ABOUT THE PARK:
Sourland Mountain Preserve - Somerset County Park Commission
DIRECTIONS:
View Larger Map
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| Large parking lot at 7 am on a holiday. |
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| Parking lot at 11 am on the same day. |
TRAIL MAP:
Sourland Mountain Preserve - Somerset County Park Commission
Numbered posts along trail correspond with numbers on the map.
The map does not show how the trails are marked:
- Ridge Trail = white square markers
- Maple Flats = white triangle markers
- Pondside Trail = white circle markers
- Roaring Brook Trail = red circle markers
- Connector Trails = white circle markers with black "C"
HIKE DISTANCE: 5.85 miles
THE HIKE:
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| With the pond on your left, turn right towards the kiosk... |
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| ... and follow the combined white square/white triangle/white circle trail. Stay on white square when the others leave to the left over a bridge. |
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| Connector trail marker. |
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| Devil's Half Acre Boulders |
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| More Devil's Half Acres |
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| Red circle-blazed Roaring Brook Trail |
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| Pipeline crossing |
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| Roaring Brook Trail |
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| Roaring Brook |
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| Huge pile of rocks at post #7 |
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| Sign on dilapidated chain link fence - have to turn around after passing through fence to see it. |
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| A bird nest off the trail. |
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| Several bridges and boardwalks through swampy areas. |
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| But still lots of mud to walk through. |
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| Coming up on the pond at the end of the hike. |
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| A turtle swimming in the pond. |
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| One more gosling picture - they were too darned cute. |
HIKE SUMMARY:
[ 0.00] Take the white square/white triangle/white circle trail from the kiosk
[ 0.25] At post #1 keep straight on white square when white triangle and white circle go left over the bridge
[ 0.50] Keep right on white square when connector trail goes left
[ 0.70] Start of Devil's Half Acre Boulders
[ 1.00] Keep right on white square when connector trail goes left coming out of Devil's Half Acre
[ 1.75] Keep right on white square at post #4 when connector trail goes left
[ 1.80] Turn right on red circle when white square goes left
[ 2.15] Go through opening in chain link fence
[ 2.25] Cross pipeline clearing
[ 3.15] Keep right on red circle when connector trail goes left
[ 3.45] Roaring Rocks Boulders
[ 3.50] Red circle trail ends at white square trail, turn right on white square
[ 3.60] At post #7 keep right on white square when connector trail goes left
[ 3.85] At post #8 keep right on white square when connector trail goes left, go through open gate at chain link fence with 3M property sign facing the other way
[ 4.15] Cross boardwalk; there will be several more boardwalks along this final stretch
[ 4.45] At post #9 keep straight on white square when connector trail goes left and unmarked goes right
[ 4.95] Rock hop creek flowing across trail
[ 5.05] At post #10 keep right on white square when white triangle joins in from the left
[ 5.50] Cross pipeline clearing at post #11
[ 5.60] At post #12 turn right on white square/white triangle/white circle
[ 5.75] Turn right at pond to circle around pond
[ 5.85] Back at parking lot
Sourland Hike Rally Sept. 8
ReplyDeleteSomerset County Parks System has given permission to the Sourland Planning Council to hold a hikers rally in the park on September 8th as a fundraiser. There will be eight different guided hikes that Saturday morning, led by some well-known area naturalists / open space advocates, including nature photographer Clem Fiori and Stony Brook Watershed's chief env. educator Jeff Hoagland. Brick over pizza and ice cream are included and served in park after and a t-shirt too! Also, a road cycling rally at own pace of up to 60 miles will also be set to go. Should be fun and raise consciousness of this Central NJ jewel. More info at www.sourland.org/spectacular .