Group shot on Paulins Kill Valley Trail east of Hensfoot Road
1/1/12 Paulins Kill Valley; White Lake to Swartswood State Park with Shelly Janes, Chris "Colonel" Nani, Eric Pace, Susie Duncan (and Flip Flop/Zip Line), Dave "Captain Soup" Campbell, Teun Ott, Wayne Meiner, John Pershouse, Judi Silverman, Dan Yarlaski, Dianne Van Volkenburgh, Dee Clayton, George Schaberg, TaraLynn Ramagnoli, Irina Kulikovskaya, and Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews.
New Years Soiree!
New Years Soiree!
New Years Soiree!
New Years Soiree!
The new years was upon us again, and we celebrated the coming of 2011 by having a New Years Soiree at mine and Jillane's house at White Lake. We decided it would be good to do this again.
We had a fantastic event with great friends, old and new. To see in the new year, we all went down to my dock on the lake (very carefully) and counted down using an i pad or something that Cory Salveson had brought. We then had a camp fire, and I was up until after 4:30 am. It would be tough getting up for a hike.
Shelly in my living room
Hiking from my house at White Lake
Hiking from my house at White Lake
Lime kiln on Ridge and Valley Trail
Ridge and Valley Trail along White Lake
Marl Works ruins
Marl Works ruins
The hike would be a point to point between Swartswood State Park and my house. We arranged the car shuttle which went pretty well, but by the time we had done that and were all ready to go it was already 10:30. I thought for sure we'd be going until after dark.
Posting this hike officially through the state of NJ brought in three new participants, as well as one who was on Rich Pace's trip I co-lead with him around White Lake. They were very much AMC people, who didn't know that I had been exiled from that organization, but we didn't get too far into details of why.
We left my house and followed the unofficial trail through the woods out along the small ridge above the wetland that feeds into the lake. I reminded Captain Soup that his very first hike with me followed this route just short of five years prior. It's still amazing to me that I'm now living in a place that I had happened upon that much earlier.
We took the path to the official Ridge and Valley Trail next to the lime kiln and turned right. We then headed down hill and beneath some of the fallen trees that had not been cleared yet for over a year, which drives me crazy since The Nature Conservancy gets $83,000 dollars per year for land stewardship. I like the land steward himself, but a focus on public safety and perception is not right.
We continued on the trail past the chimney of the old girl scout camp, below another fallen tree that drives me nuts, and then out to the Marl Works ruins, where limestone based sediments were processed for the use of neutralizing sewer systems in Newark. It was carried out by rail car on a spur that is now part of the Ridge and Valley Trail.
At the Marl Works ruins
Ridge and Valley Trail on the old rail spur
Ridge and Valley Trail on the old railroad spur
The place was also used as an industrial ice house complex. I reminisced with Captain Soup about the abandoned house that used to be at the site, that we had climbed around in. It was torn down between 2007 and 2008. There was still graffiti on the Marl Works that had not yet been cleaned up.
We continued down the Ridge and Valley Trail as it picked up the White Lake spur railroad right of way. We soon reached the parking area where the land steward had put a piece of metal attached to a wire across one spot to stop ATVs from coming in. The thing pulls right up out of the ground, so it's certainly not going to work.
Wetlands view from Ridge and Valley Trail
Ridge and Valley Trail at old Spring Valley Road
There was a great view over the wetlands below us to the left as we went by. White Lake drains by way of a stream that was sort of diverted due to the railroad, then cascades off into a wet field. We continued on from here below the gate and parking area on a section that was once I believe part of Spring Valley Road. The railroad would have been covered over by the road itself. This section ended at Primrose Lane with a little bridge over a stream.
Old Spring Valley Road at Primrose
I pointed out to everyone as we walked down Spring Valley Road the short remaining distance to Paulins Kill Valley Trail that the railroad continued through, and that widening of the road had obliterated what remained of this section of the line. I pointed out above where you could still see the cut of the railroad heading off to the left on it's descent to the New York, Susquehanna, and Western main line, now Paulins Kill Valley Trail.
