Ramapo Mountain Hike and More!

 Hello all!
Good stuff coming up! This week there will be the regular Sunday hike in the Ramapos, and I might do one on Thursday afternoon near Swartswood. Please refer to our meetup group www.meetup.com/metrotrails for more details on that one. The regular Sunday trip will be a loop described below:
Join us for an outstanding loop hike in the southern Ramapo Region, starting in Pompton Lakes at the A&P Supermarket, 63 Wanaque Ave, Pompton Lakes NJ at 9 am. The route will loop us around the area for about fifteen miles with the option of continuing on for another smaller loop.This hike features many outstanding points including the ruins of Foxcroft, a long burned out mansion that is known by hikers as the Van Slyke Castle. We will also pass beautiful views and other historic sites, as well as a few other surprises.
Apart from the A&P at the beginning, we will not be passing other food and drink stops, so everyone should have plenty of water and a lunch or snack. The first leg of the hike will include a little bit of side street walking in order to reach the trail head. I plan to use a lakeside park route. We will then follow a portion of the historic Cannonball Road route, now Cannonball Trail which has an interesting pedestrian overpass above Rt 287.We'll follow foot paths through Ramapo Mountain State Forest with more overlooks, and continue to the ruins of Foxcroft which also offer some lovely views. We'll continue from here to the west to the newer trail along the edge of Wanaque Ridge, with more spectacular views including the Wanaque Reservoir and dam.From here, we'll entrust the route to our co leader Justin, avid urban explorer and mastermind behind a popular UE website! Some of the route might be rougher at times, and there will be optional side trips to interesting points. Those not wishing to do the side trips may take a break.We will return once again to the A&P supermarket where there will be the possibility of extending the hike a bit further, depending on what time we get finished, heading west to follow a bit of the old Greenwood Lake Railroad, and then heading up onto the Federal Hill property. There are no formal trails there, but it is possible to continue about two miles from one end of the preserve to the other, and it has some historic ruin features.
This hike will include some very steep sections and would not be considered suitable for beginners.

Looking ahead, the following Sunday will be a Delaware Water Gap and Stroudsburg area trip ending at a party at our friend Michele Valerio's house in celebration of her birthday! Beyond, we'll have another hike in the Jersey Perimeter series, this time between Cape May and ares on the Delaware Bayshore northbound. After that we close out the month with two versions of a Sterling Forest hike. One very difficult and fast, 25 miles led by Brad and myself, then another fifteen miles and more like our normal hikes led my Michele.

Additionally, in late November I am looking at doing fifty miles in one day between Albany and Kingston, Please let me know in advance if you'd like to try.

Stone Harbor and Cape May Beach Hike!

Sun 9/29: Join us for another point to point, part of an effort to hike the entire perimeter of NJ! This time we will cover a section of beach and a few connective roads to reach Cold Spring.
Meet at Stone  Harbor Hobie Beach, which is at the end of 2nd Avenue in Stone Harbor. It's a large parking lot with plenty of room and no charge. Excellent meeting spot.
The hike should be between 15 and 16 miles. Most of it will be on the beach, though we may use some of the boardwalks from time to time. There will also be little bits of road walking just on the bridges to get between the barrier islands.

From here, we'll shuttle south to begin the hike a few blocks from the waterfront.
Along the way, we will pass through Stone Harbor, Angelsea, Wildwood, and Diamond Beach. Hopefully we can work out some carpools for the beginning!
Finish off the Summer with one last great beach hike with the crowds having gone!

September 2013 Hikes and More!

Great stuff in store for September~ Here is our schedule followed by details!
9/15 Sussex Rail Triangle with Gregg
9/22 Warren County Hike with Common Sense For Animals Benefit
9/29 Jersey Perimeter Beach Hike; Stone Harbor and Cape May
Read on!
9/15: Everyone please welcome Gregg Hudis, Metrotrails core group member, and prominent hike leader in other NJ groups as well, who has graciously offered to substitute lead this week's hike while MT President M'ke Helbing and VP Matt Davis are both on backpacking vacations!
The hike will be a 13 mile loop (with a couple of side trips that will probably bring it to the usual fifteen mile mark) in Sussex County NJEveryone will meet at Warbasse Junction, where there is parking on Rt 663, Warbasse Junction Road, at 9 am. Since the hike is a loop, no car shuttles are required.
Gregg will then lead the group along the Paulins Kill Valley Trail, formerly the New York, Susquehanna, and Western Railroad bed constructed in 1881. This hike is one of the few loops that can be done solely on railroad beds, and it is through some of the most beautiful topography in NJ. The first leg includes a deep rock cut pictured above.At Swartswood Junction, a right turn is taken on the abandoned Lehigh and New England Railroad bed. This is a much lesser used but equally as beautiful rail trail (pictured above) that is a more recent acquisition by NJ State Park Service. The right of way is a little more overgrown in places, but it has been cleared further even since the above picture was taken.
The Lehigh and New England line was constructed in 1886, and abandoned in October 1962. A gas line utilizes the right of way and has saved it from developmental encroachment. This section of right of way offers superb views of the Paulins Kill River unseen from even from Paulins Kill Valley Trail.At Augusta, the trail reaches the Sussex Branch Trail, which is more prominently used. The hike then leads along the Sussex Branch Trail south to Lafayette through beautiful countryside. Food is available there.It is up to Gregg what side trips might be taken along the way. The area is ripe with fantastic places to explore!
For those wishing to follow along with trail mileages, the official Metrotrails guides to them are available on our website, www.metrotrails.org
Here is the Paulins Kill Valley Trail guide: http://metrotrails.org/Metrotrails/Paulins_Kill_Rail_Trail.html
The portion traveled will be between 21.50 and 27.10
Here is the Lehigh and New England guide: http://metrotrails.org/Metrotrails/Lehigh_and_New_England_Railbed.html
Go to the Swartswood North section and use mile 0.00 to 4.97.
Here is the guide to Sussex Branch Trail: http://metrotrails.org/Metrotrails/Sussex_Branch.html
Use miles 18.10 back to mile 13.92
Again, thank you GREGG HUDIS for taking the reigns for this week's hike!
Everyone please watch this page for additions or further details from Gregg regarding the hike!

