Thursday, January 1, 2015

Black Run Preserve, NJ


ABOUT THE PARK:  
Black Run Preserve - Friends of the Black Run Preserve

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 39.845851, -74.899213 (These coordinates are actually for parking along the road since that is where I thought I would need to park.  You would turn on to Kings Grant Trails instead.)

View Larger Map
The map says there is no dedicated parking but there actually is now.
There is no preserve sign from Kettle Run Road.  Turn at the NO Hunting/Dumping... sign and there is a parking pad on the right just around the bend before the preserve sign and trail head.
Looking back at the parking area from the trail head.

TRAIL MAP:
Black Run Preserve Trail Map - Friends of Black Run Preserve
There are many more unmarked trails that are not on the map.
Black Run Preserve, NJ at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 9.4 miles

THE HIKE:
Straight ahead on the green trail.
Just before the fence, the orange trail starts to the right.  That was out return route.
Old, dry cranberry bog from the fenced trail.
An unmarked trail goes back between the cranberry bogs  ...
... with nice views but it's an out-and-back because ...
Not worth trying to cross here without a footbridge.  Believe it or not, Shawnee JUMPED over.  I was shocked.
But she couldn't get back so I had to haul her up with the handle of her harness.
On a southern section of the orange trail.
The white trail.  Trails are flooded out in places (Shawnee was walking on the ice just before she broke through) but there is room to get around.
We took some unmarked but well-defined trails to different cranberry bog views.
On the red trail...
... to the yellow trail.
The yellow trail ends at a big intersection with a painted tree.  We turned left on a sand road...
... then right on an umarked trail, crossed blue then took a different trail and ended up back at ...
... the blue trail.
Taking the eastern part of the red trail which is a sand road.
But at the end, turn left where the pretty part of red continues to the loop at the end.
Retracing back on red via the sand road but turning right on unmarked at the intersection,
back over to blue.
Another section of red.
There was an unmarked trail off of red but there did seem to be some light blue paint splotches here and there.
That trail comes out a little farther along on red.
Another trail off of red to the right, not on the  map.  The green blazes, however, stop right after the first few.  Must be a work in progress but the trail is well-defined and easy to follow through.
When it looked like that lime green trail was going into a development, I turned left on sand roads which led back to red.
Heading back to the parking lot on green.
Crowded parking lot later in the day.
The map shows a short trail in black on the other side of Kettle Run Road at that kiosk so I wanted to do that quickly.
This would be that trail but I never actually hiked that trail.
Instead I took an unmarked trail from the kiosk and went exploring.
No crossing here, had to turn around.
Tons of trails over on this side and not another person around.
Except...
and ...
The trail I was on came out at Kettle Run Road.  I turned right, walked a short distance, then turned left just before this sign on an unmarked trail.
The unmarked trail ...
... runs smack into the orange trail.
The green trail with fencing across the bog.
Coming out on the green trail.

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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousJanuary 6, 2015 at 2:22 AM

    Hi Daniela -- I've been reading your blog for about a year now, but have never commented (till today.) Extremely impressive hikes you have had over the years, and Shawnee...well, what can one say?? That is one tough dog!

    I'm from South Jersey, and have been to quite a few of the places that you have visited down this way; I've also done some in Central Jersey (as far north as Cheesequake), as well as places in PA and DE. It's really nice to see your blog entries on the Northern NJ hikes, and NY as well...at least I will have some sort of idea of what the parks & trails will be like should I get an opportunity to visit some of them! I also recall reading how you use a Canon camera...I have one myself (PowerShot SX120 IS - 10MP). The Canons really do take excellent shots!

    As for this hike at Black Run Preserve -- excellent shots once again! I just discovered this preserve last spring (via another blog called South Jersey Trails). Seems like this park is still under development in some areas; at one time, the Black Trail was actually part of Green, and I don't remember seeing the mile marker (sign) at the beginning of the Orange Trail (this was as recent as June 2014). I really like the way you sometimes head off the marked trails and venture onto unmarked ones -- one never knows what he/she will discover! BTW -- I bet you would have *loved* to get Shawnee's big jump on film!

    Anyway, I hope I run into you someday while hiking, and it will be my honor to meet Shawnee. Looking forward to your next post...happy hiking!

    -- Jim

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    Replies
    1. Gone Hikin'January 6, 2015 at 6:48 AM

      Thanks so much, Jim! Since you are closer in South Jersey, if you can make it out to Susquehanna State Park right over the Maryland state line off I-95, it was in January 2013 when I was there and saw bald eagle after bald eagle after bald eagle. In the trees, in the river, it was so amazing! Don't forget your Canon! http://gonehikin.blogspot.com/2013/01/susquehanna-state-park-md.html

      Yes, Shawnee's amazing leap would have been something to capture. Ever since her bout of vestibular disease she stumbles almost every time she gets out of bed and every so often while hiking but she straightens herself right out and goes on like nothing happened so to see her fly through the air like that was shocking!

      It's a small world and we might just run into one another someday! You should recognize Shawnee :)

      Daniela

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