Hike #416 5/16-5/17/9
5/16-5/17/9 Highlands Trail; Rieglesville PA-Spruce Run Recreation Area NJ with Kyle Zalinsky, Jillane Becker, Jason Itell, "Commando Tom" Petrucci, Shelly Janes, Laura Cunningham, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Amanda Rosanblatt, and "Major Tom" Conroy.
Celebration and opening of Highlands Trail in Rieglesville NJ to PA
My next hike would be another two day event, this time to celebrate the completion of the Highlands Trail in NJ and it's extension into Pennsylvania. There was to be a celebration in Rieglesville to mark the occasion, and so I posted a backpacking trip for the event, to camp out on Ron Lozowski's farm on Musconetcong Mountain south of Warren Glen. Joining me for the first day was only Kyle Zalinsky. No one showed up at the meeting point of Spruce Run Recreation Area, and so we hopped in Kyle's car and headed to Rieglesville PA. When we arrived and parked on a side street, I saw Highlands Trail supervisor Glenn Oleksak and NYNJTC official Brenda Holzinger walking along the Delaware Canal towpath. We immediately met up with them and hung out in front of the old inn on the PA side. We then walked with them across the river on the old Roebling Bridge and hung out with Glenn and Brenda for a bit (1,2). I wanted to try to meet up with Jen Heisey from the AMC beforehand, and we saw her briefly, so Kyle and I walked back across the bridge and headed north on Rt 32 to find the HT celebration. Instead of going that far, we stopped by a community craft fair of some sort they had going on. We talked to the author of a book on the Delaware prior to the 1800s, and then were on our way back toward the bridge (3). When we got to the NJ side again, a few people had shown up. Brenda had given me a Highlands Trail t shirt (which I'd wanted for some time) and so people were asking me a lot of questions. We hung around talking to Glenn, Brenda, Jen, and I finally met Gary Haugland from the NYNJTC. I also saw many old friends who have hiked with me in the past including Jude Shabrach, Ira Rubenstein, Russ Moyer, Bill "Guillermo" Fabel, Jim Bloom, Lynn Fraser, and Joan Aichele just to name a few (3aa). My supervisor, Ed McCaffrey also showed up. Gary and Brenda both spoke on behalf of the Trail Conference (3ab), and then came the vice president of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Once the speaking was all done, we headed over to cross the bridge. A few people carried a banner welcoming the Highlands Trail to PA (3ac-4). There was then a ribbon cutting on the bridge (5-8) by Brenda and Jen, and we continued across.
The ribbon cutting at Rieglesville Roebling Bridge
Glenn even said he was getting a bit emotional, which is understandable from a guy who puts more volunteer time into this trail than he does at his full time job (9,10). On the PA side, Jen's boyfriend carried in the PA system and set it up where a new bridge had been erected for the trail over the Delaware Canal linking the trail to the towpath. Jen then spoke for a bit, turning it over to a couple of people from the Bucks County area (11-13aa). They had an unveiling of a new sign on the bridge for the Highlands Trail (14-16aa), and we all crossed. From here, everyone walked down the road to the Rieglesville Boro Park where they had some catered food (17). The food was good, many sandwiches and cookies and such. Kyle, Ed, and I hung around there for quite a bit before moving on.
Heading to the HT celebration lunch, Rieglesville PA
I talked to my friend Al Schwartz for a while, as well as Russ and other fellow hikers (17aa).
