Hike #323 12/30/7
12/30/7 Livingston-Montclair with Fred Hafale, Joe Tag, "DJ Ray" Cordts, Christina Manley, Craig Nunn, and Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell
Along Lenape Trail
Livingston to Montclair
My next hike would be the next section eastbound of the co-aligned Lenape Trail and Liberty-Water Gap Trail. We met on side roads near one of the corners near the Mountain Avenue Station of the NJ Transit Railroad tracks at 8:30 am, then shuttled to the Starbucks Coffee place on the corner of Eisenhower Parkway and Eagle Rock Road in Livingston.
West Essex Park on Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail along Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston. RIP Christina, we miss you.
Lepane Trail near Riker Hill
Lenape Trail below Riker Hill
Lenape Trail in Livingston vicinity
Lenape Trail in Becker Park
Lenape Trail just east of Becker Park
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail on a power line
Along Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail. RIP Christina, we miss you.
View of Rt 280 from Lenape Trail
View along Lenape Trail
Along Lenape Trail
Rt 280 underpass on Lenape Trail
Rt 280 underpass along Lenape Trail
Rt 280 underpass on Lenape Trail
Rt 280 underpass on Lenape Trail
Historic car
Lake Vincent in West Orange along Lenape Trail
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east and Manhattan
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation
Eagle Rock Reservation
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation, 9/11 memorial
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation view to the east
Eagle Rock Reservation
Eagle Rock Reservation
Eagle Rock Reservation view
Lenape Trail in Eagle Rock Reservation
Lenape Trail in Verona Park
Lenape Trail in Verona Park. Ray has some of the shit we found in someone's trash.
Lenape Trail view in Verona Park
9/11 memorial in Verona along Lenape Trail
Lenape Trail in Verona
Lenape Trail on former Caldwell Branch of the Erie Railroad
Overbrook
Joining me this time were Fred Hafale, Joe Tag, DJ Ray Cordts, Christina Manley, and newcomer Craig Nunn. We began walking from here onto the Lenape Trail west to finish a piece I had'nt done to the Essex Co Environmental Education Center. It was a clear good trail at first, but it was soon far too wet to walk. The wetlands near the Passaic River were holding water pretty badly, and there were many trenches through the area with somewhat flowing water. I was able to almost jump over one, but trying to do so disturbed my broken shoulder so much so that it bothered me for the rest of the day, so I refrained from such activities as much as possible. To get back across the wet area, I had to find some sticks to cross on, and then we had to cut through the woods back out toward Eagle Rock Road. We cut through near a newly constructed house to the golf course entrance nearby, then followed that access road, which was part of the trail, out to Eagle Rock Road. We found a bunch of golf balls along the way, and I picked a bunch up. The visitor's center at the trailside was unfortunitely closed, so we continued back onto Eagle Rock Road and followed the trail east. The trail took us to the corner of Eagle Rock Road and Eisenhower Parkway again, and followed Eisenhower Parkway south. DJ Ray and I were looking for interesting places to put the golf balls we found, and left them in as many as we could, first near a bank. In a short distance, the trail turned left off the highway on a dirt road. We made our way east, and I left some golf balls at a doorway to some business as well is in a nice stainless steel grill. We continued up hill and across the former Caldwell Branch of the Erie Railroad, used as a spur line here (it operated between Morristown and the Caldwell area, east part of it was abandoned, west part is now Morristown and Erie tourism railroad and short freight line). Heading east we reached a couple unmarked side trails, and one marked one which Fred told me led to the Riker Hill Fossil site, something I was keen on exploring another time. We continued on through what I believe was Becker Park, following the Lenape Trail through woodlands and on power lines and such. We had to cross a stream, and DJ Ray had to head back to pick up his walking stick. We continued on, and the trail led us often along power lines, through suburban roads and such, and past a great view of Rt 280. We descended for a bit and soon reached a road which I think was Prospect Avenue or something. We had to follow the road for a ways, and then turned down some side roads in suburban neighborhoods, leading to a little park and trailway along a pond. I think it was probably Lake Vincent near the West Orange High School, but I'm not sure. Along the way we were in contact with David "Captain Soup" Campbell, who was planning on meeting us. We soon reached Eagle Rock Road and turned right, and Captain Soup soon joined us here, and we were happy to see him! We stopped here at a Wendy's I think it was for some lunch, and then were on our way. We crossed the intersection on Mount Prospect Avenue and followed the Lenape Trail into the woods in Eagle Rock Reservation. The trail took us in a roundabout route through this very old park heading generally to the east. This park was designed with many many culvert underpasses strictly for foot and equestrian traffic, which was way ahead of it's time. We continued until we reached Crest Drive, crossed