ABOUT THE PARK:
I found out about this trail when I happened across
this article online. It's not even 5 miles from my house and I did not know about it. At this time there is no information online but Marc Grobman, the trail steward at Ash Brook Reservation, sent me his PDF files to share.
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to Union Country Vocational and Technical Schools entrance 40.61912, -74.35715
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| From the entrance drive straight towards these signs. (The spur trail comes out just to the left of these signs.) Turn right and continue straight to the police academy at the far corner. |
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| Turn right in front of the police academy to park. |
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| Parking in front of the police academy. |
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| I added in the starts representing trail access points. |
TRAIL MAP:
HIKE DISTANCE:
1.9 mile loop returning from the spur trail; probably about 2.5 miles as a lollipop returning on the trail
THE HIKE:
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| Kiosk in front of the police academy with the trail head just beyond the picnic table on the left. |
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| A dry section of the trail over West Hill. |
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| Returning the map I used to scan. I had been here with Shawnee the previous day but did not get very far because the trail became too swampy for her. |
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| A power cut to the right. |
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| The trail starts crossing drainage culverts as it enters Ash Swamp. |
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| Swamp water off to the side. |
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| And then the trail becomes swamp, probably because we had torrential downpours the previous two weekends. |
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| Wearing old sneakers was a great idea. |
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| This is the trail. |
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| I thought I had stepped on a log. Obviously not. But after that point, what did it matter? I just slogged on through. |
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| Looks like a Canada Goose was hiking the trail also. |
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| At the bridge a spur trail to the left goes to the parking lot. Because the trail was so swampy, it took longer than I thought to get through it and the sun was setting, I decided this would be my return route but first over the bridge to Red Hill. |
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| From the bridge ooking down the culvert (creek?) that the spur trail follows. |
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| After just a little more wet trail, the trail suddenly dries out completely. |
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| At this time there were no blazed looping around Red Hill and there are several different paths but it's hard to get lost. |
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| This was one huge den. |
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| Darned camera would not focus. |
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| At the big spool, the trail turns back to form the loop. |
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| Back at the bridge and turning right on the spur trail. |
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| Coming out at the corner of the Union County VoTech lot. |
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| Looking back at where the trail comes out - this would be an alternate access point. |
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| I walked along the perimeter of the lot the way I had driven in. |
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| Driving home in my socks, which didn't look much better. Definitely a place to return to when it is drier out. |
I live close to this as well and I had heard something about a possible trail back there but never found anything online. Thank you so much for sharing this!
ReplyDeleteIt always amazes me the hard work put into creating trails that nobody knows about! And I would assume that since this is called "North Trail" there might be a "South Trail" in the future? We'll have to keep an eye on it.
DeleteDaniela
Daniela, this trail is marked on OpenStreetMap: https://www.openstreetmap.org/#map=16/40.6153/-74.3603&layers=C
ReplyDeleteI also think the footprints may be of wild turkey - I have seen some while exploring this trail before.
I was puzzled by this den too - I wondered if that was a fox or perhaps a coyote den.
Ahhhh, I didn't think of turkeys but makes better sense than Canada geese!
DeleteDaniela
And I thought some of the trails we've been on here in Virginia were muddy!!! Should have brought some old hiking shoes as you did. Well...they're old NOW. :( How'd you explain all that mud to Shawnee when you got home? Thinking of you both. :)
ReplyDeleteLinda
Yay, you made it to Virginia! Want to hear all about it. I drove home in my socks and hosed the shoes off in the front yard before even bringing them around back to be soaked in a bucket of soapy water. Shawnee was probably just thrilled that she wasn't the one getting hosed :)
DeleteDaniela
Coincidentally I spotted the sign for this just a couple of weeks ago when I was dropping off some stuff on electronics recycling day at the Vo Tec. Couldn't find anything on line, so thanks for exploring it for us. But I think I'll wait for drier weather or frozen ground to try it myself.
ReplyDeleteI think that would be wise :) The mosquitoes are horrendous there, too. I had not sprayed any OFF on my the day before when I attempted it with Shawnee and there weren't any but when I went back the following day I was bitten the minute I stepped foot on the trail so the 90 degree weather must have awakened them. Fortunately I had OFF with me but had to apply twice because those skeeters were hungry!
DeleteDaniela
Swampy mess even without much rain.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been back but was wondering if it ever dried out.