Kyle and I with our packs in Rieglesville pA
Soon, Kyle and I were ready to go, and so Ed came with us as we began our hike (17ab) cutting across the park to the Delaware Canal towpath back to the north (18). We soon reached the main road across the river again (19) and crossed back over the Roebling Bridge after stopping for a six pack of beer at a local place. Once on the other side of the bridge, Ed said goodbye and we were off. Kyle and I walked across the Musconetcong River on the road bridge, then turned left onto Mt Joy Road with some nice views (20). The Highlands Trail was'nt blazed here yet, but it simply followed the road. It was to turn left into Musconetcong River Wildlife Management Area, and when we got to a good point we headed in, but there was no flagging or any work done yet on it here. Still, it was very hot and humid and we took a brief swim. We tried following the river on the route the HT would take, but it got very nasty and we went through some of the worst Stinging Nettle (cow itch) I had ever encountered. Still, we continued on; Kyle had long pants on so he could handle it, but me in my shorts was not so fortunite, so I walked in the Musconetcong River. This proved difficult too, as it went far over my head. I had to pass my backpack up to Kyle to carry for a bit. The worst part came when several snag lines from fishermen were stuck in a tree. I had to swim out around them, then try to swim up stream to get past them. It was very difficult and tiring, but I somehow did it, and then crossed a big piling of branches to catch up with Kyle again (21). I continued walking in the river for a bit (22) until Kyle found a place I could come back out. We continued walking and made our way into a nice evergreen grove which made it mush easier to walk. We decided to cut back up to Mt Joy Road from here. One section of the trail is open here, a mowed piece I had followed on an HT scouting hike in the past, but for that short piece it was'nt worth it (23). From the road, near where Mt Joy Road turned across the Musconetcong in the Finesville area I think it is, the trail turned up into more State WMA property alongside an old barn. None of this was blazed yet either, but Glenn told us how to do it (24). We followed along the field edges, and then began ascending a bit following an old trail blazed with old orange tag things. Glenn informed me this was the route they would use (25). The trail led us above the fields with some nice views, then through some woods. The markers ended somewhere along the way, and we were supposed to continue out to Shire Road somehow, but we must have lost the route somewhere, and instead descended a bit to Bellis Road. It did'nt make much difference, because Shire Road would have only taken us down hill to Bellis anyway and we missed less than a half mile of what would be the trail, but for now bushwhacking. We followed Bellis Road up hill (27) passing Ron along the way, as he decided to come looking for us (28). After chatting a bit, we continued, passing a weird mail box (29) along the way.
Interesting mailbox, Holland Township
When we reached Ron's farm, he showed us where we could camp, and we decided on a nice wooded area with wood chips on the ground (30,31). Kyle and I hung around for a while with nothing going on. I helped him set up my tent which I lent him. Eventually, we got a hold of Jason Itell and "Commando Tom" Petrucci who decided they would come out to join us later. They did, and with them they brought a lot of wine which they and Kyle drank all of pretty much. They got so drunk that they started Ron's lawn mowers and paving equipment, so it was a real pain trying to keep them in order! My girlfriend Jillane Becker showed up around midnight to camp with us, and I'd set up her tent before her arrival so we'd have something to sleep in. Jillane wanted to goof around with Commando Tom and Jason, but Kyle had had enough and went to bed. I finally got the guys to lay down, but it took some doing. They were running around in the rain like lunatics (32). In the morning, fortunitely the rain had stopped and we got our stuff packed up. We headed out from the farm while Jillane took random pictures of stuff around the area (33-46). We turned onto Rt 519 south, then turned left onto Dennis Road heading into Musconetcong Gorge. There was a sign in front of a house I had to get a picture of Jillane with (47).
Probably not related
When we reached the parking lot for Musconetcong Gorge, we were met by Shelly Janes, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, "Major Tom" Conroy, Amanda Rosanblatt, and Laura Cunningham. We all started following the Highlands Trail from here along the ridge. Kyle carried a Winnie the Pooh ball Jillane had had for years apparently for the entire trip (48-51). At one point, Wind Gap, PA came into view (52). We crossed over both Scout Run and Pine Run, and then ascended on the recently blazed new HT section leading through the meadows and out to Staats Road (53-57).
Group shot on the Highlands Trail, Musconetcong Gorge Preserve
Highlands Trail in Musconetcong Gorge Preserve
We turned right on Staats, then left on Schaaf Road for a bit (58-60) before turning into a field on an unblazed section of the trail with a nice view (59). We skirted the fields heading south before entering the woods (61-63a). Once in the woods, we followedflagging south to more fields, but sort of lost the trail. I wandered for a bit, and eventually found more flagging in another field. I still could'nt find the trail, so I called up BrendaHolzinger who sort of directed me (63b-63d). When we reached the end of the field section we found completed HT blazes going over a stone wall which had etchings it in I thought might be indian petroglyphs (64-64b). We were now in part of the Sweet Hollow Preserve. A short distance into the woods woods we came across an abandoned little cottage with a Japanese theme, sorrounded by bamboo and Japanese Maple, and still filled with all sorts of crazy items we just HAD to have, but could'nt carry out (65-75k).
