ABOUT THE PARK:
Branch Brook Park - Essex County Parks
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.751249, -74.182323
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| Parking along the dead end road just past the roller skating center. |
TRAIL MAP:
The online map is so tiny it is not readable. I just followed the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail all the way from one end of the park to the other then took other trails back using my track of the Lenape Trail as reference.
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HIKE DISTANCE: 9 miles
THE HIKE:
This hike was not on my radar at all until Priscilla Estes sent me a copy of her book, AMC's Best Day Hikes in New Jersey (link to Facebook page) where she mentions this blog in the acknowledgements and introduction. When I saw a 4.5 mile version of this hike in the book I realized it was peak cherry blossom season - NOW. I did not want to go on the weekend and deal with massive crowds so I took a day off during the week. Fortunately enough blossoms survived recent winds and thunderstorms.
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| I wanted to start at the beginning of the Lenape Trail. This tree was right by where I parked so first a right at this tree for a short distance to the far southwest corner of the park where the Lenape Trail starts. |
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| And here we are. Turning around and heading back on the Lenape Trail from the beginning. |
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| Back at where I parked, keep left to circle around the lake. No blazes here (they are sometimes scarce) so it can be a little confusing. |
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| There are no more cherry blossoms in the middle of the park but they pick up again later on. |
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| This is not an asphalt path rather it has a soft rubbery surface. |
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| I got a lot of bird backs during this hike. This would be the back of a female cardinal. |
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| Crossing busy Heller Parkway but there is a pedestrian light to make it easier. |
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| The back of a mockingbird. |
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| Second River |
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| A prison crew doing cleanup. Don't see that much any more. |
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| The back of a chipping sparrow. |
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| A blow down! Now I feel like I am hiking! |
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| This is the far northern end of the park where the Lenape Trail turns left to coninue as a road walk; this would be our turn around point. |
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| Heading back on other trails using the Lenape Trail track I had recorded on the Gaia app as reference. |
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| Over on a quiet side of the park on the rubbery trail, that bench up ahead was our break spot... |
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| ... complete with snacks. |
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| Well, no, sorry Brodie. No tomato sauce and chicken noodle soup for you. |
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| No clue whose back side this is. |
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| Even the robin turns his back. |
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| Balloon #41 (and #42 a little farther along) |
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| The trail along a soccer field ... |
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| ... where it looks like the Canada geese have a game in progress ... |
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| ... complete with cheerleaders. |
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| Then this hawk (a broad winged hawk, I believe) landed in a tree ... |
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| ... and was almost completely camouflaged by the cherry blossoms. |
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| Then he flew over to a light pole and allowed me a better look of his back, of course. What is up with these Newark birds? |
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| That is the Lenape Trail on the other side where we started the hike. It's crowded over there now but the better views are over from this side where there are far fewer people. |
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| Back around to where we parked at the dead end street. |
I love branch brook park during the cherry blossom season! There's still a lot of the park that I have to explore. I normally just go to the cherry blossom welcome center and that Prudential Grove area where the 2 lion statues are. This hike must of been like a day off for Brodie & you! Did you get a chance to see that beautiful gothic cathedral up close? I saw you had a photo of it in the background.
ReplyDeleteYes, there definitely is more to explore. The northern part along Second River is very pretty and much less crowded. I didn't go over to the cathedral, not really my thing. Was more interested in that hawk who was in that vicinity, LOL.
DeleteThanks! I will take a stroll along the Second river next time. I just realized you & Brodie walked the whole distance of the park from South to North!
DeleteYes, we did the whole thing!
DeleteThe cherry blossoms were beautiful. Loved the pic of you & Brodie, too. Always admire how much mileage you're able to get out of your a hike and continues to be very inspiring to us.
