Hike #586; Union County Hike and Music Fest
9/17/11 Watchung/Scotch Plains to Clark with Jason Itell, Megan (Itell), Jay and Sangita Shah, and Susan Duncan
Hiking a pathway in Mountainside NJ, Union County
My next hike would be another point to point trip. Like the previous year, I would again arrange a route that would take us to the Union County Music Fest at Oak Ridge Park in Clark where we'd see Paul Rodgers, Neon Trees, and Blondie. This time, my route would be almost entirely different than the previous year. We would start in Scotch Plains area and follow a greenway route back to Clark.
We met at the Taco Bell in Clark, and then moved cars to on street parking near the Music Fest. It was a bit difficult trying to figure this out, because I wasn't prepared to find all of the streets in the vicinity blocked off.
It was cool to see Jay and Sangita Shah back out with us again after not seeing them for a couple years. We then shuttled in Jason's car to the beginning.
Small park in Scotch Plains NJ vicinity
Watchung Reservation's west side
We started walking from a parking lot in Scotch Plains area. We got to New Providence Road from this area, which was some sort of shopping center near Bonnie Burn Road. We cut diagonally across a small park, past some bleachers. A girl driving a car on New Providence Road slowed down and asked us where we were hiking. I told her and then yelled to join us, but of course it was a bit late. I must have looked somewhat crazy because I was wearing one of my old Shop Rite smocks.
On the other side of the park we reached Union Ave and turned right briefly. We then turned left into some grass next to the entrance to an apartment complex called Meadow Street. There were signs and such next to the creek in the area that read "conservation easement". Some were quite funny because they forbid mowing and such, and some of the signs were on cut lawns and in wood chipped areas around the apartments. I think this was intended to provide a buffer zone around the creek, which I believe was the Blue Brook at this point.
Cascades on the Blue Brook
Once we reached the end of the apartment complex, we turned left, and then cut to the right into a path next to a chain link fence, the entrance to the Watchung Reservation we had used before. We headed up hill until we reached the white blazed Sierra Trail and turned left. We headed up hill for a bit, and then made our way out over some rough stony trail along the brook. We passed over ruins from past quarrying or something, and then by the really nice swimming hole I'd jumped off into the previous year. No one was interested in jumping in, and since we had just started I refrained as well.
Strange rock cut just off the Sierra Trail, Watchung Reservation
We headed off of the Sierra Trail for a bit, to get to the view of the cascades in the brook, and then headed through a rock cut which I can't explain what it would have been used for.
We continued ahead on the trail, which made a steep ascent to the top of an outcrop with a limited view off toward Rt 78 and the Second Watchung. I looked over to my left and I could see a rope shaking, but secured. I knew my friend from high school, Mike Cuccia was to be climbing down there.
Rock climber in Watchung Reservation
I called out "Mike, is that you down there?". He answered back that it was, and so I made my way down to the left rather steeply. He and a friend of his were doing some climbing on a fantastic rock cliff below.
Mike Cuccia doing some rock climbing with his buddy on the cliffs at Watchung Reservation
They were just south of Seely's Pond. I chatted with them for a bit, but no one else in my group wanted to head down the cliffs, so I would have to go back up there to catch up with them. I would have loved to hang out and try some climbing, but we had a long way to go.
Nice cliffs in Watchung Reservation
This is what I decided to climb, the easy way.
I headed back the way I'd come, and looked for a safe spot to climb up. There were some pretty easy spots, and I opted for the easiest but interesting looking route. It was broken up rocks in sort of a steep step form, which was really cool. I made my way back up to the top and we all continued along the Sierra Trail.
We followed the trail for a bit, and then came to where an old road that was being used as a side trail broke off to the right. I didn't have a map of the place with me, so I assumed this was the route we wanted, so we headed up hill on it slightly. This took us out to Sky Top Drive, and it didn't continue on the other side. I had intended to stay at a lower elevation, but this had been the wrong way. Instead, we walked the road for a little while.
Jason looking for the Amoeba this arrow is presumably pointing at? Sky Top Drive, Watchung Reservation.
While on the road, I spotted something red tied onto one of the street signs. Upon closer inspection, it was a red Shop Rite smock! I couldn't believe it, and I said "Jason, you've GOT to wear this!!!". I untied it and it fit Jason rather splendidly!