DeleteSuper muddy. Did the trail last weekend and it looks much worse than your photos. Hiking boots were totally submerged at times but had a blast. Almost no bugs but it is essentially walking through 4 inches of water the entire time till you get to the loop at the end. The spur trail isn't blazed but its dry
DeleteI had a feeling it would be pretty swampy in there after all the snow melt and rain. I have always meant to go back and do it in the winter with microspikes when everything is frozen but haven't done it yet.
DeleteGlad to learn that a trail has been constructed in Ash Swamp. I recall exploring this area, as a young teenager, back in the mid 1960s. This was before Martine Ave had been extended beyond Raritan Rd. and Red Hill could be accessed by a dirt road from the Southside Ball Field behind the fire station. From Red Hill I bush wacked south and discovered one of the drainage ditches. Following it southeast I came upon the railroad tracks that border the S.E. edge of the reservation. It must have been during a dry period as the only water I encountered was in the ditch. Anyway, it is a unique and beautiful (in its own way) area, and it is good to know that it has been preserved for others. I've lived in Colorado since 1980, but still have wonderful memories of my days in NJ. -S. Walton
ReplyDeleteWhat nice memories! You just jogged my memory that I intended to go back on a frozen day and we are in a well below freezing spell right now. I might just have to head on out there.
DeleteHope you had/have a good walk. This time of year, there are no mosquitos, and the ground can be firm.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely no mosquitoes and the ground was rock solid! Here is what it looks like as frozen: https://gonehikin.blogspot.com/2022/01/ash-brook-reservation-nj-north-trail-in.html
DeleteNice to hear that your second outing was on firmer footing. I was surprised by the amount of surface water, though frozen, present. In thinking about it, I wonder if the water table in the swamp has been raised by run-off from UC Tech. The school was not there when I was exploring the area, just open farmland. Also, perhaps the drainage ditches, being 55 years older, have lost their effectiveness in moving water south to Robinson Branch on the south border of the swamp. Possible debris from hurricane Sandy blocking the flow in the ditches as well. I do recall the forest canopy being more dense, too. Thanks for posting the photos that you have taken! It's nice to know that others are enjoying what I enjoyed 5 decades ago.
ReplyDeleteThat would make sense since it is all buildings and pavement now and that water has to go somewhere.
DeleteI tried to do the trail on my mountain bike from both entry points but it was too rough for me. It has not been maintained for quite some time. The mud crossings that had been previously filled with thick (2”) sticks were in disrepair. Trees have fallen and not cut. Although a bit wet and muddy, it certainly could be hiked but the trail appears to get little traffic and is overgrown. At times it’s hard to see a trail at all. I would not hesitate to try it again on foot but it would take a much better mountain biker than me to do it on a bike. This woods has tremendous potential but unfortunately it’s not well maintained. No disrespect to the volunteers, the County should be maintaining trails in Ash Brook.
ReplyDeleteYes, it's a shame that people work so hard to build trails then they go unused and into disrepair. I hiked it in the winter recently and even then I could tell it was not being used or maintained. https://gonehikin.blogspot.com/2022/01/ash-brook-reservation-nj-north-trail-in.html
DeleteI gave this my best shot by bringing along my 12" rainboots, map and compass. Much to my chagrin it took only about 100 yds into the swamp that the trail disappeared under 6" of muck with no white blazes to guide me through an overgrown and unmaintained path. Four times I found myself off trail and bushwhacking through water as deep as 10" until I came back onto the trail. It would have been much more pleasurable if there more blazes were visible given that the much of the trail is underwater for about 50% of its length.
ReplyDeleteWhat a shame. I went back early last year when everything was frozen over and did it with microspikes. I found the trail to still be marked but the spikes were absolutely necessary since most sections of trail were a solid sheet of ice. https://gonehikin.blogspot.com/2022/01/ash-brook-reservation-nj-north-trail-in.html
DeleteWith the massive death of the ash trees from the emerald ash borer the swamp trail is covered in various understory plants. Many of these are obnoxious invasives like tearthumb and multiflora rose. The trails are closed in, and blazes are far apart or just missing now. I was thankful I brought garden clippers. In some places. the former trail has 4 to 5 feet of thorny weeds. If you can't handle that, and deep mud even on a dry day, stick to the uplands in the park.
ReplyDeleteSounds like nature is rapidly reclaiming the trail.
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