Hike #289 6/17/7
6/17/7 South Branch of the Raritan watershed; Bowman-Stickney Farm-High Bridge with Cathy Fisher, Fred Hafale, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Russ Moyer, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, John Spiridon, and Larry Nelson
Group shot at Sunnyside
My next trip was to be in central Hunterdon County again, this time covering a section between Readington Township and High Bridge. We met at 9 am at the western end of the Colombia Trail in High Bridge NJ's municipal parking lot.
Group shot at Sunnyside
Starting off....
House at Bowman Stickney Farm
House at Bowman Stickney Farm
Bowman Stickney Farm
Bowman Stickney Farm
Bowman Stickney Farm
Bowman Stickney Farm trails
Bowman Stickney Farm trails
Round Mountain power line
On Round Mountain
Peter Buelle Trail on Round Mountain
Crossing West Woodschurch Road to Deer Path Park
Deer Path Park
Deer Path Park
Deer Path Park
Deer Path Park
Deer Path Pond
Overlook Pavilian at Deer Path Park
Break at Deer Path Park
Deer Path Pond
Deer path Pond
Readington Connector Trail
Along Readington Connector Trail
South Branch of the Raritan
Rt 31 bridge
Climbing to Rt 31
Wading across the South Branch
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
Rt 31 bridge over the South Branch of the Raritan near Flemington
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
South Branch Rt 31 bridge
Former LV railroad tracks near Rt 31
Rt 31 bridge over former LV railroad
South Branch Reservation
South Branch Reservation
In the South Branch Reservation
Old rail bridge over the South Branch
Rail bridge over the South Branch
South Branch bridge
South Branch bridge
LV tracks on the South Branch Trail nearing Stanton Station section
Train approaching at the Stanton Station area
Passing train
Yet another train passing
Passing train near Stanton Station
And another train going by!!
AND ANOTHER ONE! This was a busy day
Passing train
Passing train
Passing train
Stanton Station Bridge
Stanton Station Bridge
The South Branch
Stanton Station Bridge
Stanton Station section of the South Branch Reservation
Stanton Station area
Stanton Station area
South Branch bridge
South Branch bridge
Sunnyside Picnic Area
9-11 memorial in Owassogame Grove
911 memorial in Owassagame Grove, Sunnyside Picnic Area
Group
Hamden Road
Hamden Road
Hamden Road
Hamden Road
Along Hamden Road south of Valinsky's Section of the South Branch Reservation
Farm views
Old smoke house in the Valinsky's Section of the South Branch Reservation
Valinsky's bridge being repainted
Crossing through the Valinsky's bridge during repainting
Crossing through the Valinsky's bridge during repainting
Valinsky's bridge during repainting
South Branch
Road closed!
Pine Hill section of the South Branch Reservation
South Branch
Camp Buck Road Bridge
Rock outcrop at Pine Hill section of the South Branch Reservation
The Pine Hill bridge seen from the rock outcrop
Pine Hill area
Amish Paul is a swinger?
Former LV railroad
In the Rhinehardts Section of the South Branch Reservation
In the Rhinehardts Section of the South Branch Reservation
In the Rhinehardts Section of the South Branch Reservation
Rhinehardts Section of the South Branch Reservation
South Branch trestle
South Branch trestle
South Branch trestle
water place
Old Hamden Road, now closed
Old Clinton Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad, now the Landsdown Trail
Old road at Melick's Bridge section of the South Branch Reservation
Water building
Abandoned rail car on the Landsdown Trail, former Clinton Branch
Old road at Melicks Bridge section
Melick's Bridge section of the South Branch Reservation
Landsdown Trail, and the old railroad car that used to be there until 2010.
