ABOUT THE PARK:
Ringwood State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.131238, -74.242777
View Larger Map
TRAIL MAP:
North Jersey Trails Map 115 - NY/NJ Trail Conference
Ringwood State Park, NJ - Shepherd Pond and Mount Defiance at EveryTrail
PEAK BAGGING:
Mount Defiance - Peakery.com
HIKE DISTANCE: 5 miles
THE HIKE:
Facing Morris Road, turn right crossing bridge over Cupsaw Brook then right on the white-blazed trail. |
A new Ruffwear Web Master Harness with a handle that works great in assisting her over spots that have become too difficult for her. |
The start of the blue Cupsaw Brook Trail at the boy scout sign. |
Frozen Cupsaw Brook |
Different shades of brown where there is otherwise no color. |
Coming up on ... |
Shepherd Pond. Amazing how many have walked out on the ice. Not us! |
The trail follows the pond on a woods road for a bit. |
The precise time at which the shooting range opened. It is the main reason I rarely hike here. Click below to hear what it sounds like. Incessantly. |
Heading on towards Mount Defiance. |
A break along the way. |
Red should have continued on the left opposite the "no refueling" sign. |
On blue, which others seem to have found. |
Heading up Mount Defiance. |
On the green-blazed Halifax Trail. |
At the cairn, a short side trail to views. |
Sheets of ice going down. |
The end of the green trail at the white trail. |
The white trail gets confusing near the parking lot. Continue to the "wrong way" sign. |
Again in the pipeline, the trail abruptly ends. Here you have to climb the temporary wall because as you can see looking back, hay bales block the trail. |
The trail veers left just before Morris Road.... |
... and comes out right at the parking pad. |
HIKE SUMMARY:
[ 0.00] Facing Morris Road turn right, cross bridge, then right on white Crossover Trail
[ 0.45] Turn right on yellow
[ 0.50] Turn right on blue when yellow goes left at boys scout sign
[ 0.85] Red joins in from the left just before creek crossing; continue on red/blue
[ 1.10] Right on red when blue leaves to the left, cross bridge
[ 1.40] Red turns left on woods road
[ 1.65] Shepherd Pond; continue to the right around the pond to kiosk then on woods road which is combined red/orange trail
[ 2.00] Red/orange leave woods road on footpath to the right
[ 2.15] Cross woods road which is orange, red continues straight
[ 2.65] Cross bike trail
[ 2.75] At pipeline, veer right to continue on red trail or veer left to get to blue trail to bushwhack over to red - no blazes for either trail from pipeline cut
[ 3.15] Right on green
[ 3.25] Turn right at cairn on unmarked to view; retrace
[ 3.30] Continue right on green
[ 3.70] Right on white then keep right at fork, continue past parking lot the right towards booth and exit between eagles (no blazes in this area)
[ 4.25] Cross intersection then veer right towards sign for white Crossover Trail
[ 4.85] Right in gas pipeline then left just before Morris Road
[ 5.00] Back at parking
Guess we should skip this one based on the no dogs allowed thing. Hate the gunfire too. My dogs don't freak out much for it, but when I hear it, I feel sure that someone is trying to shoot me!
ReplyDeleteShawnee doesn't seem to mind gunfire either but I sure do find it stressful! It shatters that peace and tranquility of hiking instantly.
DeleteDaniela
So glad Shawnee's new harness is working out so well for the both of you. I know Shawnee comes equipped with her own non-slip pads, but do you use any traction devices on icy/slippery winter hikes like this? It must have pretty hairy descending that sheet-of-ice trail! Then having to put up with that @#$%^&*! shooting range noise! Been on hikes near ranges before and it is so NOT enjoyable! Shame about the uninformed, persnickety Skyland's docent then having to circumnavigate that blasted pipeline construction/destruction. Glad you were able to successfully deal w/all those impediments and still have a good hike.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Linda
I always carry my Kahtoolah microspikes in the winter. On this hike I had them on and off a good 3 times. Shawnee is not so stable on ice any more so I need the spikes in order to help her across or we'd both end up on our behinds, or worse!
DeleteDaniela