Coming up the following week, the 22nd...join us for a great Warren County hike that will focus on the Morris Canal, area trails, rail beds, back roads, and more! The hike is also part of a benefit to help Common Sense For Animals! A $25 donation gets participants a tee shirt and food, and goes to a worthy cause! The walkathon route is part of the hike, and we'll continue beyond that point!
Check here for more details on that one: http://www.meetup.com/Metrotrails/events/138661232/

Sunday 9/8 Promised Land Hike!

Join us for a long hike in what was known as the "Promised Lands" of the Poconos. When originally settled, these properties were sold off to hopeful farmers in search of a successful life in the new world. Unfortunately, they found the area to be harsh and no good for farming at all.When farmers attempted to plant their fields, the freezing and thawing made the rocks come to the surface, which are today referred to as "Pocono Potatoes".
For this hike, we will be meeting at 9 am at the main entrance to Promised Land State Park on Rt 390, Promised Land Road. Google Maps also shows this as Fairview Lake Road. A map of the park can be found here: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/cs/groups/public/documents/document/dcnr_003250.pdf
From the meeting point, we will shuttle with as few cars as possible south to our beginning, near the northern end of Thunder Swamp Trail.
DO NOT  go solely by GPS!!!
 GPS units are not good for finding trail heads. If you're looking for a store or whatever, they're find, but with trails you should always read my trip description first with meeting point and then adjust accordingly. GPS units often send people to the middle of nowhere in the Poconos. Directions are also on the brochure at the park website for which I posted the map. I don't want anyone to get lost! I often have people calling me and asking how to get to the meeting point, and often I am not familiar with the roads in the area either. Sometimes we have to do a little homework before blindly driving! This time everybody should be ready because I may not have any cell phone reception for much of the day!
The hike will be about 18 miles, but shouldn't be so tough because so much of it is plateaued areas with only gently rolling hills. Much of what we will be following are dirt, gravel, or otherwise unpaved woods roads interspersed with trails and a utility right of way.The route is at first within Delaware State Forest. We ill follow the Burnt Mills Swamp Trail, really a woods road, and continue to Pine Flats Fireline Trail, another woods road. We take this to a dirt road known as High Line Road. We'll follow this, then pick up a utility right of way with an ATV path along it. This is the only serious climb on the hike, as we ascend High Knob, with views from the top.Beyond High Knob, we'll follow the utility right of way to a series of dirt roads from which we'll pick up Big Inlet Trail. This will lead us into Promised Land State Park. We'll utilize the state park trails to reach our end point along the lake.
Because of the distance, this hike is not for beginners. While the woods roads will often make for a relaxing route, there will be a couple of difficult sections.
Contact me for further details:908 343 8374

Sunday Chester Area Hike!

NOTE: I work at for state parks, and if something comes up and I'm needed to work the date of this hike, I MIGHT have to reschedule, though it is unlikely. If anything changes I will update this promptly.