Clinton dam
Old South Branch bridge in Clinton
Historic marker
Mill in Clinton
Old Red Mill in Clinton
Old Red Mill, Clinton NJ
Old bridge over the South Branch in Clinton
Old Red Mill in Clinton
At the mill in Clinton
Old Red Mill in Clinton
Old Red Mill, Clinton
Old Red Mill, Clinton
The South Branch
Cemetery in Clinton
New construction. This would soon become a satellite center for Hunterdon Medical Center
At the new entrance to the hospital place near High Bridge and Clinton
Abandoned on Rt 31
Intersection at Greyrock, near High Bridge
Historic marker
Abandoned building in High Bridge
In High Bridge, finishing the hike
Clinton McDonalds
Joining me this time were my girlfriend, Cathy Fisher, "Amish Paul" and Wyatt Hassler, Fred Hafale, Russ Moyer, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, John Spiridon, and Larry Nelson. I had alreay spotted Cathy's car along the way near Allerton Road on Hamden Road, and we shuttled the rest of our cars south to the Bowman Stickney Farm off Dreahook Road. We began walking from the parking area behind the barn, passing the old house on what we would otherwise not recognize as a through trail route. We entered a field with a mowed loop around the outside. It was easier to follow trails through this section than on my previous visit in fall of 2005. We looped through fields looking for the route I followed previously, and we ended up going further around on the fields this time. While making our way along the west side of the fields I think it was, I recognized the place we had to break away from the field through a low area, which I think had a little bridge in it, and up into fields on the other side. We headed toward a fence and turned right through a break in trees to another field leading to Rt 629, Stanton Road. On my previous trip we followed Woodschurch Road to an access to the trails, but this time we turned right on Stanton Road westbound breifly, then turned left onto an old woods road heading up toward Round Mountain. The narrow woods road was'nt too badly overgrown and led gradually up hill and along the back of someone's yard, through a bit of overgrown field, and into the woods. It was only a gradual up hill and we came to where roads diverged. There were some Readington Trail logo blazes on a few trees, but at the intersection there was nothing to point us in the correct direction. One road went down hill to our left, the other went up to the right. I assumed to the right would be correct as we should go up hill, but I was wrong as this road petered out shortly. We turned back around heading downhill and to the right skirting the side of Round Mountain's incline. We made our way to another woods road crossing, which I recognized as the woods road that we had used from Woodschurch Road on the previous trip. I now knew if we went left it would take us to this road, and if we turned right, it would lead to the Peter Buelle Trail on Round Mountain. This time, I opted to go straight following Readington Trail Association blazes. This trail took us across another field and eventually reached the Peter Buelle Trail as well. We followed the Buelle Trail into the Round Mountain section of Deer Path Park and began to descend, leading us to Woodschurch Road and into the main part of Deer Path Park. We walked a little bit of the Parcourse Circuit Trail, leading to the pavilian area. We stopped here for a break to eat some food, and Wyatt and I climbed in the rafters I think.
We then moved on near the pond and to the edge of the woods heading west to the entrance to the Readington Connector Trail. I'd followed this trail for a ways both one and three years prior I think it was, turning back both times, but this time I was intent on following the trail through. We continued along the path down hill and across a brook, then parallel with the backs of homes in a developement. We continued as the trail led us out of the woods and along the back yards of several houses on mowed lawns. We soon turned left into some old fields, then right past piles of dirt, parallel with more yards and out to the Hunterdon County Parks trails in the Wings Section of the South Branch of the Raritan Reservation. We turned right heading north parallel with more back yards skirting woods to our left. Cathy was chatting with Mr. Buckett about all sorts of interesting things I don't even care to repeat, though I'll say the conversations were hilarious. The trail led us almost out to Deer Path Road, but before reaching it I noticed a new trail turning left towards the South Branch. I followed it and instructed everyone to follow me as I believe it would go through rather than dead ending. It led us to the river side on an old road bed I think, to where a bridge used to be over the river. We turned right parallel with the river for a ways until we reached the Rt 31 bridge over the South Branch. Wyatt and I decided to wade across the river while the rest of the group opted to cross utilizing the Rt 31 bridge. The water felt wonderful. Once on the other side, Wyatt and I climbed a bit on the girders