ABOUT THE PARKS:
Lachenmayr Trail - Readington Township
Cole Road Greenway - Readington Township
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.584161, -74.760477
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| Large parking lot at the Roosevelt Road Practice Ball Field, the northern end of the trail. |
TRAIL MAPS:
Lachenmayr Trail Map - Readington Township
Cole Road Greenway Trail Map - Readington Township
HIKE DISTANCE: 7 miles
THE HIKE:
This hike might be best in the winter because as it stands right now, the overgrowth, especially in the Lachenmayr portion, makes the trails almost impassable, in some cases completely impassable. I almost turned back a few times as I knew we were going through tick infested overgrowth. I am glad I did not because it did get better and there were some spectacular sights but I did bypass the Lachenmayr Trail on the return route and road walked instead, a much better option.
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| From the parking lot walk back out north on Roosevelt Road to the post with the trail markers. |
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| The yellow trail follows along the edge of the field ... |
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| ... passes a bench ... |
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| ... then becomes increasingly difficult to follow. |
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| The only reason I knew where to go was because I could see this bridge. |
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| I was always glad to see a marker post to know I was in the right place. |
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| The orange trail was not going to be happening, |
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| At this creek crossing the bridge was going downstream and there was no getting across without sinking knee deep in mud so I retraced to a different orange I had just passed. |
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| This was much better ... |
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| ... and it met back up with yellow. |
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| Millions of ticks. |
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| Finally the trail runs along a fence and it is no longer overgrown. |
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| An orange loop to the left but I wasn't taking any chances to I stayed with yellow. |
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| Mowed path! |
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| The end of the Lachenmayr Trail at Pine Bank Road. |
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| Yellow continues left on Pine Bank Road... |
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| ... crosses Holland Brook on a bridge (mental note to road walk back on Roosevelt Road going back) ... |
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| ... then turns left into Cole Road Greenway. |
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| After rock hopping across a small creek ... |
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| ... we stayed left on orange through a really pretty area. |
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| Orange meets back up with yellow. |
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| A bench for our break spot at a power cut. |
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| Continuing on nicely mowed path through the power cut. |
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| But yellow veers right into oblivion. |
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| We veered left continuing on the mowed path with no markers which turned out to be orange. |
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| At another bench, left on orange, |
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| Staying left on orange into the woods. |
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| Brodie rudely lunged at the turtle smacking him right on the lips before I realized he was there. |
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| So sorry turtle! Brodie really is rude with wildlife. |
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| Orange comes out of the woods and follows a power cut. |
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| Trust me on this. Turn right at the first yellow marker. |
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| If you continue on orange to the second yellow marker ... |
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| ... this is what yellow turns into. Again. |
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| Looking down yellow had I turned at the first post - nice and clear and open. Sigh. |
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| Keeping straight, we are on white now. The colors are kind of confusing, too. |
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| Coming out of the woods we had to turn right on orange just before the field. |
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| That would be because out in the field white veers left then disappears in Brodie high grass. There are more trails I wanted to do but I had had enough overgrowth so we went back to orange and began retracing. |
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| His services are needed on parts of this trail. |
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| So we are going along through these pretty woods when Brodie starts alerting off to the right. I thought he had seen a deer until I looked closer, zoomed in and saw .... |
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| Red fox kits! |
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| Having lunch :( Somebody is missing a chicken. I hate this part of nature. |
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| There are three kits. |
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| And a parent! |
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| It sounded like a branch crashed down and everyone scattered. As much as I would like to think they all eat plants, it was quite an honor to witness a few moments of their lives. |
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| Coming back out on Pine Bank Road and crossing over to road walk back on Roosevelt Road. |
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| Holland Brook along Roosevelt Road |
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| It was actually a very nice country road walk all the way back to the parking lot. |
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| Brodie loves tick checks. |
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| Drowning their sorrows in rubbing alcohol. I have found more dead ticks when Brodie gets up from napping. At least I know the flea/tick meds I give him are working. Just hate bringing those nasty things home. Must go vacuum now. |
