ABOUT THE PARK:
Point Mountain Reservation South and Central Sections - Hunterdon County
Point Mountain Reservation North Section - Hunterdon County
DIRECTIONS:
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| Easy to miss - no sign at road. Watch for small opening in trees and enter on gravel drive. |
TRAIL MAPS:
Point Mountain Reservation Trail Map All Sections - Hunterdon County
Point Mountain Reservation Trail Map North Section - Hunterdon County
(The North Section is not shown correctly on the combined map so you would want to print the North Section map out also.)
PEAK BAGGING:
Point Mountain - Peakery.com
HIKE DISTANCE:
11.45 miles covering all sections
There are many options for forming shorter hikes.
THE HIKE:
The forecast was for fog until 9 AM then clearing and sunny. Instead it drizzled almost the entire hike.
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| The white trail starts through farm fields from the parking lot. |
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| There is something to be said for hiking in the fog. As long as it does not last all day. |
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| Everything blooming early this year due to the mild winter. |
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| Creek crossing just before Penwell Road. |
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| To connect to the Northern Section, cross Penwell Road slightly to the left and look for the trail going uphill to the right at the private drive road sign. |
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| After going up and over a mountain, the trails go around farm fields in the northern section, probably with better views on a nicer day. |
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| Back in the Central Section, a bench at a field view comes in handy for changing into dry sock just in case you were to have slipped into the creek earlier on slippery rocks. |
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| Blue trail along the scenic Musconetcong River. |
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| Musconetcong River |
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| These two mallard ducks were swimming upstream as though on a mission... |
... then they suddenly stopped paddling and rode the current back down like having the best time in their own water park:
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| Flowers already blooming along the river. |
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| Rock scramble up Point Mountain. |
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| View from Point Mountain. The dot in the sky in about the middle is a bug flying by the camera lens. |
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| View from Point Mountain without the bug. |
[ 0.00] White trail starts through field from parking lot
[ 0.60] White trail veers left into woods
[ 0.90] Stone ruins on right at creek crossing
[ 1.35] White trail veers right when yellow comes in from left
[ 1.40] White trail crosses Point Mountain Road slightly to the left
[ 1.55] Stone ruins on left
[ 1.90] White ends at stone wall, right on orange (map shows white/orange combined but it is only orange)
[ 2.30] Left on orange when unmarked comes in from right (not on map)
[ 2.50] Turn right on white when orange continues straight towards a field
[ 3.00] Rock hop over creek with waterfalls (map is missing mileage between creek and Penwell Road)
[ 3.15] Turn left on Penwell Road briefly then right on white at private drive sign
[ 3.85] At top of mountain, turn right on red when white goes left
[ 4.00] When red ends turn right on blue
[ 4.35] When blue ends, right on white
[ 4.45] Keep straight on white when unmarked goes left (not on map)
[ 4.55] Right on white when orange goes left
[ 4.80] Make sharp left turn on orange just before white ends at parking lot P4; at fields continue straight - no orange blazes in this area
[ 4.90] Turn left at far side of field
[ 5.00] Turn right at opening to next field then jog left and follow along left side of field
[ 5.10] Turn right at end of field
[ 5.20] Turn left to next field then either continue straight or turn left ending up at opposite corner of field
[ 5.35] At opposite corner of field, exit field on trail where orange blazes resume
[ 5.60] Right on white/orange when orange goes left (shown as orange on map)
[ 5.65] Turn right on unmarked t-intersection, white blazes come into view up ahead
[ 5.70] Straight on white when unmarked goes right
[ 5.80] Right on white when blue goes left
[ 6.00] Right on white when blue goes left
[ 6.20] Right on white when red goes left
[ 7.00] Cross Penwell Road slightly to the left
[ 7.50] When white ends at orange, turn right on orange and come out into field with bench
[ 7.65] Left on orange at the end of the field
[ 7.70] Turn left on blue when orange goes right
[ 7.75] Blue leaves the field at second bench
[ 7.80] Blue trail starts to follow Musconetcong River
[ 7.90] Keep right at fork when unmarked goes left
[ 8.00] Keep right when the blue trail forks (left fork shown as orange on map but it is blue)
[ 8.45] Cross Point Mountain Road and continue on blue to the right after crossing
[ 9.25] Cross Point Mountain Road to parking P2; turn right on parking lot to blue trail (shown as orange on map)
[ 9.30] Turn right on orange when blue goes left; rock scramble to summit
[ 9.65] Overlook; continue right on yellow when orange goes left
[ 9.85] Cross Point Mountain Road
[10.10] Right on white when yellow ends
[10.85] White trail leaves woods and enters fields
[11.45] Back at parking
I have heard the blue trail is very overgrown now. I suppose it was still passable when I was there early in the spring before it filled in. What a shame, that is a nice, more remote part of the trail. And a tragedy that kids find it necessary to destroy nature. Something really should be done about that.
ReplyDeleteDaniela