Hike #368; Randolph/Morristown

 Hike #368 9/1/8

Found this on the cemetery fence along the Patriot's Path in Morristown

9/1/8 Randolph-Morristown with Cathy Fisher

This is yet another one where the original entry was lost to the fire. If I find it I'll post it up...

At Buttermilk Falls on India Brook in Mendham

Buttermilk Falls on India Brook

The trail along India Brook

Old bridge site in India Brook Natural Area

India Brook crossing on the Patriot's Path

Patriot's Path brook crossing in Mendham

Patriot's Path in Mendham

Blue Patriot's Path in Mendham area

Patriot's Path, former Rockaway Valley Railroad

Mendham Twp. Trails system map in Ralston

This is the original Rockaway Valley Railroad right of way near Mendham, taken from where the Patriot's Path route descends to join it.

Patriot's Path on former Rockaway Valley Railroad east of Mendham

Possible former rail bridge site at Lewis Morris Park

Former Rockaway Valley Railroad culvert that was never used near Speedwell

Speedwell Lake

Speedwell Lake dam

Mill ruins in Speedwell

Section of Patriot's Path along Morristown and Erie tracks in Morristown

Patriot's Path, large invasive plant along abandoned side road near Rt 287.

For this one just Cathy and I parked one car off Ridgedale Ave at the Wal Mart in Morristown and shuttled to Heistens Park as I recall up by Randolph.

We started walking the Patriot's Path's main route as it took us out of the park and past a pond, then along roads into the main body of Randolph's trail system. We crossed over the upper India Brook and then headed up hill shortly to a new trail that headed south parallel with the india brook. I'd hiked the India Brook trail in the past but at the time the trail between the main branch of the Patriot's Path and the India Brook Natural area did not yet exist. Technically, it was'nt open yet on this occasion either. When we got to the north end of it there was a sign warning to keep out. We of course ignored it.

This trail took us south along an old road, and then when the old road continued to the end of a new developement the trail, sort of a wood chipped messy looking route at this time, took us down hill slightly and closer to the brook with a former pond within sight where a dam had been purged. The trail came out along Combs Hollow Road across from the current park, and when we got there two people were working on a new kiosk for the site. It was an older couple with a sign that read it was a scout eagle project. The kid, the Eagle scout in training, was laying down on the roof of the car while his parents worked. It was actually rather disgusting as I recall.

We turned right onto Combs Hollow Road briefly across the brook on the road bridge, then into the woods on the left to follow the brook down stream.

As we walked I can't remember if there was a new bridge in over the brook or not, but it was at the very least under construction. My previous visit we had to jump the brook at the upper crossing. We continued to the south following the brook past Buttermilk Falls. I think I might have jumped in but I don't remember now.

The trail took us out across a road and then to the blue blazed branch of the Patriot's Path along the former Rockaway Valley Railroad. We turned left and crossed the brook for the last time on concrete cylinders.

We stayed on the trail/rail bed heading eastbound, and the main white blazed portion of the Patriot's Path joined just past Mendham.

We continued on to the former station site, Watnong, then onward to Speedwell Village. We continued to the end of the Patriot's Path blazes and then followed the proposed route through the rail yard section along the Whippany River out to Martin Luthor King street. We then passed through some of the urban parks along the river and then past the cemetary. We then crossed Ridgedale Ave I think it was and along the former Morristown and Erie Railroad tracks out to the abandoned access road to the jail property I think it is. This took us out to a parallel section of Rt 287. Instead of following the trail across 287 on the road bridge we simply crossed and went left up to Ridgedale and the Wal Mart to finish the day.