Hike #525 11/14/10
11/14/10 Princeton Area Loop with Doug Kiovski, Jason Itell, Jason Kumpas, Amanda Murphy, Carol and Rob Creamer, Jack Lowry, Susan Duncan, Chris Metaxas, Joe Tag, Shep Glennon, "Commando Tom" Petrucci, Laura Cunningham, and ?.
Group shot in Greater Mountain Lakes Open Space, Princeton.
My next hike would be yet another in the Princeton NJ vicinity. A year before we had done a great hike starting in Princeton, but I had now discovered what looked like would be a good loop hike. My friend Doug Kiovsky from work, who lives in Princeton and knows the trails well looked at my route and proposed a couple other connections that would make the full loop less roads and more trails. What we put together was an excellent route and a very fun hike.
We met in the morning at Princeton Battlefield State Park on Mercer Road, south side of Princeton.
In Princeton Battlefield State Park
Princeton Battlefield State Park
There was a small parking area on the west side of the battlefield where barely everyone fit. We had to shuffle some cars to get everyone in and still some had to park on the grass. Once we had everyone together we headed through some woods to the west to the Quaker Friends meeting place which was now some sort of school or something, a very old historic building.
Quaker Friends house, Princeton Battlefield area
Princeton battlefield State Park
Jack and Susie ran a little behind so when I got a call from them I ran back to find them, which was pretty easy. We soon caught up with the others, and I believe we followed Beech Stand Trail to Far Trail heading southward. The trail went along the edge of a field to the right and then continued south through woods.
Chris told us about how the band Phish used to play in this area, especially at some large rock.
Institute Woods, Princeton
Institute Woods, Princeton
There were many side trails which may have been unofficial or official. The NJ Trails map I was using was not exactly clear compared to what was on the ground. One of the woods roads we crossed was an old trolley railroad grade which was part of a trail i had walked a little of in Lawrenceville to the west. I didn't know it went all the way to Princeton until Doug told me about it.
Crazy swinging bridge, Institute Woods
We soon came to Stony Brook and turned left on River's Edge Trail. This trail took us a short distance to an incredible little swinging bridge over the Stony Brook. The brook was somewhat large here, and the bridge was certainly not very stable. I couldn't believe that such a structure was standing and open to public here, knowing how difficult it is to have things like that done in Hunterdon County. Even though we didn't need to go across it, we went across and back just because it was so cool.
Swinging bridge in Institute Woods
Swinging bridge in Institute Woods
Swinging Bridge in Intstitute Woods, Princeton
Swinging Bridge, Institute Woods, Princeton
After out fun with the weird little bridge, we continued to the east along the Stony Brook. Had we followed the trail from the swinging bridge it would have taken us to the Delaware and Raritan Canal towpath. The trail left Institute Woods and entered the Rogers Preserve also along the Stony Brook.
River's Edge Trail along Stony brook, Rogers Preserve
Rogers Preserve, Princeton
The trails were not blazed well, if at all, and we somehow soon lost them. We continued sort of parallel with the Stony Brook until it turned away toward the south a bit. We continued through the woods past a small building. Soon, up in a tree or something we heard a recorded voice say "ATTENTION!". Shocked, we all stopped to look around. It was a rather barren looking woods with little undergrowth, and certainly no real development.
Rogers Preserve, Princeton
The voice came from a speaker above us that went on to recite a message. It stated the property we were on (I think a water authority) and said we were being recorded on camera for security purposes, and then closed it's monologue by saying "Enjoy the property". This was quite a shock as nothing like this had ever happened on one of my hikes before.
We continued out to a small road which led us to a more main road. I don't remember which road it was, maybe Springdale or Alexander. Doug or Susie would be able to better say, because I really can't remember.
We headed north for a bit, then I followed Doug going east parallel with another main road on a paved pathway. The entire area was full of beautiful manicured and paved pedestrian pathways which was impressive. Even rustic looking trails turned off to the north which I didn't understand why we didn'nt use. As it turned out, Doug wanted to show us a new pedestrian bridge that had been put in at great costs. It had two approaches from the east side and turned into one on the west.
New pedestrian bridge at Princeton University
Pedestrian bridge with two approaches in Princeton
On a pedestrian bridge, Princeton
We stayed on the right side of the road the bridge crossed, then climbed to the top of it and crosses, then turned left, or north, on the other side around an open field area, I think some kind of ball fields. This took us to a building where we walked through a really beautiful wode cooridoor around a curve.
Walking through a school building coridoor in Princeton
Walking through Princeton University.
Princeton NJ
Princeton NJ
Princeton NJ
We stopped for a little break on the college campus which was pretty nice. Jack played his carbon fiber guitar and I sang "The Lion Sleeps Tonight". There were statues of giant animals and lots of great trees with lovely foliage. After our break we continued north out of the university area and then to the main street in town. Doug led us through a route into the middle of town, and we passed by the little soup kitchen where the famous "Soup Nazi" from Seinfeld now worked.
NO SOUP FOR YOU SHEP! Princeton NJ
Bust in Princeton
I think we turned left to walk north on Witherspoon Street as I recall. We had hoped to find a place to stop for lunch before this time, but everyone was moving on rather quickly, and I guess no one wanted to stop right in Princeton so we just kept going. On Witherspoon Street, there was really hardly anyplace to stop and eat so we just continued on.
At the end of Witherspoon we came to Rt 206 and turned right for a bit. Soon, there was a strip mall on the right hand side. Chris told me he had gotten into his first car accident coming out of that strip mall years back. We joked and referred to it as "Christory".
