I've got some really exciting stuff coming up over the next few weeks!!
This week there will be one night hike and of course the regular Sunday hike. The night hike will follow a meeting regarding the Morris Canal, and the Sunday hike will be something I've wanted to do for a very long time: the Helbing Farm in NY adjacent to West Point.
The trip will be a point to point using both the Highlands Trail and the Long Path in sections we have not yet covered, with outstanding views and diverse terrain.
I will describe both the Wednesday night hike and the Helbing Farm hike Sunday separately:
WEDNESDAY:
This weekday afternoon hike will be a loop using the Patriot's Path from the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.Meeting time will be 4 pm at the Wal Mart shopping center parking lot on 235 Ridgedale Ave, Cedar Knolls NJ. Park on the south side of the lot closer to Hanover Ave on the south.
Those wishing to go to the Morris Canal Working Group meeting, where we will discuss the Morris Canal Greenway Trail across the state may meet me at the same location at about 1:30 or so. The meeting begins in Frelinghuysen Arboretum at 2.
The route will take us east on the trail and through Frelinghuysen Arboretum to a southern terminus where it connects with Traction Line Trail. We will follow this to a connector path into Loantaka Brook Reservation. Another somewhat urban trail leads from this to Ginty Field. From that point we'll make our way in through town, maybe get a bite to eat, and head to the Patriot's Path's main route back to where we started.
It's a relatively easy trail at almost all times. The beginning is just foot path, but then it will become a paved trail along the traction line. From here, we'll follow another paved trail at the Giralda Farms property which closely follows a road. We will be back into woods along Loantaka Brook, and maybe be able to cool off a bit.
The trails eventually open up to more paved suburban ones before re-entering Morristown. The Patriot's Path closely parallels the Morristown and Erie railroad tracks back to where we started.
This hike is likely to take us until after dark, so a flashlight may be helpful.
SUNDAY:
Meeting at 4 Smith Clove Road, Central Valley NY at 9 am.
I don't know why I've waited so long to organize something like this, but it's certainly overdue. The next hike will include a history talk on the Helbing farm. My paternal family moved to NY from Germany way back, and purchased a tract of land at Black Rock Forest area, and now most of that old farm is now part of West Point Military Academy. One sliver of it was subdivided and is now the residence of my cousin, Dorothy, who is a very active volunteer in the area. The hike will begin with a history talk by Dorothy, and you'll learn some of the history about the Mineral Springs, the Helbing family, and our relation to the original Rubix Cube!
We will be meeting at 9 am in Central Valley NY, on Smith Clove Road where Danny's Market and Deli are. There is a large parking area on the west side of the road just north of it's intersection with Rt 32, so there should be plenty of parking.Take I 287 north from NJ and then 87 north once in NY. Take exit 16 toward Rt 17W, then take the exit for Central Valley. Keep left at a fork and follow signs for Rt 6 east/Bear Mountain. Turn right on Rt 32 and continue north to Central Valley, then turn right on Smith Clove Road, where the deli should be, with lots on the left.
From there, it's an incredibly easy shuttle north to my cousin Dorothy's house on the old Helbing Farm, where we will begin the day with a history lesson. Dorothy is a great presenter!
The hike itself will be mostly along the Highlands Trail, in a section we have not done yet. The trail reaches Mineral Springs Road just barely north of the house!
We'll hike the Highlands Trail westbound, down into Mountainville NY. Once there, it crosses the through way and ascends to Scunemunk, a section of mountain with a reputation of being both challenging and breathtaking.
We will follow the Highlands Trail south past many view points until we get to the Long Path, where it crosses. We'll then follow the Long Path south to Central Valley out of the preserve. This should add diversity to the hike, and showcase a section of the Long Path that is slated to close soon. We'll get to see some of it that we will likely not be hiking again.
By leaving Schunemunk on the Long Path, it also adds possible swimming opportunities in a river, a must for the Summer hikes. The only other opportunity is earlier on, along Baby Brook which ascends Schunemunk. Dorothy also has a pool, and maybe we'll get invited back to it...we'll see!
The terrain on this hike will be difficult on the Schunemunk sections.There are also no likely food stops on the way so everyone should bring plenty of water and plenty of food for lunch and such. The secluded nature of much of this hike make early outs both unlikely and impractical.
If anyone has further questions about upcoming hikes, contact me at (908) 343-8374 or at sneezehorse@hotmail.com
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