Thursday, March 3, 2022

Hike #548; Lockatong to Ralph Stover State Park

 Hike #548 3/12/11

Rich's fantastic group photo

3/12/11 Lockatong, Delaware, and Tohickon, Lockatong WMA to Ralph Stover State Park with Rich Pace, Eric Pace, Amanda Rosenblatt, Chip Denis, Ira Rubinstein, Ron Phelps, Russ Moyer, Kathy Kindness Ruppel, Jason Itell, "Commando Tom" Petrucci, Laura Allen Cunningham, Chris "The Colenal" Nani, Teun Ott, and Ron Lozowski (with his 2 dogs).

My next hike would be another point to point one between Lockatong Wildlife Management Area north of Rosemont in Hunterdon County NJ and Ralph Stover State Park in PA. We met at Ralph Stover State Park a bit late. I was planning to meet at 8:30 but there were issues with road closures on the way down so I ran considerably late.

It was great when I finally arrived to see my old friend Russ Moyer, back for his first hike with me since 2008.

Once we got everyone together we shuttled to a somewhat new state WMA lot for the Lockatong piece off of Rt 519 a bit north of Rosemont.

Along the trail in Lockatong Wildlife Management Area

Wood pile trail in Lockatong WMA

Wood laid trail in Lockatong WMA

We started walking south out of the parking lot, and then turned west. I was surprised at the condition of the trail. I had been told by a hunter months before that this trail was not in particularly good shape, that a scout had cleared it but it didn't really do much and wasn't very easy to follow. My hopes were not high for this trail.

I was pleasantly surprised when we followed it to see that all of the treadway where it laid wet had cut rounds of logs, thick enough to stick out of the water but not so thick as to tip over when stepping on them. It was quite a good idea to overcome a wet area which I may implement on trails I work on one day.

In addition to this, the trail was also lined in many places with sticks and branches to establish where the tread way should be. It was blazed with white paint. While the blazes were not all that shapely, they did use a brush rather than spray paint which tends to look sloppy and runny, so I applaud the efforts.

Cascade on the Lockatong Creek, Lockatong WMA

We continued along the trail and started to parallel a small gully where a tributary to the Lockatong had formed heading west. We followed this gradually down hill until we came into sight of the Lockatong itself and turned left, heading south. We came closer to the creek and soon to a small but pretty cascade.

I had been told that the largest waterfall by volume in Hunterdon County was on the Lockatong in this area, and I was concerned that this, while pretty, might have been it, which was somewhat disappointing.

Along the trail in Lockatong WMA

Across the river from this cascade was a small abandoned building, but the water was running so high from floods that there was no way any of us was going to go over to try to explore it. We continued along the trail which continued to parallel the Lockatong on it's way south.

Chip on the trail in Lockatong WMA

High Falls

High Falls

High Falls

High Falls

The trail began to ascend to a higher elevation above the Lockatong, which at this point started turning from a southward direction to an abrupt east. At the height of the land we reached, I could see and hear below us the waterfall that I would not be disappointed to see.

Chip and I were up front, and we hurried down the trail as it descended after changing direction to the east. A side path led down to the best perspective of the falls, very close to a private property boundary. I could see how this was the highest volume waterfall in the county. It was indeed wide, with several places the water spilled over the rock formations. We of course took a nice break here. Chip and I first climbed down the somewhat slippery moss covered rocks to the closest we could get to the falls without falling into the opaque flood swollen waters. I'd imagine this waterfalls, while very nice, would normally have a lot less water on it.

I found out later that this was actually called "High Falls". It's not all that high, but it's still very nice.

High Falls

High Falls

Looking downstream from High Falls

High Falls

We continued along the white blazed trail from here, as it started to ascend yet again to the top of a hillside parallel with the Lockatong, on private land at this point, below us. Chip was looking at his GPS and commented on how we were actually following one of the contour lines almost perfectly.

Soon, the trail began making it's way slightly down hill to close in the loop back out to where we started. We of course didn't want to do this, so we turned off of the trail to the right. A brief bushwack took us a short distance to an abandoned woods road, probably used for logging since it was not old growth forest.

