Hike #122; Hackettstown Area

 Hike #122

Hike 122 2/1/4

Inside the mine in Cataract Park

For this hike, I decided to once again to the Hackettstown loop, joined by Rich and Eric

Pace, and Jim Delotto.

We parked at the Mansfield Shop Rite, and began walking up Newburg Road to

Schooley’s Mountain Road as we had previously.

Cataract Park

Ascending on Cataract Trail

Cataract Park

Cataract Park

Old iron mine, Cataract Park

Iron mine, Cataract Park

Iron mine, cataract park

Iron Mine, Cataract Park

Along the Cataract Trail

Old lime kiln on Patriot's Path, Mt. Olive

The snow was much heavier this time than the previous visit, making it very difficult to

make our way up Schooley’s Mountain on the trail. We stopped at the abandoned Iron

Mine again, which was warmer inside. There were interesting ice formations all over. We

made our way to Cataract Falls, almost unrecognizeable within the ice and snow, then

climbed to the Heath Village section. When we reached the Nature Trail to the main part

of the village, Delotto cut out early to walk home. Rich, Eric, and I climbed the Knoll

Trail from the east this time, and decided to continue following tape blazed trail uphill and

to the left, where last time we had turned right. The path took us along the back of a

developement, and out to where the Patriot’s Path blazes ended near the berm we had

walked along in the past. We continued from there to the power line and Patriot’s Path to

Mission Road. We then followed the same route I had taken with Henry on hike #120. We

continued down to the old A&P/Food Basic store, and Rich and Eric decided to cut out.

View toward Hackettstown

View toward Hackettstown

View toward Hackettstown

View of Hackettstown

View toward Hackettstown

The Gruendyke Dam before it was removed, Hackettstown

Hackettstown Cemetery and bridge over the Musconetcong

Hackettstown Mall being torn down

The abandoned mall in Hackettstown

I continued on walking through and across Hackettstown, then back out to Mountain Ave,

where I walked around in the abandoned mall building that was never finished, and

explored a bit. I also walked through some state Wildlife Management Land along the

River. Though I did not walk quite as far as I normally do, the hardship of the snowcover

certainly made for equal energy exertion!

Abandoned mall in Hackettstown before it was torn down

Photography by Mike Helbing and Rich Pace