of the road bridge before we regrouped and made our way down to the former Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks and began walking. Though I did'nt know it yet, a new trail section existed along the river to our right. After we'd walked the tracks for some time, we saw some of the trail in the woods to the right, so we followed it. Another time, Amish Paul found another trail in the woods. We continued in along it as well. We were able to follow close to continueous trail parallel with the tracks, some of which I'd hiked the previous Summer (where I'd gotten 43 ticks), leading out to the tracks again where they crossed the South Branch on a through style girder bridge. A few of the group began crossing, though I yelled for them to come back as the trail actually crossed at an angle and continued on the same side of the river. We took an extended break here, and Wyatt and I had great fun jumping off the railroad bridge abutment into the river. Amish Paul also went for a swim. While waiting, a train went by, soon followed by another one that was waiting on a siding for the other one to pass. Once the trains went by, we continued on the South Branch Trail north parallel with the river to the Stanton Station section of the South Branch Reservation. We walked across the old truss bridge on Stanton Road to the old station site and railroad crossing and once again began following the Lehigh Valley Railroad. I kept my eyes open to our left as we walked, and sure enough found the next section of the South Branch Trail turning left off the tracks. The trail took us easily along the river banks north to Sunnyside Picnic Area with a 9/11 memorial and Old Clinton Road. We crossed the road next to an old bridge, continueing along the river on the trail which led us out to Kiceniuk Road and the apparent end of the trail. We turned left here and crossed the river on a bridge turning right on River Road. There was nice scenery along the road, lots of farm and marsh land in view. There was a sign saying the road was closed ahead, but we continued on to the north. I think this road might also be considered part of Hamden Road. We came to another part of the South Branch Reservation, but when I checked out the short bit of mowed path it did'nt lead even out of sight from the road. We continued north on the road to the old truss bridge over the South Branch, which was closed at this time. The entire bridge was covered over with blanketing as it was being painted. We decided to say "Screw It" and pull up the blankets to walk across. We tried not to breath too deeply as we were within the painted structure. Once on the other side I took another dip in the river and we began walking on. Once I saw county park signs on the other side I opted to wade across and look for the next section of trail. Amish Paul and Wyatt decided to join me while the others walked Hamden Road to the left turn on Camp Buck Road which would become Pine Hill Road. Amish Paul, Wyatt, and I continued into the Pine Hill Section of the South Branch Reservation at first climbing very steeply up the high bank on one side and found our way to a tape blazed trail, and then blazes resumed. We followed them out along high bluffs above the river. We descended to a little viewpoint over a rock looking at the next truss bridge over the South Branch and could see the group below. We followed the trail out to the road, crossing and steeply climbing up the bank on the other side. My map showed a trail along the river here, though it was not evident. We made our way down hill a bit and found the trail, but soon lost it again. We ended up walkng along a fence on an old woods road which eventually led us back to the trail. The trail led us back to the former LV Railroad and crossed next to another trestle. As we got there, a train sped by. We waited for it to pass, then continued down the fill on the other side following the South Branch Trail. The trail eventually led us out to another part of Hamden Road, closed to traffic and converted to a trail here. A pedestrian bridge had been placed over the South Branch to our right, some sort of plant, probably sewage treatment lay straight ahead, and to our left the closed made it's way across an open area with trees to the left, and the painted lines were still on the road though grass and such was overtaking the pavement. We soon reached the section of the road open to public where we left Cathy's car. We stopped and ate some italian sandwiches I'd been given by the American Diabetes Association the night before while picking up a delivery from their Tour De Cure bicycle event. After eating, Cathy, Larry, and Amish Paul cut out early. Fred, Mr. Buckett, Wyatt, Russ, and I continued on. We turned left on Lower Landsdowne Road and walked a short distance to the beginning of the Lansdowne Trail, former Clinton Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR, turning north. We walked the well groomed trail and Russ climbed to the top of an old rail car parked on a siding that was still in place. We crossed the Capoolong