Old woods road in Lockatong Creek WMA

The woods road was pretty easy to follow. We continued on until we came to a spot where it started to look a bit more obscure. We had to wait up for a bit for Eric who had fallen behind and not found the woods road. This gave everyone the opportunity to shed a layer of clothing as it was getting quite warm.

When Eric caught up, we continued on heading east. I watched the gps on my phone trying to find the appropriate place to descend to Strimples Mill Road, our next destination. This ended up taking a lot of my phone's power for the rest of the day.

The road became tougher to follow, but we stayed with it for a while. At one point it appeared to be going too far to the east, and I could see a clearing to the east on my areal photo, so I opted to turn off to the right, heading south bushwhacking. I soon saw some orange flagging tape on the trees so we were able to follow this on a route that was a bit more clear. It became evident there was another woods road descending here, although at times it was rather obscured by all of the multiflora rose growing there. We came soon to where we could easily see Strimples Mill Road. It was not easy to get out to because of the weeds. Ron Phelps found the best way through to the road, and everyone eventually followed his lead, but Jason and I fought through a really crazy mess of briers we probably shouldn't have tried. Either way we reached the road and headed right.

Cascades in a tributary to the Lockatong on Strimples Mill Road

Cascades in a Lockatong tributary on Strimples Mill Road

A short distance along the road took us to a clearing on the right were I believe a house had recently been torn down by the state. My original intention was to come out of the woods here, but we overshot it by a bit. I would probably meant fighting through too many weeds anyway. Jason found a rope sitting here and decided to carry it for the remainder of the day. We headed down hill gradually and soon came to a tributary to the Lockatong that had some nice little cascades in them.

Little foot bridge over a Lockatong tributary, Strimples Mill Road

Approaching Strimples Mill

We continued down the road, and there was a little foot bridge in really rough condition on the right hand side of the road. The cement footings were fast giving in to the punishment of the water up against it during high water times.

Along the road in this area, Amanda found a parasol, a weird little pink "Hello Kitty" umbrella which she carried for the rest of the hike (except for brief times when it was carried by myself or Ron P.).

We soon approached Strimples Mill, a working saw mill at a beautiful spot where Strimples Mill Road crosses the Lockatong Creek on an historic through style truss bridge. We could see a piece of metal where a waterwheel may have once been attatched to this mill.

We had a nice little break here and waited for everyone to regroup. Ron Lozowski cut out here because he had previous engagements, and waited for someone to pick him up, while the rest of us continued on the road.

Old barn being refurbished along Strimples Mill Road

Approaching Strimples Mill

The Lockatong Creek from Strimples Mill bridge

Strimples Mill

We continued along the road which took us up hill, to the left, and then around a sharp curve back to the right, exiting the woods and into an area with more rural character, and only a few homes. We soon bordered Hunterdon County's Wescott Nature Center/Peters Section to the left. As we approached the fiield with the trail head, many of us turned left across to cut the corner to the parking area.

Peters section of Wescott Nature Center field area

It was here we picked up the orange blazed Peters Trail. I blazed this trail with appropriate paint blazes. This was one of them that annoyed me so much because when I started in Hunterdon there was no way of knowing which way the trail was supposed to go due to lack of posts, and where there were trees, the trail markers pointed to the left off into the woods where no trail went. I installed several posts with turn blazes, and put paint blazes with appropriate turns on trees to help make the park more user friendly. It still needs at least two more posts to this day, but no one will do trail work in Hunterdon really any more.

We followed the trail along a line of trees along the field on the right, then cut to the right with a line of trees to the left, headed into woods across a tributary and then out to another field and turned right. Here, the trail entered an indecisive area where my posts still stood to show the way along the trail. We turned left in an open field area, passed the large deer hunter's platform, and then headed past a large vernal pool where the Spring Peepers were very audible. Jason tried to climb up on the platform, which was quite difficult, and everyone stopped to photograph the pool.

We passed through another line of trees and across an open field to a wooded section and some old stone rows. From here, we began to descend into the gorge.

Along Peter's Trail, Wescott Nature Center

As we headed down hill, we ignored the trail to the left which went by a small seasonal waterfall. I sort of resent this side trail because it was blazed in the same color as the other main trail, and not given an appropriate "end of trail" mark  when it was put in. Hunterdon insists on start and ends of trails with two markers rather than the standard three. Two markers always mean a turn or change in trail conditions anywhere else, and they had been in some cases unreceptive to making things right. I added some red paint blazes one day to this trail to avoid confusion, but it still needs to be fixed.

