Serious Sean spotted a trampoline in the weeds to the left. He pulled it out a little bit, and we were able to hop on it for a bit.
I tried doing one of those drop things and ended up hitting my ass really hard on the ground. As of this writing four days later, it still hurts.
We continued walking south from here along the tracks under Maple Ave and where the Cherry Hill water tower was in view. My original plan here was to leave the tracks pretty quickly and make our way onto development streets to the east, and then a pedestrian path that connects into a supermarket mini mall thing.
Historic image apparently of the original Atlantic City Branch bridge over Cooper River
Since the tracks weren’t showing any activity and it was more pleasant, we just stayed following those for longer.
We went under Church Road and Chapel Ave, and then over Rt 38. We passed the Cherry Hill passenger station platform, and there was some heavy construction going on opposite side. We made our way a little ahead to the crossing of the Cooper River.
I first visited this site in early 2008. I was amazed at just how cool the Camden greenway system was. Every hike in Camden area since has been a really fun time.
I remembered this overpass very well from that first trip. We climbed down from the tracks on the left, where we were able to get around the chain link fences and onto the paved Cooper River Greenway trail.
Rail underpass for the trail
The greenway extends in both directions, but this time we were heading directly back toward Camden. My goal was not to always stay on the paved path, but to remain close to the waterfront on the north side, then switch to the south side when the north one gets to be really crappy roads.
There are some nice pavilions in the park, and some look like they might date back to the 1930s and the CCC. There was also a construction site with some sort of large building going up adjacent to the park. It was a nice walk along the waterfront for a good long while, and it went pretty smoothly until we got to a little island section and I wanted to walk out onto it to do a bit of the loop path that was on it.
Cooper River Park pavilion
No one else had any interest in this beautiful side path except for Serious Sean and I. We were the only ones that did it while the others sat around away from it.
Philly view over Cooper River
Soon, Dave, Serious Sean, and Tom all got an Uber out.
Just ahead, there was a giant concrete tunnel I had found with Amish Paul Hassler back in 2008. I had wanted to go through it, but at that time we only went in a little ways. This time, part of my plan was to see where it came out.
Tunnel thing
We went all the way through and back, and after that I think Kat and Kevin took off early as well.
We crossed Rt 130 and continued along the lake shore to Kaign Avenue where we turned left to cross the lake. There is an old pavilion thing out there on the water in this section I had been told by the State Park Director Olivia Glenn told me it was torn down or something to that effect.
As we walked by, I could see what she meant. The structure of the building was there, but the roof was totally gone. We had all gone into it back in 2008.
Old crib work
Once across the bridge, we turned right into more park land known as Farnham Park on a paved path, which went across the open lawn areas. Another trail goes closer to the river, but it was getting dark and I wanted to move toward the light rail station.
We continued ahead on Park Blvd, which goes west, and then swings to the south. We were to go right on Magnolia, then left on Pine Street to Haddon Avenue to get to the light rail station, but Brittany hurried ahead to the south on Park.
The building with a room sort of on, 2008
She had lost her phone earlier, and John went ahead to try to catch her. I could see her briefly, and then she was too far ahead.
The same building now...
I didn’t realize she’d lost her phone at first until someone else told me.
We couldn’t keep going the wrong direction, and we’d hoped she would turn right on Haddon to head back toward town and the train station, but when we got there she was nowhere to be seen.
Sunset on Cooper River
We all headed back up Hadden Ave, turned left on Martin Luther King Blvd, and then got to the Broad Street Station on the Light Rail. We got the next train back to the north to Pennsauken Transit Center, and I drove back down to look for Brittany on all of the roads we thought she could have been walking on, but found nothing. We then went to the police to report her missing. Fortunately, they found her within two hours and her parents were able to pick her up.
Farnham Park
Except for the issue at the end, it was overall a really great hike, which is what we’ve come to expect of the Camden area.
I should really do a full on Cooper River hike from the confluence with the Delaware River up to its headwaters again. I did something like this once before, but there are trails on both sides of the river, and really a lot to see.
As for the Pennsylvania Railroad Atlantic Division, it looks like I can do the remainder of it out to Toms River in only two hikes. The first one will be Pemberton to Whiting, and the second one will be from there out to Toms River. I might re-do the bit of it from there up to where the bridge used to be over the bay at that point.
I’ve already walked looking or stuff along the beach in most of these areas, but I might revisit something or another one of these days. There’s a lot to be excited for.
HAM
No comments:
Post a Comment