Creek I think it is and continued north to the old Clinton Station, now a lumber yard, and turned right on the main street, Rt 173 into town. Wyatt and I were getting quite thirsty so we stopped in at a Krauszer's Food Store where I got some Gatorade Berry Rain beverage (not to be confused with the Snapple Elements "Rain" Beverage I'd enjoyed in the past) which did the job well. We then made our way back to the old yellow truss bridge over the South Branch at the Old Red Mill where we rejoined Fred and Russ. The Mill was beautiful as ever, though the way the sun was shining was not the best for viewing it. We crossed the bridge and turned left past the old stone mill which was now an art museum, then turned left on Rt 513 back across the South Branch heading up hill. Soon, we reached the Dunham Access of the South Branch Reservation, where I decided we'd have a look for new trail sections. On the way down, I got a terrible case of Cow Itch, or Stinging Nettles. When we reached the water, there was unfortunitely no trail worth trying to use. We decided to just turn back, but not after Wyatt and I took another dip to clean off the Stinging Nettle. We carefully made our way back to the road and continued to the cemetary across from the library which we used to get out to Rt 31. It did not look feasable to follow the river from here, so we opted to just follow Rt 31 north to 513 east into High Bridge. We walked through parking lots, and Wyatt threw a golf ball around that he'd found. I took a couple tries at it, trying to get it to go down the hill on Rt 513, but no luck really. Rt 31 between the Clinton turnoff and High Bridge Turnoff had many closed businesses, so many it was really quite amazing. It seemed only a Chinese Restaurant survived in the strip malls. A new building was being constructed on the south side of the Raritan River South Branch, though I don't know what is planned for there. As we walked Rt 513 toward High Bridge, we saw a lawn set up like a golf course on the left side of the road. Wyatt decided to bounce his golf ball off the pavement and let it fly into the golf course yard, but an SUV came through first and crashed into the ball making a loud clunking noise. Wyatt yelled "OH SHIT" and ran off ahead and into someone's driveway to hide, though the car owner did not come back. Wyatt was quite nervous about it for a while, however. We continued on, and took a dip in the South Branch after we passed an ice cream place, which was quite refreshing. We made our way up 513 under the railroad underpass, then up Main Street to the municipal parking area where we met in the morning to finish the hike. Amish Paul, Wyatt, Mr. Buckett, and I had dinner at the McDonalds in Clinton where a guy we titled "Gimp Hand" made a terrific thick McFlurry, one of the best I'd ever had. A woman on line there told me I was being ridicules when I elaborated on how thick I wanted the McFlurry, stating I wanted it so thick you could pave a road with it, so dense it is a gravitational anomaly, and so thick it might just kill me. We laughed and carried on so loudly the lady eventually grabbed her bag and left rather than eating in the restaurant!
1.) The group getting ready to go at the Bowman Stickney Farm (FH)2.) Building at Bowman Stickney Farm (FH)3.) Another shot of the Bowman Stickney Farmstead building4.) The group along the trail at Bowman Stickney Farm5.) Cathy and Mr Buckett at Bowman Stickney Farm trails6.) John and Russ on the trail (FH)7.) Still in Bowman Stickney Farm area (FH)8.) Continueing up toward Stanton Road in Bowman Stickney Farm9.) View along the power line on Peter Buelle Trail10.) The group at the power line (FH)11.) The got in the shade from the power line rather quickly...it was hot!12.) At Woodschurch Road at Deer Path Park (FH)13.) John and Russ in Deer Path Park (FH)14.) Going over the maps at Deer Path Park, Woodschurch Road15.) Crossing Deer Path Park16.) The pond at Deer Path Park17.) A closeup of the pond (FH)18.) Taking a brak at the pavilian in Deer Path Park19.) More resting at the pavilian20.) Fishermen at the pond (FH)21.) One more of the pond...22.) Amish Paul and Cathy on the Readington Connector Trail south of Deer Path Park23.) On the Readington Connector Trail where it skirts people's back yards24.) Site of an old bridge over the South Branch of the Raritan in Wings Section of the South Branch Reservation25.) Most of the group ascending to Rt 31 from the South Branch Trail26.) Russ and John climbing to Rt 31 from the trail (FH)27.) Wyatt in the South Branch under the Rt 31 overpass28.) Russ looking over the side of the 31 bridge29-30.) Me sitting on the Rt 31 girder bridge over the South Branch (WH)31.) Wyatt and I below the bridge (FH)32.) The rest of the group along Rt 31 above the South Branch at the bridge33.) Wyatt on the bridge34.) More of the group at the 31 bridge (FH)35.) Descending to the former Lehigh Valley Railroad tracks from Rt 3136-37.) More the the group climbing down to the railroad (FH)38.) John S. on the former LV tracks below the 31 underpass (FH)39.) The