Peter's Trail, Wescott Nature Center

We continued to descend a bit, and then paralleled the deep gorge on the hillside far above it. After passing through a stone row and a large tree, we began a steady descent down into the gorge. We paralleled and then turned sharply toward the Lockatong. This section was one that I always had loved because it went right out onto the creek on rocks, but that needed to be changed because it was far too wet for people to go through. I had everyone come down the new proposed realignment of the trail over rocks to where Peters Trail turns to parallel the creek in the lowland next to it.

Descending off trail because Peter's Trail was flooded, Wescott Nature Center

We headed a short distance ahead to an interesting looking log where we stopped for our lunch break. Amanda climbed up on a high rock outcropping to sit.

Lunch break along the Lockatong, Wescott Nature Center, Peters Trail

After our break, and some suggestive bouncing up and down on the log by Jason and I, we continued along Peter's Trail, at this point now heading west. We stopped briefly along the way to check out an old root cellar of some kind I had found while working one day. Nearby was a set of steps leading to a walled in spring as well.

Amanda on her rocky promontory, Wescott Nature Center

Abandoned root cellar along Peter's Trail, Wescott Nature Center

Walled in old spring at a homestead site, Wescott Nature Center. Note also the old stair area behind it.

Giant Sycamore in Wescott Nature Center

Old home site, Wescott Nature Center

As we continued from here back to the trail we found a giant Sycamore tree, and were able to see the site where the ruins of the home foundation stood just off of the trail. One could even picture where the yard would have been from the young trees growing in it and limited undergrowth. It was likely that the access to the house was probably in large part some of the trail we would follow from here.

Old home site in Wescott Nature Center.

Soon, the trail turned from an area farther in along the flood plain back to alongside the Lockatong itself. It paralleled briefly with a wall to the left and a bench along the river dedicated to a woman named Mimi for whom the next trail was named. Peter's Trail ended, and the red blazed Mimi's Trail began continuing along the Lockatong down stream on a wider route that was probably once a road. We also exited Wescott Nature Center and entered the Zega section of the Lockatong Creek Preserve.

We continued along until this possible road route became washed out and unrecognizable, and the trail turned right and took to some higher ground over some puncheons and a bridge. We soon made our way up hill and to a picnic area and field.

Zega Section of the Lockatong Creek Preserve near Rosemont

Ahead was an experimental Chestnut plantation. I'm not sure if they were full American Chestnut or if they were some of the hybrid Chinese species used to make them immune to the blight that killed them all.

We turned off of Mimi's Trail here across the fields. This was a short cut to get out to Raven Rock Rosemont Road via a farm access to eliminate some road walking.

Intersection of Federal Twist Road. An odd name.

We turned right onto Raven Rock-Rosemont Road and followed it a short distance to it's intersection with Federal Twist Road. Directly across was the entrance to the White Oak Trail in Delaware River Bluffs State Park. We made our way into the woods on a path that was a bit overdone, apparently cleared by a large utility vehicle.

Bridge along the White Oak Trail, Delaware River Bluffs State Park

White Oak Trail, Delaware River Bluffs State Park

This was a rather interesting thing for me. In the past, I had led a bushwhacking hike through quite a lot of the land this trail had followed, and I had proposed that it should be a trail many many times. To my great surprise, one day at work my co worker Laura Kroon brought me a trail map of the area that had just come out. This map showed that a trail had been built almost on the exact route I had proposed, save for the last leg of it which went around an old quarry rather than down a dirt road. I had, on my last trip, cut into the woods just north of this area from Federal Twist Road and descended to Quarry Road, then followed it down to Bulls Island.

The trail had metal stainless markers that had been hammered all the way into the trees along the way. Obviously, whoever put the trail in hadn't had experience with trail marking or they would have left the nails out an inch or so to allow for the trees to grow. Although this trail was new, the metal blazes were already buckling under the pressure of the growing trees. There were also markers for one of the self guided nature trails, but I had no guide with me to refer to. The trail was also very wide and had obviously been cleared by some large vehicle. The tracks of the vehicle still remainded and it felt wrong. I always hated when nice woods paths were opened with large machines. There was undergrowth here, but none too difficult that a few volunteers and some hand work couldn't accomplish. It was tough doing this before the trail, but it was not impenetrable.