Jason and I in our Shop Rite smocks
Shop Rite boys in Watchung Reservation
We continued along Sky Top Drive for a bit until we got to where the southern portion of the Sierra Trail crossed over the road at a picnic pavilion. We went in here and I refilled a water bottle. We then headed onto the Sierra Trail for a bit, but realized I had wanted another trail further to the east. We then cut into the woods away from the parking area, and passed an abandoned older toilet building made of concrete. I joked to Jason that he shouldn't try kicking that one.
Abandoned former restroom in Watchung Reservation...with a concrete toilet! Don't kick that one, Jason!
We continued through the woods and eventually ended up on another leg of the Sierra Trail again. We followed it through woods for quite some time, and passed only a couple other hikers. We crossed over an old woods road trail, and then continued to another trail that broke off to the right. This would lead on around the perimeter of the reservation. We followed it, and it came very close to a lot of the houses. It eventually turned away from them and then joined the Yellow Trail. We followed the yellow straight on, which also had some pink blazes. It eventually took us down hill and over a brook.
Big treein the Watchung Reservation
On the other side of the brook was the big parking area and the Trail Side Nature Center. We crossed the lot and headed over to the building, but it was closed. We took a quick break before moving on following the Sierra Trail and the red blazed trail. The red blazed trail made a loop that partially followed the Sierra Trail in the area. The southern branch of it was lined with wood for some reason, like some kind of turnpiking work, maybe to keep the water seasonally off the trail.
Red trail in Watchung Reservation
From along the red blazed trail, we turned away and cut through the woods, bushwhacking out to Summit Lane. We then turned left for a short distance. After the last house on the south side of the road, we cut to the right through the woods heading down hill.
Love notes on paper along Summit Lane in the Watchungs.
Shortly, we came to an abandoned road, just parallel with Summit Lane. It looked like it was a pretty prominent route at this point, though not used in many years. We headed to the right on it as it followed a shelf gradually descending below the nearest house we'd just passed.
We soon came upon a giant below ground cistern of some sort. It was a giant concrete tank only partially buried in the ground. On the map we had picked up at one of the parking lots, it showed "Pearsall Castle Site". I wanted to see if anything remained of this castle, and so this is one of the reasons we took the route we did.
Weird concrete tank in Watchung Reservation
Abandoned road in Watchung Reservation
Abandoned road in Watchung Reservation
Old roadway in the Watchungs
We continued on along the old road way. It got to be much worse as we walked. When it sloped down hill it became very washed out and overgrown. We had to follow a path over sort of a berm on the east side of the roadway as it headed down hill. There were no "castle" ruins I could see anywhere, and the roadway soon came out on WR Tracy Drive directly across the street from Central Ave. I assumed this road must have at one time been the continuation of Central Drive, and that the Tracy Drive must have been a replacement in favor of a more gradual slope.
I would later find out that the "Pearsall Castle" was actually a mansion. Built by Alfred Pearsall in 1907, and called "Pearsall's Potluck", it was never completed. It stook a shell of a building on this slope of the Watchungs until Union County purchased the property and had it demolished.
We turned right on Park Slope, and followed it to Deer Path and turned left (which became New Providence Road). There was a swath of Watchung Reservation here that went to a pond called Maxon Pond, but we didn't really have a way to get in to it, so we kept with the road.
It didn't take long before we reached the paved trail that turned off to the left parallel with New Providence Road. We were able to follow this through the woods away from traffic which was quite pleasant.
Pathway near the Libarary off of New Providence Road in Mountainside, approaching the bridge over Rt 22.
The path came out along the road, near the public library. A narrower paved path turned left and went by a Union County historic site, and then ended at the driveway for the library. I could see beyond the library that the path continued on the other side, or at least people used it for walking. We had a look in the library and took a break here, then made our way to another wide paved path in front of the library along Rt 22. The path went up hill along the highway to the left.
Pedestrian bridge over Rt 22 in Mountainside.
The path soon led to a a pedestrian bridge over Rt 22. We crossed and were now next to some sort of sports complex. We could probably have walked through some of that to stay off of Rt 22, but there was a good side walk along this section. It looked kind of out of place. I figured this would be quicker since we already took more time in Watchung Reservation making the wrong turn earlier.
Did we find the Lord?
Echo Lake Park
Echo Lake Park, Union Co NJ
Echo Lake Park
First dam we passed in Echo Lake Park
Path in Echo Lake Park
Along the longer pond in Echo Lake Park
Echo Lake Park
Water wheel in Echo Lake Park
We continued along Rt 22 until we reached the turn off for Mountain Ave. We headed in here to Echo Lake Park, another Union County Park. We first walked along a path parallel with Mountain Ave, to see if we could get along the south shore of Echo Lake, but it didn't look feasible, so we headed along the north shore.