group at the 31 overpass40.) Larry and Mr. Buckett on the South Branch Trail north of Flemington41.) Larry along the South Branch Trail heading toward Stanton42.) The group resting on the South Branch Trail before reaching the next railroad crossing before Stanton (FH)43.) John crossing an abandoned trestle over the South Branch along the active LV tracks (FH)44.) Larry and Russ at the trestle (FH)45.) Some of the group at the railroad trestles where the South Branch Trail crosses the tracks46.) A train approaching, coming across the trestle47-49.) The group looking on as the Norfolk Southern Engine approaches from the north (FH)50.) An older Conrail engine coming from the south51-53.) Yet another Norfold Southern engine approaching from the north (FH)54.) The train speeding by55.) Wyatt getting uncomfortably close to the train56.) The train crossing the trestle (FH)57.) The sign at the top of an 1880 truss bridge over the South Branch on Stanton Road58.) Larry on the Stanton Road bridge, Stanton Sta.59.) A fisherman in the South Branch (FH)60.) Another view of the Stanton bridge (FH)61.) Amish Paul at the Stanton Sta. parking area (FH)62-63.) Boaters on the South Branch at Stanton Station (FH)64.) Nice truss bridge over the South Branch on Old Clinton Road (FH)65.) Another view of the old bridge66.) The group at the trail crossing of Old Clinton Road (FH)67.) Nice memorial in the Sunnyside Picnic Area (FH)68.) Another view of the 9/11 memorial69.) The group along Kiceniuk Road at the end of the South Branch Trail section north of Sunnyside Picnic Area (CF)70.) The group crossing the bridge on Kiceniuk Road71.) Walking north on River Road72.) View south on River Road as the group catches up73.) Continueing north on River Road...74.) Fred along the road with some nice wetlands near the South Branch75.) More nice meadows near the South Branch76.) Some old building in the the South Branch Reservation along Hamden Road, but no trail yet unfortunitely77.) The truss bridge on Hamden Road, covered with tarps for painting (FH)78.) Under the tarps on the newly painted Hamden Road Bridge79.) Wyatt and Fred under the truss bridge's tarps80.) The group at the bridge 81.) Me taking a dip in the south branch (FH)82.) Section of Hamden Road that was closed for the bridge work (FH)83.) Amish Paul climbing steeply up hill in the Pine Hill section of the South Branch Reservation across the river from Hamden Road84.) View downstream on the south branch from the bridge at Pine Hill (FH)85.) Mr. Buckett and John on Camp Buck Road/Pine Hill Road at the bridge over the river (FH)86.) Amish Paul on an outcropping at Pine Hill (FH)87.) View of the truss bridge from the outcropping on Pine Hill88.) View downstream along the South Branch89.) Amish Paul swinging on a natural vine swing south of Pine Hill90.) View across the former LV Railroad trestle to the south91.) More of the group catching up to the railroad tracks (FH)92.) Amish Paul and Mr. Buckett climbing to the tracks (FH)93.) The group on the tracks where the South Branch Trail crosses94.) Me taking a picture of the group (FH)95.) The railroad trestle96.) Another train crossing the trestle97.) The train crossing the bridge (FH)98-99.) Probably a sewage treatment plant (FH)100.) The group on the abandoned section of Hamden Road in the South Branch Reservation101.) Along the abandoned section of Hamden Road, a pedestrian bridge over the South Branch102.) Cathy and Amish Paul coming up the South Branch Trail toward Hamden Road103.) The sewage treatment place104.) More along Hamden Road105.) Another view of the abandoned Hamden Road, with paint still on the pavement106.) Mr. Buckett entering the Landsdowne Trail where the rails on the former Clinton Branch of the Lehigh Valley Railroad are still in place107.) Russ climbing an old rail car on the Lansdowne Trail108.) Still hanging out by the rail car (FH)109.) View from the dam on the little yellow truss bridge by the Red Mill in Clinton (FH)110.) The truss bridge at Clinton's Old Red Mill111.) Historic Marker at the Old Red Mill, Clinton112.) One of the old mills in CLinton, this one is now an art museum113.) The Old Red Mill (FH)114.) Another view of the Old Red Mill, Clinton115.) And another view of the old bridge next to the mill116.) The Old Red Mill117.) Wyatt and I at the stone art museum mill (FH)118.) Wyatt at the mill119.) Old Red Mill and dam (FH)120.) View of the South Branch from Rt 513 in Clinton121.) More views of the South Branch (FH)122.) Wyatt at the South Branch from the Dunham Access of Rt 513123.) Fred and Russ crossing the cemetary in Clinton124.) New construction going on along Rt 31 in Clinton125.) Mr. Buckett along Rt 31 heading north126.) Wyatt with an abandoned business along Rt 31, Clinton127.) Intersection of Rt 513 and 31, Fred walking east128.) Historical Marker in High Bridge NJ129.) An abandoned business on Rt 513 in High Bridge NJ130.) Me in High Bridge finishing the hike131.) Amish Paul at Clinton McDonalds after the hike, with his super thick McFlurry!
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