Despite these few criticisms, the trail had some very impressive points. The posts for the self guided trail were solidly grounded even though the ground was so rocky, and several little wooden bridges over washes and tributaries were installed and quite well built. I was also impressed by picnic benches that used full size cedar logs as the vertical supports. The cut wood was knotty and imperfect, but added to the overall look of the little benches which I thought was quite delightful.

Old culvert along Quarry Road

The trail made a gradual descent to Quarry Road. There were a lot of blow downs on the last section in need of clearing, but we were able to navigate around them. At Quarry Road, there was no signage to tell us where to next, but we could easily see from the map that the trail turned left on Quarry Road past a beautiful old stone bridge over a creek, heading up hill a briefly.

Giant white Oak near Bulls Island

The trail entered the woods above and out of the way of the quarry the road takes it's name from. It passed through the woods and then circled around to the south side of the quarry. As we made the corner and descended, Rt 29 soon came into view with giant lakes of water flooding the turf beside it. We continued to circle around to an area where there was a long stone wall, ruins of something that certainly had to do with the quarry operation that was once active here.

We also saw a giant Oak, I believe a White Oak, and probably the one for which this trail takes it's name. At glance, I would assume it was probably a Champion Tree, at least two centuries old. Several upper limbs had been cut off but it still seemed quite healthy.

We made our way along the trail, which seemed to be missing blazes here, around the edge of the stone wall, and to an area where there was a vine hanging. I tried swinging on it but it buckled under my weight and I fell a bit. It then began to  hold, and Rich was able to swing on it, so I had another go and we goofed off for a few minutes.

Strange wide old Sycamore near Bulls Island

Just before reaching Rt 29, I saw one of the most unique Sycamore trees I'd ever seen, one with several different main trunks coming off of one common root system. It was certainly quite old, though I can't really speculate since they are probably all stunted in growth due to so many large trunks there together.

The boat launch site is much closer in flood conditions

Delaware and Raritan Feeder Canal feeding far too much at Bulls Island

Interpretive signs barely above the water along the D&R Canal at Bulls Island

We crossed over Rt 29, then the former right of way of the Belvidere and Delaware Railroad, now a rail trail administered by Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park. Bulls Island Recreation Area was not closed ahead, but the water was very high. The northern terminus of the Delaware Canal was not even recognizable as such, as it was flooded over completely. Water came up to cover the entire picnic area and boat launch, and the water was too high to ever know that this was once a canal lock site. It did not, however, reach the park office or area around it, though it was closed anyway.

Bulls Island foot bridge

Flood swollen Delaware from Bulls Island Foot Bridge

Water pushing against the pier of the Bulls Island Foot Bridge

We continued across Bulls Island to the foot bridge over the Delaware. The river was very high. Not nearly as bad as it has been in the past, it was still bad enough. The water was not very far from the deck, and as it flowed down stream under the piers, it whirl pooled in a threatening fashion. Jason and I got three quarters of the way across the bridge when we saw two logs floating down stream fast, and we ran back to watch them crash into the piers (only one did).

When we reached the other end, Lumberville PA, it was sad to see the Delaware Canal almost completely under water. One could not even tell a canal was there if it weren't for the few trees protruding from the water that would have been along the tow path. If not for these trees and their root systems, the entire tow path might very well have been washed away completely. Looking up stream, some of the canal was out of the water, probably because there was a lock here where the canal is actually raised in elevation.

General store in Lumberville PA

When we got off of the foot bridge, we turned left down along Rt 32 briefly to the Lumberville general store where we stopped for some food and a break. I was feeling quite hungry, and so i got myself a nice italian sub sandwich. After a good break we continued up stream along Rt 32, since of course we could not walk the canal towpath as planned.

Bulls Island foot bridge from Lumberville PA

We walked Rt 32 for a bit to where a stream passed beneath it. The aqueduct to the right on the Delaware Canal was nearly covered over, and the road had been covered over earlier in the day when the Delaware crested, but now we were able to walk right across through the debris the water had left behind. Still, some spots had water up onto the road, and the creek was certainly swollen up and over it's banks by several feet.