It was a nice grassy walk along the shore of the lake, and quite pretty. We continued along until a paved path made it's way to the shore line. I remembered how John Trontis had told me that when he worked for Union County parks, he had reorganized their music events to be at Echo Lake, the very thing that would become the Union County Music Fest. I couldn't picture where the concerts would have been though.
We came to a boat rental place and a concession stand, which was great because we wanted hot dogs. The guy running the place was pretty nice, and the hot dogs were two bucks, but we were hungry. We continued along the path which took us out to Park Drive. I didn't realize we didn't have to cross over the creek that went through the park, so we walked a paved path (with broken pavement) from the dam of the lake, and along a second smaller pond, out to another Echo Lake, this one longer but less wide than the previous one.
The pathway continued across the road after going back over the stream a second time, and we were able to get right down by the water where there were people fishing in a really pretty area. We continued along the shore until we came close to yet another dam, this one with a covered pretty viewing platform next to it.
Another dam near the water wheel in Echo Lake Park
Dam in Echo Lake Park
Stream in Echo Lake Park
There was a water wheel below the covered structure next to the dam. I think we read some sort of history thing that said a mill had once occupied this site, although everything we were seeing now I was pretty sure was not the historic location of dams or mill race. The dam was made to be aesthetically pleasing with a stone looking finish, but it was certainly not very old. We found a path ahead that led down below the dam where the raceway came back into the stream, and then we walked close to the stream past picnic taples out to Springfield Ave. Once there, we turned right briefly.
Sign in Echo Lake Park advertising Union County Music Fest
There was a sign here for the Union County Music Fest, which was pretty neat since that's where we're going. We followed the road over a bridge across the creek only a short distance and then got on a paved path which was atop a berm near the creek.
Pathway atop the berm, Lenape Park
Trail on the berm in Lenape Park
Nomahagen Park bushwhack
Nomahagen Park near Cranford
Nomahagen Park near Cranford
We could see to the left of us the high water mark on the plants from the recent flooding. This section through Lenape Park seemed to go on for quite a long time. There were other people we passed using this section as well. We could see houses off to the right, and how this berm probably protected them a lot from flooding.
The trail came out at a parking area for Lenape Park, and we crossed Kenilworth Blvd directly here and then turned right along the edge of the road on a paved path skirting Nomehagan Park.
We walked for a bit, and came into a small parking area next to a ball field or something, and a police man was driving through. I was holding a Tilt drink, and so didn't want to get in trouble, so I started walking off toward the woods to the left. He didn't try to stop us, and we headed right to the woods. I decided it would be better to bushwhack this section anyway. It wasn't really too wet, and there were only two small wet stream crossings through the entire section of woods.
We emerged in the more developed section of Nomahagen Park. It was near here the Jillane had found the bicycle in early 2010. This section of Nomehagan Park had three trails heading south, so we got on the middle one. Susie was calling me around this time trying to meet up, but she couldn't quite catch up with us.
East Coast Greenway/Rahway River Greenway near Nomahegan Park
The pathway we were following headed out of Nomahegan Park, and entered a bit of woods, then headed out along Balmiere Parkway I think it was. It followed the top of a berm along the section parallel with the road, and then soon reached a pedestrian bridge to the left over the Rahway River. We crossed.
East Coast Greenway bridge over the Rahway River
Rahway River pedestrian bridge near Cranford
Rahway River near Cranford
Rahway River near Cranford
East Coast Greenway trail along Riverside Drive
Memorials in Cranford
Memorials in Cranford
Memorials in Cranford
Memorials in Cranford
This entire section of the greenway was labeled with East Coast Greenway signage very well. The foot bridge offered some nice views of the Rahway River, and I was surprised we didn't Incorporate this with the previous Rahway River Greenway hike we had done the previous year. We reached the other side of the bridge, and the trail continued along the top of a large berm parallel with Riverside Drive along the Rahway.
We looked on at the neighborhoods as we went by, and many of the houses had tons of stuff all sat out for garbage, obviously stuff that was ruined as a result of the flooding. Riverside became Normandie Place, and came out at a park area at the center of many roads coming together. There were some memorials in the center of the park.