Join us for an awesome 16 mile hike in the Chester NJ area, mostly utilizing the Patriot's Path to connect Black River Recreation Area with Hacklebarney State Park. The route has one nice view, and mostly pleasant trails, scenic downtown Chester, abandoned railroad grades, abandoned telephone pole farm, the lovely Black River, abandoned former river swimming pools, iron mines, and more!
Hacklebarney State Park is located on State Park Road just south of Chester. From Rt 24/513, head south on Hacklebarny Road with the Black River to the left. Continue to turn right on State Park Road, and the entrance is on the left. Continue down the drive to the parking lot.
Some of the route we will be following is the FUTURE route of the Patriot's Path through the public park lands of Chester Township. It has not been marked yet, but the route has been chosen! These pastoral views are part of the new trail section through Chester. Currently, there is a short gap in the trail that this will fill! After passing through this area, hikers will have the opportunity to pick up more water and food or snack in scenic downtown Chester, also the route of Patriot's Path.From here, the trail makes it's way onto an abandoned railroad bed and descends to the Black River with more lovely scenery as we make our way parallel down stream and passing sites such as the old Cooper Grist Mill.The trail continues in part along former mine railroad routes, then as a foot path along the river, along what was once the estate of Elizabeth D. Kay. The tail becomes a narrower foot path and continues along the Black River. In addition to the main branch of the Patriot's Path, we'll take on the blue route, which is the Black River section, as well as the Conifer Pass Trail through lovely woods.We'll continue a bit further on Patriot's Path, then cut off along pleasant unpaved back roads to reach Hacklebarney State Park. We'll follow the old Orange Trail, no longer maintained, and visit some of the lesser known scenic spots within the park. There is only a short overgrown section, but not too bad here.
We then follow the formalized Hacklebarney Trails system back to the parking lot, following the riverside and the Main Trail.
This promises to be an extremely diverse and enjoyable hike with constantly changing scenery! If anyone has any questions or concerns, reach out to me here or at 908 343 8374. No public trans available to Chester.

Sunday, 8/25 Storm King, Black Rock Forest, and Helbing Farm Hike!

Join us for an amazing point to point hike between Storm King Mountain and the former home of my family, the Helbing Farm on the border of West Point and Black Rock Forest on Aug 25!Get a unique opportunity to learn the history of the land from my cousin who grew up there when Helbing Farm was a boarding house, and when visitors would come from NYC to bathe in the healing waters of Mineral Spring Falls which we'll also pass!
Mineral Springs Falls:
We will meet at 9 am at the Helbing Farm. Drive up Mineral Springs Road and the house is on the right side, down a bending driveway. The driveway bends to the right, then crosses a tiny bridge over Mineral Springs Brook. There is a wooden sign that reads "Helbing's Farm".

Once here, we will shuttle with as few cars as possible to Storm King State Park. We'll use many trails through this park and Black Rock Forest Consortium. This hike is not for weaker hikers as the terrain can be steep and rugged. We cannot take too long on the up hills because we are heading back to the Helbing Farm for a picnic dinner. We will be shooting for about fifteen miles as usual.
Along the way we will be stopping to swim in Sutherland's Pond, another historic swimming spot visitor's to the Helbing Farm boarding house used to frequent.
We may use as many as 15 different trails, for about fifteen miles, so everyone must try to remain reasonably caught up. The terrain is very rugged but the views are extraordinary. This hike is not for beginners.
Distance will be about standard 15 mile, but it's an epic area to explore.
Everyone signs a copy of my standard liability waiver before attendance. It can be found here: http://metrotrails.org/Metrotrails/Waiver.html
Bring plenty of drinking water, a lunch or snack, and weather appropriate clothing. This hike is rain or shine, and rain will only change the route somewhat.
Contact me for more info 908 343 8374

Upcoming: Corson's Inlet and Margate City Beach Hike!

Good stuff coming up as always!
This Sunday 8/18: Join us for a great point to point hike on the beaches between Margate City and Ocean City NJ! Meet 9 am at Corson's Inlet State Park boat launch on Bay Avenue south of town.

The parking area is on the left side for those traveling south, just before the bridge over Corson's Inlet. There is a boat ramp here, no fee charged.
On our journey south, hiking the perimeter of NJ, this section will lead us along the beach through Margate City and Long Port, then across two road bridges to connect them. We'll also stop for plenty of swimming (more than last time).
We will be using a grocery store parking lot for the beginning, and hike several blocks through parks and such to reach the boardwalk near the ocean. We'll walk a section of boardwalk until it ends, then get on the southbound beach. No pets allowed on this one; pets are not allowed on the beach between May and September. We'll hike through one dog beach section, but most of the way is not allowed.
Distance will be sixteen miles.
We'll head south through the towns of Long Port and Ocean City on the way. We will cross a couple of long bridges over inlets between towns which offer very scenic views of the surrounding area.
Everyone attending these hikes signs in on the standard waiver:
http://www.metrotrails.org/Metrotrails/Waiver.html
Feel free to contact me for more details: 908 343 8374
Furthermore, as planned on Sunday 8/25 we will be paying another visit to the Helbing Farm, most of which is now West Point! We will hike to the home of my cousin Dorothy, which is always a great time. The hike will end with a late day picnic! We will be hiking between Storm King Mountain and the Helbing Farm along the trails parallel with the Highlands Trail, and stop to swim at Sutherland Pond! More to come on that later.
I haven't decided on the hike yet for Labor Day weekend (Sunday).