ReplyDeleteLinda
Thanks! You know, for a minute I thought I saw you and Jim there yesterday. I was up on a bridge and a couple with trekking poles (that's something you don't see every day at Branch Brook) were going under the bridge on the walk along Second River. Obviously hikers, but seriously, looked like both of you. Thank goodness I didn't yell off the bridge at them since they obviously weren't you two.
DeleteBeautiful photos. Enjoyed seeing your sneaky parking place too. Thanks also for the shout-out to the AMC's Best Day Hikes in NJ book. I've linked the FB page to this blog. See: https://www.facebook.com/gongmistress/?__tn__=kC-R&eid=ARDo5CXbqp3_EsDJ_xzkJxojTRLH8GTOouOHt2ayG0YnYnVPg7K7vhi18b4jv9wcipwL0GK5wOD0Sqxg&hc_ref=ARQWFl8apisw-q9nmff9mEtvc2GwMSkrPvdKlZY6TmU5B1IkE8ZUgDgCPyK-a9UC8m4&fref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARDkUnpDAE_nkjH36xWr7rzZFQA1wjH4a7mVEh6UKdUzd4IIzMNg9hVfbVtWz6SXPgHziTDFL4bqYmURugb7JhU0VsWwdl0lxvCCFf6oYOTQowtdpYIXwpg7ktYNZp9fA7lJwhLaGkMPXmePMD0Zc6debAi7DXebYLmkOlUcyr8iF7Xqf4twfQ4UEr1F651odCu4xG5stPjK33JmxNXi9OOp1lwvzI5kJc9P83rOW6M8AwBpCJDEPFJUZFFoN6bEJVmaHRA7_mK4sYerTHghQ4G3I4S5_T-oObQZGaHbtKt29Hv28VO4V7fqZNtLW3MgMB08e22Oo6KOC6Xh65bHItP12zIs
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yup, if there is a sneaky parking spot, I will find it, LOL. What was great about that spot is that it was a very fast and easy in and out from and to the parkway. My kind of parking spot. That is a long link! I put a hyperlink in by the link to the book.
DeleteHi Daniela -- it's been *quite* a while since I've commented (and believe me, it's NOT because I haven't been enjoying ALL your recent adventures), but I just *HAD* to comment here, because this is, hands down, one of the most BEAUTIFUL hikes I've *ever* seen from you! Those cherry blossoms make SO much difference; I was literally hypnotized on every picture that included the cherry blossoms! And one of my "favs" was, of course, the Canada Geese "playing" the football game -- LOL!!
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering if the one bird "back" you got (that you were unsure of) was a Warbler?? (Just guessing, of course, but it seems to fit the bill here...no pun intended!)
I haven't been out hiking recently (well, O.K. -- on Easter Sunday, I did go out for a walk in Harleysville, PA with my brother-in-law...on a 'hike' I haven't done for almost 25 years), but your pix make me LONG to get out to places I've never been to before! (May not be for a couple weeks though, as I've been helping out friends on Sundays getting volleyball courts moved/set up for beach volleyball which starts next month in Brigantine!) But one of my next adventures is going to include Beaver Dam Park in Ocean County, NJ...not sure if you've ever been there (with either Brodie or Shawnee?)
Anyway, thank you for the excellent pix...wish I could have been to this park today, as it was a beautiful day, but I'm sure I will get out to some great places, as will you & Brodie! Happy hiking, and I look forward to your next adventure!
Jim
Thanks, Jim! Those cherry blossoms were spectacular but things is prettier in spring when everything comes to life (except bugs, ugh). I had never heard of Beaver Dam Park but it looks nice. Ocean County does such a nice job with their parks. I'll have to check that one out when I am in the area again. Thanks!
DeleteSO MUCH PINK!!!! I might have to sneak a trip in with the boys up there this week while I'm off from work.
ReplyDeleteI just checked the live cam (http://108.58.154.186/view/viewer_index.shtml?id=1145) and it looks like I left you a few blossoms :)
DeleteLove all the beautiful flowers!
ReplyDelete