We opted to continue on by following Springfield Ave across the Rahway River here. The river took a long sharp bend, but there didn't appear to be much of a greenway to be walking. On the left of the bridge there was a canoe and boating outfitter, but to the right was a girl scout property with a couple walking paths that didn't appear to go anywhere. We continued across and then slightly up hill above the river to find a small park on the left, I forget what it was called. We took a walk on in to have a look around.
Rahway River from a small park area in Cranford
It was actually very pretty. The trail ways went on to the Rahway River with a nice view, and looped through some gardens. This was definitely a costly park, because it was complete with lighted bollard posts. We couldn't get anywhere from this park, so we headed back out to Sprinfield Ave and turned left.
Small park area off Springfield Ave in Cranford
We walked down the road for a bit, and then Susie seemed to appear out of nowhere. I'd been on the phone with her again, but didn't realize she was that close. She had been driving around for a while, but just unable to connect with us. She brought her Martin Backpacker guitar and was playing some Blondie songs on it, which was one of the groups we were to see that night.
Memorial on the corner of Springfield and Union Ave, Cranford
Old workings for the wheel of Droeschers Mill, Cranford
1814 Droescher's Mill, Cranford
Droescher's Mill
Pedestrian bridge over Rahway River in Cranford
Giant boulder along the Rahway River near Cranford
We continued on the street to the corner of Union Ave. Here, there was a small park on the corner with a 9/11 memorial. We walked on the path into this, and then connected with another paved path out to Union Ave. We crossed here pretty much directly and another path continued on the other side along the Rahway River. This led us out to Rt 28 in the middle of Cranford. We turned left and then right onto Centennial Ave and headed south. On this stretch, we came across a Krauszers Food Store, which was great. We needed some refreshments. I don't even remember exactly what I got. I think there was some potato chips, but can't even remember. It was much needed.
After our break, we came out on South Avenue E, and were able to get on the trail along the river yet again. This led us south to the historic 1814 Droeschers Mill. I had been here before with Kyle, but we hadn't walked this side of the river yet. I walked around the outside of the mill and checked out the workings of where the water wheel used to be. I then walked across the spillway part of the dam, which surprisingly had no water running over it. I then got on the path on the other side out to Lincoln Avenue. We opted to cross and follow High Street ahead. A few blocks down there was a pedestrian bridge leading across the river again. We didn't cross this, but instead followed the dirt path along the side of the river we were on, parallel with the railroad tracks, formerly the Lehigh Valley Railroad I believe.
Former LV bridge over the Rahway
We continued along the path, and passed by the giant boulder along the trail I remembered passing the previous year on a cold and rainy day. We then came upon the former Lehigh Valley Railroad bridge over the river. Previously, we had walked underneath the bridge, but this time we would climb up to the top and begin walking the railroad.
Rahway River railroad bridge
Former LV railroad tracks near Cranford
Walking across a lawn toward A&P
Lake in Clark, NJ
We started heading along the tracks to the southwest. We didn't go all that far and I got pretty hungry again. My google map application on my phone showed that there was an A&P supermarket pretty nearby. So we continued on the tracks across Walnut Ave and Central Ave, and then soon cut off to the left into a vacant open area. It was apparent there used to be a building at this site, but we couldn't tell what it was. We made our way out to Terminal Ave, and then turned right briefly and then left between two buildings to emerge at a small park across from the A&P store. We went in and I got a cup of soup and a slice of cheap pizza. It was great to get some food. We had a good long break. We then moved on out of the parking lot and onto Raritan Road, which would become Oak Ridge Road as we left Cranford and entered Clark.
I had intended to actually stay either on the tracks or near them to avoid road walking, but at this point I don't think any of us had any more exploring left in us. We just followed the road, which took us across a nice body of water, and then through some neighborhoods. The road walk was the most awful part of the hike for me, and it seemed to go on forever. It was great when we finally arrived at the northern end of Oak Ridge Park, where there was a small trail access.
We walked on through the park, following their paved trail which I suppose follows the former golf cart trails from when this was a golf course. We then cut across the parking lot between cars.
Meeting up with the guys at Union County Music Fest
By some crazy coincidence, we passed by the car with Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, DJ Ray Cordts, and "Major Tom" Conroy. We stopped and talked for a bit, and then all of us took a walk on into the festival. We wandered around for a little bit, and I think we got some food. I split a weird pancake thing that was sandwiched with cheese with DJ Ray. It was okay, but nothing too special.