Abandoned Japanese Garden House
When we got on our way (76) and reached Sweet Hollow Road, a guy pulled up on an ATV with a note pad asking us if we had a permit to be in there, and I told him I was on the Highlands Trail. The other guys told him I worked for the county, and so he was just eyeing us up. He did'nt have anything on his note pad, so it was pretty ridicules. Fortunitely he did'tn call any police or anything. Shelly had tried to carry a couple items out of the house, but when she saw the guy she ditched them. We had to walk Sweet Hollow Road to the east for a bit, and I shot ahead looking for the next HT section. Jason and Commando Tom came with me, and so we missed a couple more abandoned houses unfortunitely (76a-76y). However, this gave Jason and Commando Tom time to cook their lunches! Once everyone caught up, we headed up the HT into the next section of Sweet Hollow Preserve, seeing a toad on the way up (76z-77a). Along the way we passed a stone fireplace structure and apparently ruins of some sort of building (78-80).
Fire place in Sweet Hollow Preserve, Highlands Trail
This section let us out at Rt 579, which we walked briefly to the right and turned left on Turkey Hill Road where Jason stole a realtor's balloon (81). The other stopped to visit some horses across the street (81a-81b). We followed Turkey Hill Road taking in the sights (81c,81d) until we reached the entrance to the Deerpath Sanctuary of the NJ Audobon Society. There was an old stone structure, probably a spring house, at the entrance and a giant roller across the street the guys tried to start (82-84). We crossed over the hilltop through this section which was lovely, to emerge on Tunnel Road (85-86). Unfortunitely, Jason's balloon popped her on an Autumn Olive. We followed Tunnel Road out to Rt 173 (86a) and crossed over entering the woods on the next section of the HT in Jugtown Mountain Nature Preserve. We followed the HT up hill steeply on a woods road, then turned off on a footpath through some lovely mayapples before reaching the Jugtown Mountain parking lot (86b). We continued following the trail along the ruins of some old mining operation stuff (87-88a) and then turned away from the rest of the park on the HT leading out to Mine Road (89-89a). We turned briefly on mine road, then right back into another finger of Jugtown Mountain Nature Preserve (89b). I was surprised to see that a flower that had been found the previous year along the trail, and lined by rocks with by a volunteer came back in exact same location (90-90a). The trail soon exited the county land and went onto a water authority piece (90b,91). We soon reached a power line clearing and followed it for a bit to re enter the woods in Tower Hill Reserve (92-94). We followed the trail to the main part of Tower Hill and it's fields, leading to Mountainview Road where we turned right (95-98b). The old Tower Hill house was still standing, and as of this writing may be taken over by the Prosecutor's office which would be good since it would preserve it (99-99c). We turned back into Tower Hill on another mowed trail briefly before coming back out to Mountainview Road (100-101c) descending to Norton Church Road (101d). Kyle and I had some wine at the intersection, then followed Norton Church Road to Charlestown Road at Norton Church itself (101e-102). Jason, Commando Tom, and Laura went far ahead While the rest of us stayed behind. A cop showed up to talk to us at Norton Church, so I let him know what we were up to (102a). There were some eggs for sale along the road, and while I don't think anyone with me bought any, Jason, Commando Tom, and Laura did and ate them when they reached the end (102b-102d). When we reached Van Syckles Road with the old ironmaster's house from the Union Furnace (103-103a) we turned left, and soon turned into Clinton Wildlife Management Area on the HT around fields (104-109a). The trail took us out of fields and onto some woods roads followed by narrow foot path crossing over bits of Spruce Run Resevoir and through lovely meadows (110-112b).
Clinton Wildlife Management Area, Highlands Trail
We reached Van Syckles Road again, turned right, then left into more WMA land along the north end of fields (112c). The original HT route was now a teal with block spot marked side path leading up hill. We continued on the main route heading back down hill to Spruce Run Recreation Area where we followed grass and access roads to the next section with the thick Autumn Olives (113-115). We stopped along the way at the nature blind, then continued out to Van Syckles Road, skipping the last section in Union Furnace Nature Preserve, reaching the parking lot (114d-116). Major Tom showed us how he duct taped his gas tank shut (117). We all headed out from here, as it was late and everyone pretty much wanted to get home.
Celebration and opening of Highlands Trail in Rieglesville NJ to PA
The ribbon cutting at Rieglesville Roebling Bridge
Heading to the HT celebration lunch, Rieglesville PA
Kyle and I with our packs in Rieglesville pA
Interesting mailbox, Holland Township
Probably not related
Group shot on the Highlands Trail, Musconetcong Gorge Preserve
Highlands Trail in Musconetcong Gorge Preserve
Abandoned Japanese Garden House
Fire place in Sweet Hollow Preserve, Highlands Trail
Clinton Wildlife Management Area, Highlands Trail
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