Paulins Kill Valley Trail crossing the river east of Marksboro
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail, Stillwater Twp. NJ
Paulins Kill Valley Trail, Stillwater Twp. NJ
Paulins Kill Valley Trail, Stillwater Twp. NJ
View from Paulins Kill Valley Trail
We turned left on the Paulins Kill Valley Trail, originally built as the railroad in 1881. As we walked, we passed by where the White Lake spur once came in, and I pointed it out to everyone. We then headed to cross over what I feel to be the most attractive bridge on the trail, a through style truss bridge over the Paulins Kill. We then crossed over one of the multiple Stillwater Roads in the area, continued through the woods below where the Lightning Bug Hollow Preserve is, and crossed Henfoot Road.
There were a few sections with a lot of washed out trail. The first ones we came to actually weren't that bad, and I could see the guys from Kittatinny Valley State Park were now putting in fill to take care of a lot of it. Very few trees remained down over the trail when I arrived. My last day working up there they had already cleared 77!
We continued out across the nicely manicured lawn section to have a lunch stop at a little bridge just above Henfoot Road.
Along Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Along Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail, Stillwater Twp. NJ
There were a ton of horses using the trail on this day. More than I'd ever seen in one day before, and the trail was full of horse crap everywhere.
The bridge was a nice place to stop, with nice grass to sit on, and rocks nearby at the gate where the trail re-enters the woods. I made use of the gate to get a group picture, so I could set up my camera.
A lady riding a horse told us that the land owners allow for people to use the trails around the creek, which obviously moved around the area, and so I figured we'd have to go back to explore more.
Giant rock in the middle of a field from Paulins Kill Valley Trail
The next section of woods took us through a gully with fields high above us to the right. I always look at this as what this part of NJ was once like. Bare hillsides that were cleared for pastures. Of particular interest was a solitary huge rock in the middle, a glacial erratic perhaps, just standing alone. It always made me think of out west.
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail reaching Rt 610
Creamery ruins along PKV Trail
Creamery ruins along PKV Trail
We continued on and emerged at Cedar Ridge Road with a beautiful pond on our left. It was from this point for several hundred feet that the trail was in the worst shape, with water flowing right into it. Much of the trail was all beat up from the use of horses, but this part was particularly bad, mostly because of the water.
We managed to keep around the edges of this and got to more good woods and solid trail.We continued to cross Wall Street/East Stillwater Road, followed by Stillwater Station Road. After that we came to Rt 610 where Wayne had left his car. Even though he hadn't been hiking in some time, he was doing great and didn't need to get his car just yet, so he continued on.
Just beyond Rt 610 was the ruins of the creamery. I remembered visiting this site when I was much younger, but it was now grown over quite badly with all sorts of vegetation.
My cousin Tanner and I at the Stillwater Creamery site, Summer 1997
NYS&W bridge abutment
We continued on along the trail from here, and crossed Kohlbocker Road on an angle. We were now getting much closer to the Paulins Kill River again after being away from it for quite a while. For the rest of the time on the rail bed, we would be atop a shelf built into the sides of the south part of the Paulins Kill Valley.
Soon, we came to Paulins Kill Lake Road, Rt 614, and descended at the site of a former trestle. Only one abutment remained of this former bridge site. We took a little break as everyone made their way down the steep embankment.
Climbing to the rail bed at old bridge site
Paulins Kill Lake and dam
Paulins Kill Lake
We climbed up steeply on the other side, while others went for the more graded path just a short distance along South Shore Terrace. We passed the dam of Paulins Kill Lake, and were now walking with great seasonal views of the lake in both directions. The trail remained good and clear. I had gotten a call around here from Mr. Buckett who was planning to join us for the remainder of the trip.
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
The rail bed went into some nice cuts for short distances here, and so Captain Soup and I took the route up hill on the left side of the cuts offering us better views of the lake.
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
Paulins Kill Valley Trail
To the left of us were some homes, many of them Summer homes, until South Shore Terrace that was parallel to us ended. It seemed to continue as a woods road, but abruptly ended in the middle of nowhere.
We went through a secluded section, and then came to more summer homes to the left. They too soon ended, and we were back in woods. Paulins Kill Lake turned away to the left from us and we were in a much more secluded section. I saw an old road above us to the right with signs for State WMA lands (this was Paulins Kill Wildlife Management Area), and I figured we need to hike in there one day as well.
