Hike #745; Spruce Run Recreation Area to Long Valley

 Hike #745; Spruce Run Recreation Area to Long Valley

1/1/14 Highlands Trail; Spruce Run Recreation Area to Long Valley with Shelly Janes, Jennifer Berndt, Stephen Argentina, Steve Levy, David "Captain Soup" Campbell, Brandan Jermyn, Marcello Maiorani, Monika Kwiecinska, "Maya" Beata Blatkeawicz, Ed DiSalvo, Dan Lurie, Sue Olivar, Mark Norman, Celeste Hiaci (spelling?), Brad Anesi, Julia Vogalsang, Tamara Sapilak, Gregg Hudis, Cory Janusz, Peter ?, Jen ?, Bernie Fitzsimmons, Chris Gonzales, Robert Ross, Jim "Mr. Buckett" Mathews, Al MacLennan, Angela Guinta Williamson, Eric Pace, Dennis F?, Terri Allen, Bill DeLaar, Mayor Bholiewia (spelling?), Kurt Rilance (spelling?), Mike Day, Heather Daly, Mel Jellison, Chris Rodriguez, Mark Weed, John Kuster Jr, Jeff Meyerouiz (spelling?), and Jack Lowry.

The group at the Gorge Trestle

As I had done the past two years, my job in State Park Service offered to pay me to lead a "First Day Hike". This was particularly great for me, because I'd have done it anyway, and have since well before I even worked for the state. The only difference is that I might act a little more formally. Truthfully, there's not much a difference.

For this year's event, it was even better for me than previous years because I was able to dedicate time leading up into the event to organization. First, I had my Highlands Trail guide already written, and I spent some time in the office copying and pasting the text that was pertinent to this hike for the Superintendent to print. I also picked out maps that covered the entire route, as well as brochures to put in a packet for each participant.

If that weren't enough, the best part was the fact that the state lent me a fifteen passenger van for use for this hike! I was originally going to get one from Washington's Crossing State Park, but that one died. Fortunately, Jenny, my Superintendent called Liberty State Park and managed to grant us use of a brand new 2013 fifteen passenger van that had never been used on a state event before mine!!!

I got to ride all the way to Jersey City with Jenny to pick up the van and she bought me a delicious taco lunch at one of her favorite establishments in town. That's a good trip itself, getting out there and back in traffic. I got to prepare a temporary parking space for the van and service it which took some time. After the event I also had to clean it and drive it back to Jersey City, yet another more than half day adventure.

The day of the hike, I drove to Spruce Run in the morning for the van, which I'd already placed the trail guides in. I then headed to Long Valley to meet up with the group. Forty people participated in the hike, and there was not going to be enough room in the parking lot along the trail to fit all of the cars. Fortunately, since it was a holiday, there was extra parking at the bank across the street and one other business. We were able to park cars there without any problem.

We filled up the van, and took a few other cars to get back to Spruce Run. Once there, I opened up the Administration Office for everyone to use the restrooms and sign in for photo release for the state.

I was very tired. I had been up till the wee hours of the morning partying it up for the new year at DJ Ray Cordt's house in Boonton with a big group of friends.

Once we'd all signed in, we began our walk. The entire hike was pretty much only on the Highlands Trail, following it's teal blazes through six different park areas. We began by following the trail out the boat launch road, which I explained was part of the original route of Van Syckles Road prior to the completion of the reservoir in 1963 (that is the year it became a "functioning" reservoir, the recreation area opened a decade later). The trail cut away from the road over a section I had reworked with some of my co worker friends. I'd found a lot of slate that was going to get thrown off into the dumpsters, so I dragged it out onto the trail to lay across wet areas, which actually helps quite a bit. We passed the wildlife observation blind that I had re-cleared with some of the seasonal workers over the Summer, and then continued out across the boat launch road again. We made our way out to the parking area off of Van Syckles, where another road used to turn off to connect with the former Spruce Run Turnpike out under the reservoir. Actually, at this time the water was so low that the old bridge over the Willougby Brook inlet for the Spruce Run Turnpike was out of the water, and the intersection between this forgotten road and that one were once again visible.

Eric opted to keep lower, along the shore of the reservoir to the next parking lot rather than follow the Highlands Trail up hill from here. Somebody went with him, I think maybe Mr. Buckett.

The rest of us turned briefly left, then right up hill on Serpentine Drive, the trail route, to where it entered the woods at the end of the cul de sac. We continued further up hill through Union Furnace Nature Preserve with some nice views of the reservoir, then headed down hill to follow the section along the mill race. I chatted with Stephen at the front of the group through this section. We soon reached the road and re-joined with Eric and Mr. Buckett, then turned left out across Rt 31, and left again to Buffalo Hollow Road. That road is rather steep, but we went up it quick, then down the other side and right on Maple Lane. As we walked along this road, I could see more than half of the group to the right behind us along Buffalo Hollow Road still descending.