Lumberville PA after the waters began to recede

Someone's yard at the swollen Delaware and creek confluence in Lumberville PA

Cascades along the cliffs near Lumberville PA

We proceeded out of Lumberville. There were signs blocking the roads in the area off to all traffic, which I had thought would be the most perfect time to be walking the highway. Rich made comments on how this was not so unlike a time when we had walked Old Mine Road during flood conditions. He was more right than I would have liked him to be.

One of the good aspects of this walk was the existence of water falls to the left on the cliffs that would not exist during normal conditions. Colenel Nani and I stopped to admire someone's nice walled back yard with cascades along it.

I watched the Delaware Canal towpath, barely out of the water to the right, thinking we could have walked it, but we soon came to where the upstream rising elevation of the river was to a point where it overtook the canal again.

The Delaware River flooded over the top of the Delaware Canal between Point Pleasant and Lumberville

We continued walking, and a few cars came by to attempt to get through on the road. All but one intrepid driver in a black pickup, and one in a white SUV would brave the flooded road ahead.

The river, at a bending point here, had a great deal of current spilling over the walls, over the filled Delaware Canal, and onto the road up against the loose cliffs. Rocks were loosened and out into the road from being hammered by water earlier. This first washout was not all that deep, so Colenal and I decided to wade right on through. My feet didn't get wet at first, but when they did it was terribly cold. Most were able to walk along the edge of the road, but we came to a rock outcropping jutting out to the road where they would have to climb over.

Flooded Delaware River over Rt 32 south of Point Pleasant

Flooded Delaware south of Point Pleasant

Hiking along flooded Rt 32

Colenal and I, already over on the other side, decided to go up an apparently abandoned driveway to the left to check out a really nice waterfall cascading into the river below. The black truck came back through, and then turned around to drive through the flood yet again. This time, he stopped, and Teun jumped into the bed. The truck driver took him up the road to dry land. Many of the others had already begun to ascend the loose escarpment to the west to get past the rock ledge.

Flooded Rt 32, and the intrepid truck driver

Teun hitches a ride over the flood

Waterfall above Rt 32, south of Point Pleasant

Rock outcropping above Rt 32

Waterfall along Rt 32

Flooded Rt 32

Flooded Rt 32

There was a short section of land that was out of the water, but just ahead was a longer and deeper section of flood. Again, only Colenel and I were willing to ford the freezing water. Once we got to the other side we had to keep moving around because the water was so cold it hurt.

Chip and Russ were very close behind. There was another rock that cropped out just too far to be able to walk along the road's edge. Chip made his way over the top, and then pushed his feet into the ground ahead to establish a treadway with which to safely descend the slope on the other side. He made it down fine, and Russ continued along the slope a bit higher up and further, to descend where the slope had a slightly less steep angle. The black truck continued to go back and forth fast, blasting water up into the air nearly twice the height of the truck itself each time.

Flooded Rt 32

Stone structure along Rt 32

There was a stone laid structure to the cliff side of the road we stepped in as the truck went by to avoid being blasted with water. On another trip, the driver picked up Commando Tom and Laura, and took them across the flood to where Teun was. Everyone else was apparently too high up to get them. I'm not sure if Eric hitched a ride at some point too or not.

I believe Ron, Ira, Jason, Kathy, and Amanda all ascended the cliffs once more and got much higher above the roadway than the previous time.

Rich kept to the lower route and made his way closely over the outcropping rock, and then followed down the same path Chip had taken earlier. I believe Ron was down next from the upper area where the loose slope lost a lot of it's angle. Jason was up above a steep vertical section, and it was unbearable to watch as a slight slip would have sent him plummeting over the edge. Amanda kept furthest back of everyone, staying directly up against a vertical rock face farther back, and Kathy was in a similar area just below Amanda. Everyone else came down in approximately the same area. Ira was doing particularly great; he'd been out only on one of my long hikes after a long hiatus, but he was now navigating a dangerously loose slope with apparent ease, looking like a teenager as he descended wearing his hat backwards.

The driver of the black truck let his son out at some point, and then came back through soaking him with water, probably because he couldn't be seen behind a rock outcropping. The driver also took two other joggers across the flood waters when we were about leaving.

