Hike #237; Hackettstown/Allamuchy

 Hike #237 9/12/6

Me on a weird growing tree, Barberry Trail on western Allamuchy Mountain

Hike 237; 9/12/6

 

 This next hike would be only Cathy and I beginning on a Tuesday afternoon. We began by parking at the Hackettstown Train station and began walking the tracks to Rt 517. We followed Rt 517 north passing M&M Mars/Master Foods in Hackettstown, then stopped at a mini mart on the left for some junk food and drink.

The new Quick Check in Hackettstown being constructed on Rt 517

Pond on Allamuchy Mountain's Deer Park Trail

Deer Park Trail, Allamuchy Mountain SP

Weird tree on Barberry Trail, Allamuchy Mountain SP

Weird tree on Barberry Trail, Allamuchy Mountain SP

Weird tree on Barberry Trail, Allamuchy Mountain SP

Weird tree on Barberry Trail, Allamuchy Mountain SP

Deer Park Pond, Allamuchy Mt. SP

Deer Park Pond, Allamuchy Mt. SP

Deer Park Pond, Allamuchy Mt. SP

Along old Waterloo Road, now Highlands Trail

Old Waterloo Road, now Highlands Trail

The Ditmar House, now gone

The Ditmar House, now gone along Highlands Trail

Shed at the Ditmar House

Dock along the Morris Canal and Musconetcong River

Dock on the Musconetcong at Saxton Lake

Hackettstown train station.

I was craving ice cream really bad so I got some sort of bar. We then continued up hill on 517 in a narrow part heading up to Deer Park Road. Cathy was'nt happy about walking along the road, but she felt better when we got onto the lesser used Deer Park Road, which became gravel after a short distance. We continued on the road to the first Allamuchy Mountain State Park parking area and turned left on Deer Path Trail over the outlet of a small pond. We continued on the trail up hill gradually, then in the woods alongside some fields. We continued to where the trail followed part of a woods road. We continued on Deer Path Trail until we turned right on Barberry Trail, which took us downhill to the shore line of Deer Park Pond, passing a marsh first. There was an interesting tree along the way we took a break at. We continued along the shore line to the Lake View Trail, then turned left on another trail to another part of Deer Park Trail, heading down hill to Waterloo North Trail. This trail took us down hill on a narrow footpath out very close to Interstate 80, then descending and turning away on an old woods road. We reached Waterloo Road where we turned right, then immediately left on Kinney Road to the Morris Canal Towpath. We followed the towpath for some distance till it's trail turned to Waterloo Road where a house was built over it. The trail took us back into the woods, then across to the north side of Waterloo Road, and back across once more. We continued along the road where the canal used slack water from Saxton Lake, then walked the Highlands Trail through the developement that was mostly abandoned as part of the State Park, past the abandoned "Ditmar House" back to the towpath. We continued on the towpath to Saxton Lake, passing more abandoned buildings, and we walked the road rather than the towpath out to the former Morris and Essex Railroad. We followed the tracks from here back toward Hackettstown. It got pretty dark while we walked the tracks, and was completely dark by the time we reached the Bilby Road underpass. There was no way up to the road from here, especially not in the dark, so we continued on the tracks. A train came barreling up behind us after not long, so we got on the abandoned former westbound right of way while it passed. I tried to keep us off the active tracks as much as possible because I knew the train would be back rather soon. It got really bad when we were sorrounded by water on both sides of the tracks from the runoff. We hurried up over it as not to get hit by a train. Fortunitely, the train did not pull out until we were back in town. I was surprised it waited so long to start moving again. We walked along the road while the train passed, and reached Cathy's car safely.