We regrouped where the Highlands Trail reached the woods of Voorhees State Park. Once together, we ascended here, which wasn't as bad as I'd remembered it, and continued across the nice bridge that my co worker George had built years back. George retired from the state after many years of service two years prior, but had just come back to Voorhees as a seasonal employee which is great.

We soon reached and crossed Observatory Road, then ascended to follow and cross the power line up hill. I regrouped everyone again there before moving on again. The Highlands Trail is co aligned with the Cross Park Trail here, and we finished that stretch rather quickly. We reached the Loop Road at Hoppock Grove, and headed up hill to the right to reach the main office building and the single restroom where we took a long break. Al and Angela joined us just up ahead from here, but they had to wait a while for everybody using the single restroom. I opened up the always over heated boiler room next to the restroom so people could stand in it and get warm. Once we stop, it's always tough to keep warm.

From this point, the Highlands Trail simply goes out to Rt 513 and follows it north, which is ridicules because there's still plenty of park land left along 513. From this point, I took the group on a "proposed relocation" of the Highlands Trail away from this road walk. We followed a trail and former road route from the building known as Company Street, which led us down to the other end of the Loop Road. From there, we crossed and passed by the pond and the group fields to the old barn near the northern tip of Voorhees State Park. It was here that we exited the park. We continued then out to Bunnvale, past the convenience store which I think was closed, and then down 513 to the left into Ken Lockwood Gorge Wildlife Management Area. This is a nice footpath section that descends on some switchbacks down to the Columbia Trail. Captain Soup again got far ahead, and I wanted to stop everyone for a group picture at the trestle. I had to call him to come back, and fortunately caught him on time, along with Cory and his friend, and I think Ed.

I got my group picture, and from here the hike became much more segmented.

The fast people got way up ahead, and I stayed a bit more behind, or centrally located within the group. Everyone knew now that the remainder of the hike would be on Columbia Trail directly to the cars, just over seven miles away. We made our way from the gorge over this trail that I'd led one of my earliest hikes on in 1997, out to Califon. I tried imparting the history of the area to the group, but there simply weren't enough of them together to get it. I preached to those who would listen anyway.

One left, and one joined in Califon. Jack Lowry managed to show up for the remainder of the hike, and he was good enough to buy me a breakfast sandwich. I was starving, so that was great. Jen found him, and asked where he got it, and the two of them ran from the trail up to Califon General Store for some snacks, a significant distance on the other side of the bridge! I couldn't figure out where Jack was, and someone told me he was in the front of the group. I got to the front, and everyone waited up at the Hunterdon/Morris County line. I got a hold of Jack, and he said he was in the back I think. Well, apparently no one knew where the front or the back was at this time! Well, I knew where the front was anyway.

After a bit, I had the front people go ahead, and I waited up to see who passed. Jack soon showed up with Jen, having had their refreshment break, and then others soon caught up. We all continued on along the trail across Jenkinson's Tree Farm, and across 513 at Crestmoore.

I really like the section going into Middle Valley, with the nice low deck girder trestle over the South Branch of the Raritan, and then the little village, and one missing bridge at a driveway. There were a lot of junk vehicles of the classic variety off to the left as we neared Middle Valley Road. The section from that road to Long Valley is in my opinion the most boring section of the entire Columbia Trail. It's just woods, with a couple of fields. There are no real views, no buildings, no ruins, pretty much nothing. Fortunately, Jack and I had a good discussion about music for much of this length which made some of the time go by a lot faster.

I'd prefer for a hike to be a bit closer together, especially one like this, but at least this time we finished by dusk unlike the past two years.

I was just too tired to really enjoy this one as much as I should have. I really love promoting the Highlands Trail, but this was also the first hike I'd done in quite a while where none of it was anything I'd not already covered. I've become spoiled with the excitement of exploring something new every time, even if it's only a little piece. I'd also just been in some of these parks a couple weeks before for my North Hunterdon trip.

The mileage came out to 17 rather than 15.1, which was disheartening. I was pretty confident all of the mileages on my Highlands Trail guide I'd written were accurate, but that appears not to be true.

Overall, the hike was by no means a failure, and I looked forward to the upcoming hikes that excited me more, like the Princeton trip the coming week. 2014 promises to be a great year with a lot of exciting places to explore, maybe the best one yet.