Paul Rodges on stage at Union County Music Fest
Watching Paul Rodgers live
Watching the show
Paul Rodgers on stage
Paul Rodgers live in Oak Ridge Park
Paul Rodgers on stage @ Oak Ridge Park
Paul Rodgers live at Oak Ridge Park
Paul Rodgers live at Oak Ridge Park
Paul Rodgers live at Oak Ridge Park
We wandered on back to the main stage area...there were many stages playing things simultaneously, but one big one. We found a good area reasonably close to the stage, and Paul Rodgers came on. It was still light out, so we could see pretty well.
I've never been a huge fan of Paul Rodgers, but I certainly liked him a lot more after the show. I had always enjoyed his songs from the long list of hits with Bad Company to his earlier stuff with Free. He's quite a big deal, having fronted those bands as well as The Firm, and even Queen for a while.
The sound was quite excellent. We could hear all the songs, and tell the words, which is often one of the problems with large venue big acts. He opened with "Can't Get Enough of Your Love" and then breezed through hits like "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Bad Company", "You Never Give Me Your Money", and many more. His voice was just as great as it was when he recorded those songs. He closed his main set with my favorite Bad Company turn, "Rock and Roll Fantasy". He then came back on for an encore of a few more songs, and then closed finally with his biggest hit with Free, "Alright Now", which he said it was the first song he ever wrote.
Paul Rodgers live at Oak Ridge Park
Paul Rodgers live at Oak Ridge Park
Neon Trees live at Oak Ridge Park
I was really pretty happy with the show, and everyone from the hike stayed to enjoy it. Afterwards, Jay and Sangita drove Jason and Meghan back to their cars up in Scotch Plains. Jason didn't want to stay too late and be a couple hours from home, which was understandable. He did after all see the best performance of the night, so that was fine.
The rest of us wandered on over to the other stages. I don't remember if I got any more food. We soon met up with Cory Salveson, who DJ Ray was trying to get to come for a while and he finally agreed. Next, Jack Lowry showed up. His group, Strikesound were handling the sound again this year on one of the stages. He was right on time for the next performance.
At Union County Music Fest
Neon Trees live at Oak Ridge Park
Neon Trees live at Oak Ridge Park
Neon Trees live at Oak Ridge Park
The next band was Neon Trees, to my surprise a pretty new band with a bit hit called "Animal" which is actually really good. This was the only song by them that I knew, but they were actually a pretty good, tight band. I'd wished I'd payed more attention earlier on in the show. I think they covered a Hall and Oates tune in there as well.They had a really hard hitting pop/dance/rock mesh sound that was actually pretty great.
Blondie live at Oak Ridge Park
Blondie live at Oak Ridge Park
Blondie live at Oak Ridge Park
When they were done, we sort of all split up somehow. My friend Jason Korski had been calling me, because he was there somewhere, but I never got to meet up with him either. I ended up wandering off on my own and making my way over to the main stage where Blondie was to go on. I made my way through the crowd and found a pretty good spot to sit down by myself. Soon, Blondie took the stage. The band sounded pretty good, and there was a song I rather liked called "Atomic" I think, but it seemed like Debbie Harry sang a lot of the songs lower than in the past.Particularly, when they started on "Call Me", one of my favorites of theirs, she sang it in a lower key. It really didn't do the song justice at all. I didn't stay for the whole show because I knew it would be a mob trying to get out of there if I did. I had seen them do a few songs, but in my opinion the best of the night had certainly passed, so I walked on out. I passed Sangita on the way, and her and Jay were headed back to see Blondie. They lived only about a mile away from there, so it was pretty convenient for them. I'd have just walked!
The park had a big line of balloons they kept adding to during the course of the night, which stretched out across the sky over the park, which looked really cool.
Balloon line heading up from Union County Music Fest
I turned right and walked down Oak Ridge Road, and then left onto Hegel Ave. My phone was almost dead so I was getting worried that I might run out of power before I could get back to my car. I soon came to Lindquist Park, a small square park in a development, and walked across it at a diagonal. I came out on Grant Ave, turned left and then walked another block to County Road. From here, I could not see my car. I had forgotten I parked it a block to the north of there, and turned left on County Road. Sure enough, my car was there near the corner, fortunately with no tickets on it.
I was able to get out of there without dealing with much traffic, although I made a few wrong turns on the way home.
Still, it was a great day, a great hike with a great finale. Life is brilliant.
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