Hike #160
The group in Tiger Brook Park near the dam, Chester NJ
1/9/5
For my next hike, I continued with the idea that I would repost many of my hikes I had previously done before becoming an AMC leader, and I thought the hike beginning at Tiger Brook Park in Chester would be a good one for this particular occasion. We met at the end point, which I made Schooley’s Mountain County Park, and then shuttled down to Chester Shop Rite. Joining me this time were Delotto and his girlfriend Elke Martinez once again, Ellen Pasquale, and Terry Berntsen, and newcomer Bobby ?.
McGregor Preserve, Chester Twp.
Former CNJ Chester Branch
Former CNJ Chester Branch
Former CNJ Chester Branch
Former CNJ Chester Branch at Coleman's Cut
Electric Brook falls
Electric Brook falls, Schooley's Mountain
Electric Brook Falls, Schooley's Mountain
We began walking down Rt 206 to Cooper Lane out to Tiger Brook Park’s east entrance. We headed downhill past the old resevoir and dam, then looped around planning to come out at the main parking area and head up the road. I was ignorant of the fact than another preserve, called the McGregor Preserve had been connected with the park, and the yellow blazed trail made it’s way out to old Rt 206. Maps show the yellow trail as being the former Tilton Road. We made our way uphill to the road section which took us along the edge of an old overgrown field into the meadow stage of succession with red cedars growing in it. The trail took us to the road, and we headed along it north back to 206. When we’d reached Cooper Lane again, Elke was unable to go any further, and she and Delotto cut out. Fortunitely, we were rejoined by Bob “Bode” Bodenstein once again! I believe he gave a few of us a ride up to the Shop Rite, though I ran as fast as I could along the highway. I had’nt run in quite a while, and was getting out of shape, so this run really hit me hard. Bode parked in the little mini mall where the CNJ Chester Hill Branch used to come into town, and we walked together onto the right of way behind Chubb park and gradually down hill. We continued on the right of way out to Furnace Road with a brief detour around a fenced area. When we reached the private property at the next road crossing just beyond Furnace Road, we opted to walk right on through quickly. No one stopped us. The next road was similar, as it took us through two yards, with no problems. We continued out along a fill toward Coleman’s Cut. The cut was quite wet, so we headed up into a field to the right of the right of way. There appeared to be some construction going on in what were only fields during my last visit. We made our way out to Coleman Road and headed across onto a preserved section, now part of Patriot’s Path. We continued out across the next road at Ort Farm, and decided to make our way out to Rt 24 rather than fight along the right of way into Long Valley. We were trying to call Delotto along the way, as he was planningon rejoining us and Bode was going to catch a ride with him. He never appeared, it turned out he was looking for us at the wrong place. Bode was able to cancel his previous engagements and joined us for the remainder of the hike.
In the Boulder Gorge, Schooley's Mountain
Boulder Gorge, Schooley's Mountain
At the Loree Chapel, Schooley's Mountain
We walked to the Gillette Trailhead on Rt 24 walking it to the orchards and railroad bed back out to where the trestle used to be over the South Branch of the Rariton. We then walked out to the gas line bridge to the High Bridge CNJ branch to a road that I think was called falls road. We decided to walk it to the Schooley’s Mountain trails system. We walked by an old cabin belonging to a friend of Bode’s, then made our way to the falls. We climbed to Lake George, then decided to make a side trip to the Loree Chapel where Bode pretended to preach a bit. We continued across the bridge floating across Lake George up to the end at Springtown Road.
Bode gives us a sermon at the Loree Chapel
Along Lake George, Schooley's Mountain Park
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