and stopped for a break where we had a great view of Montclair, Bloomfield, Newark, and New York City. There was also a great 9-11 memorial. After this break we headed back onto the trail which followed the road briefly. We met a man who pulled over to talk to us, a trail maintainer. Fred had met him in the past, and he was keen on us hiking there and gave us maps. I would later have a phone conversation with him about the hikes, and found that he would be a great assett for info on hikes in the area. We descended on a nice trail eventually to emerge on some back roads in a developement. The trail led us along some streets for a while. We found a giant pile of stuff laid out for the garbage, and so we picked through it and grabbed some of it. We found a red backpack, and many other things, and DJ Ray grabbed a golf club, I grabbed a hockey stick, and we walked with them into the town of Verona! We soon headed onto a paved trail into Verona Park. The trail took us around Verona Lake in a scenic little park, and then into the middle of town on Bloomfield Avenue. We turned left, and then crossed a small park in town where we saw a sign designating this as part of a major Lenape indian through route. We passed through this town area and then onto Fairview Avenue for a left turn on Arnold Way. At the end of Arnold Way we reached the abandoned right of way of the former Caldwell Branch of the Erie Railroad, now part of the Lenape Trail. This was the same line we crossed earlier, and the one that Cathy and I followed between Whippany and Morristown previously. We began heading northeast on this line. It was a good pathway, and took us through part of the abandoned Overbrook Hospital, with some nice buildings. There were tons of stories about the place in Weird NJ magazine, and I'd long wanted to go in, but had'nt gotten the chance. DJ Ray was having some trouble with his leg, but he pushed onward. There were a couple road crossings and such, and a good bridge that must have been a station site on Pompton Avenue. Soon, we crossed over a high trestle over the Peckman River and passes some side trails. After another road crossing, the trail led us off the rail bed to the right and up hill a bit. Another side trail went to the right, and Lenape Trail led us along a little ridge to the left, skirting wetlands to the right through an evergreen grove. It was starting to get rather dark, so we were pushing forward. We came to another trail junction where Lenape Trail went to the left and another one went straight. Fred told us going straight would be easier, so I agreed we would do that. We followed this out to Ridge Road and turned left, and the Lenape Trail soon rejoined. The trail led us along the road for a bit, then turned right into the woods again at the north end of Cedar Grove Resevoir. DJ Ray and Christina opted to stay here and wait for us to come back. The rest of us pushed onward through the woods, eventually taking us out to Normal Avenue (named after the former "Normal School" which was here). We opted not to follow Lenape Trail from here because it was far too dark, so we headed down Normal Avenue through a big rock cut out to Montclair Heights area, then headed on roads south to where we were parked off Valley Road on either Elston Road. What a day! We headed back to East Hanover and had some dinner at Maceroni Grill I think it was.
1.) Along the Lenape Trail in part of West Essex Park near Eagle Rock Road1a.) Along Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston (FH)2.) Along Lenape Trail near Livingston2a.) Christina crossing a brook near Livingston (FH)2b.) More at the brook crossing (FH)3.) DJ Ray in Becker Park I think it is, Lenape Trail3a.) Trail along the road (FH)4.) Lenape Trail on a power line5.) We found this sign laying down along the trail by a road crossing6.) View from the Lenape Trail on a power line6a-6b.) On the trail on the power line7.) More of the Lenape Trail heading east on the power line7a.) Trail on the power line (FH)8.) Heading east9.) Christina and Joe ascending on the trail along the power line10.) DJ Ray and Christina along the Lenape Trail near Rt 28011.) View of Rt 280 from Lenape Trail12.) View east from the Lenape Trail13.) Descending on the Lenape Trail to Rt 28014.) Fred and Craig under Rt 28014a.) Me under Rt 280 (FH)14b.) Under Rt 280 on Lenape Trail (FH)15.) Naaron under Rt 28015a.) A nice car...(FH)16.) I think this is Lake Vincent in West Orange17.) Joe, Fred, DJ Ray, Naaron, Christina, Craig, and me in the front18.) Taking pictures into the mirror at Wendy's19.) View toward New York City from Eagle Rock Reservation19a.) At the view at Eagle Rock Reservation (FH)19b.) View of Newark NJ (FH)19c-19d.) View of NYC (FH)19e.) At the view at Eagle Rock Reservation (FH)20.) Another view of the city from Eagle Rock Reservation21.) View toward Newark22.) Another view of NYC23.) Bad zoomed in shot of the city24.) 911 Memorial at Eagle Rock Reservation25.) Another view26.) View to the northeast toward Bloomfield and Montclair26a.) At the viewpoing (FH)27.) The group at the viewpoint28.) View toward Newark again28a.) Joe entering Verona Park (FH)29.) In Verona Park30.) DJ Ray with his golf club in Verona Park31.) Verona Park32.) Captain Soup at a WTC memorial in Verona33.) Me with my hockey stick along the railroad bed in Verona34.) Heading northeast on the old Erie RR bed35.) Part of the Overbrook Hospital
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