Alexauken Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pryde's Point, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Pryde’s Point-Alexauken Creek - New Jersey Trails Association

Pryde Brown - D&R Greenway Land Trust

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.39664, -74.87023

Alexauken Creek WMA Parking

TRAIL MAP: 

Pryde's Point/Alexauken Creek Trail Map - New Jersey Trails Association

HIKE DISTANCE: 

These hikes were 7.5 miles (12 minute drive) apart.

Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve - 7 miles

Alexauken Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pryde's Point - 3.4 miles

THE HIKE: 

With it being a colder day and therefore safe to do so, (and because he was being highly annoying) Brodie waited this one out in the car.

The trail begins on the right at the less obvious place.  I completely missed it when I started because a car was parked in front of it so I could not even see it.  I took the trail on the left.  Once I realized it was not the right trail, I thought I might be able to get to the trail at Alexauken Creek from there.  I actually did not have that much farther to go before the trail fizzled out into thorny overgrowth and I had to head back.

The blue line is the incorrect trail.

Restart on the correct trail.

This is the yellow trail but there aren't any markers early on. 

After passing by this old house ...

... the yellow trail descends to Alexauken Creek on old stone steps.

Looking back at the stone steps.

A rock hop across Alexauken Creek ...

... to steps up on the other side.

The yellow trail leads to what used to be a pond but with a busted dam it has reverted to creek.

According to the map, just after a PRIVATE PROPERTY sign the blue D&R Greenway trails start through that private property.  The trail straight ahead, however, is no longer a trail so you have to turn left on blue.

At the fork left goes to the red trail along the creek but first continuing straight.

This becomes a red Hunterdon Land Trust trail...

... along open fields.

The trail continues left on this dirt road to a parking area.  I turned back at this point.

Back at that fork, taking the blue trail ...

... to where it ends at white and red.  White goes back over the creek towards that old house and the yellow trail.  For now, straight on red.

Just before the bottom fell out into the worst winter ever, a volunteer trail maintenance crew had cleared fallen trees that were blocking the trail, cleared out brush and brambles encroaching on the trail and installed many, many new trail markers.  I had received an email to join them but was not able to take that day off work. They did a fantastic job and made hiking this trail very enjoyable.  Much thanks!

There are a couple of options to cross over early but oh heck no, it was too pretty to cut short so on I went.

Evidence of all that hard trail maintenance work.

This is the creek crossing and turn back point at the far end.

It didn't look like there were enough rocks to hop cross on but it was fine - the water was shallow and there were rocks just barely under water to step on.

Alexauken Creek

Between the two hikes of this day I must have moved over 100 branches off of trails that had fallen over the winter.  This was a larger snarl but I was able to untangle and move them - my trail maintenance contribution.

Red ends where that white trail comes in from other side of the creek.

Now it's white back to that old house.

Retracing on yellow.

Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.46009, -74.78373

Parking is at the end of a long dirt road.

TRAIL MAP: 

Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve Trail Map - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

The trail map shows trail closures from November to March; there was nothing indicating the trails were closed while I was there so the map might not have been updated yet.

HIKE DISTANCE: 

These hikes were 7.5 miles (12 minute drive) apart.

Rainbow Hill at Sourland Mountain Preserve - 7 miles

Alexauken Creek Wildlife Management Area and Pryde's Point - 3.4 miles

THE HIKE: 

At the first gap in the fence where the "horses have right of way" sign is, is not where the trails start.

Head in towards the gate and the trail entrance is at the white arrow on the right.

There are several creek crossings.  Even after very heavy snow melt and rain none of them were as bad as this one looks.  They were all shallow and crossable with waterproof hiking shoes.

After crossing the creek we turned left on blue and would return to this point later.

There was a large downed tree blocking the path up ahead but we were able to squeeze though.

There were many ducks at the far side of the pond.  Here are green-winged teals and wood ducks.  Taking a picture at that distance with crazy strong winds was challenging so it's not the clearest.

A few deer came into view also.

A bit higher up on white there are nice winter views over the pond.

Unfortunately the sheer number of trashy tree stands encountered detract from the otherwise nice scenery.

There are a few junked cars around but it wouldn't be a hike in New Jersey without them.

The large white loop is very well-blazed but the trail is not always visible so you have to pay attention to the blazes.

Coming around the other side the trail becomes more defined.

Balloon #2 of the year.

Retracing on that section of blue that follows above the creek...

... back to this point where we stayed with blue back to the pond.

I was hoping to quietly approach the pond coming up on the side where all of those ducks were to get a better shot but...

... exactly at that spot a hiking group was passing by so those ducks were long gone.

The ducks were gone but the spring peepers had come out.

From the pond taking red through the woods ...

... then over fields with nice views in the distance.

Back on white to the end.