Along Tunnel Hill Road, formerly the route of the original Warren Railroad at this point.
Hike 107
9/7/3
This was one of the dates for Belvidere’s Victorian Days, an annual celebration taking
place in the town’s center square celebrating history.
Bill Bill on the rock outcropping in Tekening Preserve
All sorts of crafters and people
wearing period clothing filled the streets, as well as antique cars and families just looking
for an interesting experiance. Joining me this time was only Bill Bill, for his last hike
before moving to Chesepeake, Virginia.
We began once again in the Tekening Preserve in Riverton PA, doing the loop trail. I was
a bit worried that the hike would be kind of a drag, because it started out so foggy, but I
was proven wrong.
Crossing the Belvidere Riverton Bridge
Below the LHR Pequest Trestle in Belvidere
Former creamery site ruins, Belvidere
Along rail bed of LHR railroad in Belvidere, former north and southbound Bel Del junction site
Bridgeville LHR trestle on Rt 519
Former LHR rail bed in Buttsville
Former LHR rail bed in Buttsville
Former Warren Railroad, original 1856 track near Academy Street, Oxford
Former Warren Railroad bed, original 1856 right of way near Academy Street and Rt 31, Oxford
Oxford sign along Rt 31, also the former site of the 1856 Warren Railroad righto of way
We walked the Tekening loop with no problem, and then the road out to Riverton and
across the free bridge into Belvidere NJ, where we wandered into town for the festivities.
We made the rounds and visited every display at the event, checking out some interesting
postcards, and I bought a book about the flood of 1955. Bill Bill bought his girlfriend
(later wife) Christy Cheatham a postcard of her school as I recall.
After this interesting side trip, we headed across my grandfather’s lot to the Bel Del south
to the L&HR northeast across Pophandusing Brook, the age restricted community, and
out to Bridgeville, where we stopped at the Bagelsmith for food.
Bill Bill and I had once tried to do this hike in 1999, but Bill Bill was unable to go on due
to extreme heat, and his mom picked us up.
This time we were alright, and we continued through Buttsville, and headed out to
Oxford on the usual route to the DL&W. We opted not to use the Oxford Tunnel, and
instead got on a piece of the original 1856 right of way to the Warren Railroad for a bit
until we were unable to follow it along Rt 31.
We continued along 31 to Tunnel Hill Road, also the route of the 1856 Lackawanna, and
walked for a bit until Bill Bill could’nt go on. Only the first part of the road where it was
level is built on the rail grade, it leaves the road on a driveway called Jost Drive, then
breaks off into fields to cross Tunnel Hill Road heading back across 31 to the later
Lackawanna route.
Bill Bill waited on a bridge over the Pohatcong Creek, and I ran as fast I could to Jackson
Valley Road to Westervelt Road, which is the Mansfield Twp. side of Port Colden Road.
By the time I reached a mile from my house, I could not go on without anwering nature’s
worst call, and had so sacrifice my boxer shorts and a sock with which to clean...I know,
like you really want to hear this! I ran back home and got the camaro to pick Bill Bill up
for an end to a good hike.
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