Next, we passed the foundation of Swartswood Station. We were almost done on the rail bed.
Old water tower area near Swartswood
A path turned off to the left, the official trail route, which took trail users down to Rt 622 easier than the climb further down. This would have been the old road to the station. Most of us continued ahead on the rail bed to a large concrete former water tower base.
Section of rails near Swartswood
Paulins Kill Lake
Paulins Kill Lake near Swartswood
Rock outcrop along Rt 622
Dove Island Road
Just before reaching the site of the former bridge over Rt 622, we passed where some tracks were replaced to show what this once was. We then descended from here steeply down to the parking area along the road and waited for Mr. Buckett to show up.
Once he was with us, we turned left onto the road and followed it over a hill and then down to the bridge over Paulins Kill Lake. We then ascended the other side with some nice rock outcroppings on the right side of the road, and turned left onto Ridge Road, then right immediately onto Dove Island Road. There were sings reading that Dove Island Road was closed further down, made up of older signs, with sticker letters on it. That always cracks me up to see sort of home made signs like this. Even road name signs often are done with sticky letters and pieces of metal in this part of Sussex County.
Vernal pool along Dove Island Road
Swartswood SP entrance
Swartswood SP
Swartswood SP
Swartswood SP
To the left of Dove Island Road, there were some beautiful vernal pools near some rock outcroppings. I remembered walking this road when it was dirt...or at least I think I do. My memory in some places is a blurry mess, especially since the fire. I tend to mix things up a bit more.
We continued on the road until we got to a parking area for the southern end of Swartswood State Park. We entered the woods here and followed a red blazed trail off to the left.
We continued down this until we came within sight of Duck Pond. I knew the trail ahead, which went toward the group campsites, was under water. I had seen that the group campsites themselves were still completely under water earlier, so we turned left on a white blazed trail, the same one I followed on a hike back in 2003.
The trail was very good at first, above the water line. I knew it would get tough as it got back closer to Dove Island Road, as it was always somewhat wet, but I thought we'd then just get back on the road. This was not the case, and it went into the water much sooner.
Swartswood SP
Swartswood SP bushwack section
Swartswood SP bushwhack
We had gotten so far, so fast on Paulins Kill Valley Trail, which was a good thing because this was going to take a bi longer. We had to fight through a few thorns, then continue on the hillside above the water. We could see the white trail blazes now no more than a foot higher than the water level. George told me the water wasn't even this bad the other day, as he was from the area. Wayne mentioned we had something like two inches of rain a couple days before, which might account for this flooding, but still, the water never went down completely since Hurricane Irene and the following storm.
Flooded out Dove Island Road, Swartswood
Flooded out Dove Island Road
We continued on, and made our way out onto Dove Island Road. Then, we saw why the road was closed. A good section was now completely under water, and I was ready to just wade through it and return with a car. Fortunately, it did not come down to that. It was possible to walk around the flooding to the left. I waited on the road for everyone to come up from the woods.
Dove Island Road flooded out
It was amazing to see how deep the water was at the flooded section. I felt bad because I told Wayne there was no bushwhacking on this one, and then this unexpected thing occurred.
Next, we came to Duck Pond Trail, formerly an old road that had homes on it that was converted to multi-use trail. Even this was partially under water! I talked to George a little bit, and I recalled the side trail above this went just above it to the left. He remembered it wasn't far before it broke off either, and so we decided to make our way along the edge of the trail up hill to get to it. Wayne and John waited behind in the parking lot since there was only about a half mile left, and we'd come back for them.
yellow trail in Swartswood SP
The yellow blazed trail indeed broke away only a short distance ahead. It was well marked and looped around quite a lot, but it was good to be on a nice trail knowing where we were going. We followed it right back out to the parking area where it rejoined the Duck Pond Trail. I waited here for everyone to come out of the woods. It was only a short distance across Rt 619 and the lawn of Swartswood State Park to the cars.
Swartswood State Park
We worked out how everyone would get back to their cars, and then we headed back to Blairstown where Shelly, Mr. Buckett, Captain Soup, The Colonel, Eric, and I had a great dinner.
Aside from the mishap at the very end, it was a beautiful day, and a perfect way to usher in a new year.
I really can't wait for more.
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