Lunch Break...Domino's on sale!
Commando Tom, Laura, and I went into the Domino's Pizza on the far north corner of the building, almost hidden, and got a couple pies. It was well worth it because I felt starving, but I still shared.
After our break, we headed south along Rt 206 briefly, then made a quick right hand turn onto Cherry Hill Road. My map showed a trail turned off to the left of this road heading west. We eventually came to one trail head that was rather overgrown, but a new one right alongside of it was mowed off rather well, so we headed in here.
This section of trail took us into part of Community Park North.
Trail in Community Park North, Princeton
We continued along mowed paths pretty straight, then took a right doubling back a bit, followed by a left and basically just some pointless additional stuff just to explore all of the trails.
Lake in Mountain Lakes, Princeton
I believe we continued within sight of the lake that was to the west of us, former ice supply for Princeton. It had been pretty drained due to work being done on the dam I believe. We then continued north, and I believe we took a slight loop out and back through John Witherspoon Woods, then back to the west out to Coventry Farm and Great Road.
Witherspoon Woods vicinity, Princeton.
Group shot in Greater Mountain Lakes Open Space, Princeton
Near Princeton Day School
This was a section of the trail we had already been on. We crossed Great Road and then turned right paralleling it through the woods. It continued to parallel Great Road West and somehow we lost the trail briefly. We then found it as we walked past Princeton Day School and Tenacre Foundation. It then entered a section of woods and continued west to Pond View.
Pond View Trail, Princeton
Pond View Trail, Princeton
After going by the first pond we then turned right onto the connector trail to the Woodfield Reservation. We took a right fork here onto part of the South Loop, which I'd done before, but then we somehow took a different fork of it than before. In addition, there were more signs up in this preserve than the previous visit making it much more clear where each trail led.
This time, we came to The Devil's Cave, a rock formation with a small cave into the rocks which was pretty cool.
The Devil's Cave, Woodfield Reservation, Princeton
Looking out of The Devil's Cave, Woodfield Reservation, Princeton
Sign in Woodfield Reservation
Giant tree in Woodfield Reservation
We continued along the north side of the lovely Woodfield Reservation and reached Tent Rock where we took a nice little break. Jason and I climbed onto the top of it while everyone was waiting.
Tent Rock, Woodfield Reservation
Trying to push Tent Rock, Woodfield Reservation.
Taking a break at Tent Rock, Woodfield Reservation
After our break we continued along the foot path to the intersection with the multi use trail and hung a right out to Stuart Road West.
Trail coming out on Stuart Road from the west end of the Wodfield Reservation
Old Province Line Road
We walked Stuart Road westward out to Province Line Road, once the boundary between the colonies of East and West NJ. We followed the road south, which became abandoned after a while, and then crossed over the Stony Brook on a lovely old truss bridge. All of this section of the hike was a repeat as well. This time, I decided to take a brief swim in the Stony brook and cool off, which felt great, though cold.
Stony Brook crossing on Province Line Road's abandoned section
We headed up hill, and passed a group of teenagers wandering down the opposite direction from us. We soon turned right off of Province Line Road where it became used again on the south side of the bridge onto the Laura Chauncey Trail at the Educational Testing Service property.
The last time we were at this site we turned right, but this time we'd go left following the section of the trail we had yet to do. We headed up hill slightly through some woods, and came out on some sort of utility line clearing as I recall. The trail wasn't very discernable here as to where it ended, but it didn't matter, we were almost to the south end of ETS at Rosedale Road where we turned left. We soon reached Province Line Road and continued straight. A pedestrian path followed the left side of Rosedale Road as we walked this section which made it nice.
Soon, another bike path was across the road to the right. This was the section Doug had suggested, where we would go on through to the Hun School. As we walked in, we were both surprised to see a new foot path turn off to the right along the edge of Stony Brook. We of course followed this nice trail that was lined with stones and very obvious. Jason had taken off running to get to the cars sooner. Too bad because he ended up missing a great section.
Stony Brook Trail near Hun School, Princeton
Stony Brook near Hun School, Princeton
Stony Brook
We continued along this trail, and Jack and I sang a whole bunch of crazy songs, everything from Beatles to U2 and anything else we could think of.
We eventually came to a foot bridge over the Stony Brook where we had a choice of following a paved bike path to the left or crossing the bridge. It looked like crossing the bridge just led us to a golf course so we all opted to go left out along the edge of the Hun School property. We passed a track and then came to an area with some steps and such where we could take a little break.
Steps at the Hun School, Princeton.
Group mirror shot, Princeton.
From the school, we had to walk the access road out, Winant Road to Stockton Street to Rt 206. We then walked Lawrence Road to the left, which was Rt 206.
This was the driveway of the man who invented the latex condom, Princeton
Doug brought us this way because there was a good walking path along the north side of the road. He pointed out some alternative history like the driveway of the man who invented the latex condom. We also walked by the Governor's Mansion, Drumthwacket which I'd never seen so well before.
Governor's Mansion, Drumthwacket
We continued along 206 to Lovers Lane and Marquand Park where another paved path began. We were able to walk down Lovers Lane and then turn right on Mercer Road on another pathway parallel back to Princeton Battlefield State Park. We cut across the road and crossed the battlefield directly. We also went by where there was an ancient tree that had died, but one of the tree's seedlings was now growing at it's place.
Princeton Battlefield
This was a fantastic loop around the Princeton area, and one of the best Mercer County hikes I'd done yet.
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