Rich descending from the slope above Rt 32

Slope above the Delaware

On Rt 32 beyond the flood

Crazy slope above the Delaware

Cascades along the slopes near Point Pleasant PA

Mirror shot, Point Pleasant PA

We continued to walk along Rt 32. We could see the canal up ahead remained under water to the next nearby lock site at least. Rt 32 turned away and there were some more nice cascades to the left, particularly one with a nice rustic looking trail style foot bridge connecting two back yards. We also stopped to take goofy mirror pictures.

Soon, we reached Point Pleasant. As we crossed the Tohickon Creek on a bridge, we could see the aqueduct on the Delaware Canal had nearly gone under water, and the bottom was already touching. The water had crested earlier in the morning, so it was mostly out by now, and had survived pretty well it seemed. I stopped at another deli in town, just as they were closing, and Eric and I each got a Rosenberg's Farms Chocolate Milk, another good Pennsylvania brand.

Mirror shot, Point Pleasant PA

Pot man, Point Pleasant PA

Tohickon Aqueduct, almost under water

Cemetery above Point Pleasant PA

From here, we turned left onto Cafferty Road and began to head up hill. This road paralleled the Tohickon Creek high above on a cliff. I had walked this route a few years before, but never in this direction. Along the way we passed by an old cemetery on the right. Directly after this we turned left onto an unmarked trail to the left into Tohickon Valley County Park.

Eric on the trail opposite a gully, Tohickon Valley Park

Ron with the Parasol, Tohickon Valley Park

Chip and the roots, Tohickon valley Park

The trail followed an old woods road route and descended for a bit into the main area of the county park where pavilons and such were. We cold see a sort of handicapped accessible trail I hadn't seen before below us to the left. We continued across this paved pathway and took a short break for everyone to catch up on the other side. The area was full of all sorts of side trails we were not meant to take and I needed to keep everyone together. We soon passed by a camping area where we saw some tents to the right, and ascended for a bit more to a higher area, then back to a lower area again closer to the Tohickon Creek. Once again we ascended and turned much further away from the creek We were now following a trail with sloppy red on white circular blazes. "Amish Paul" Hassler once told me he helped to blaze this trail, though I don't know if I'd want to take credit for that. In his defense, there were good yellow blazes later.

The trail crossed over a tributary in a gully and ascended again, gaining more elevation and heading towards an area with some seasonal views over the Tohickon valley below.

As we made our way back around, I waved at Eric back on the other side of the gully we had to go out and back on. As we ascended over rocks, we came across an interesting tree with a root formation growing in a rectangular pattern.

Making our way to High Rocks in Tohickon Valley Park

View from High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

View from High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

View from High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

We continued along the top of the cliffs from Tohickon Valley Park to the High Rocks Vista section of Ralph Stover State Park. Yellow trail blazes began to replace the ugly red on white blobs. In addition, there were now large fences lining the edge of the cliffs with a terrific path along the edge. This route afforded the best views of the Tohickon Creek and the gorge below. The sun was setting and cast some interesting light as it always tends to do that time of day. We saw a lot more people in this area than we saw the entire day. A parking lot for High Rocks, located on Tory Road, was very near.

On High Rocks, Ralph Stover State Park

View from High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

View from High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

View from High Rocks Vista, Ralph Stover State Park

Bridge over the Tohickon, Ralph Stover State Park

We continued from High Rocks onto another short piece of county park land, still on the yellow blazed trail, out to Stover Park Road, now a dead end because the bridge at the bottom was closed to vehicular traffic. Jason made a rock arrow in the road for those who had fallen behind, but they caught up soon enough that it wasn't needed.

We descended to cross the river on the attractive old red bridge, and then immediately cut to the right across the lawn of Ralph Stover State Park's main area, and across a foot bridge over a tributary to the parking area. It was just getting dark; we finished with perfect timing considering the variable conditions.

Tohickon bridge at Ralph Stover State Park

At the end, Ralph Stover State Park

This was another great hike, keeping with the high energy of the past couple weeks, and holding true to my prediction that this is going to be a fantastic year for hiking.

Rich had a lot of us over his lovely barn home for beer, pizza, and a digital slide show of this and other hikes which was quite a nice way to close out the day.

High Falls on the Lockatong

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