Gone Hikin': Farny State Park and Pequannock Watershed, NJ - Timberbrook Pond ~ Charlotteburg Reservoir ~ Misty Pond

Sunday, May 31, 2020

Farny State Park and Pequannock Watershed, NJ - Timberbrook Pond ~ Charlotteburg Reservoir ~ Misty Pond

ABOUT THE PARKS:
Farny State Park - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Pequannock Watershed - City of Newark
PERMIT REQUIRED FOR HIKING IN THE PEQUANNOCK WATERSHED.
See THIS hike for permit details.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.997962, -74.457232

Room for about 4-5 cars on the lot on the left. To the right is Camp Winnebaga where parking is not allowed, nor is parking allowed along the road. I thought this was an obscure parking area (it was in 2012) but was shocked to find cars parked EVERYWHERE at the end of the hike. Get there early to get a legal spot.

TRAIL MAP:
Jersey Highlands Trail Map 125 - NYNJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE: 8.6 miles

THE HIKE:
My 2011 version of the map did not show the yellow trail going east of the parking lot (the 2016 edition of the map shows it) so I had not hiked that back in 2012 and wanted to start that way going counter clockwise. However, I could not find it because the blazes headed right to the FORBIDDEN Camp Winnebaga.

Feeling like I was where I did not belong at the yellow blaze before the locked gate, I turned back and decided to go clockwise and come out from the east following that part of the yellow trail back.

Back at the parking lot, taking the yellow trail at the blaze (obliterated by sunlight in the photo) under the yellow parking sign to go clockwise.

Coming up on Timberbrook Pond

Yellow ends at the white-blazed Four Birds Trail; we turned left.

Passing by the high water option which I had a feeling we might be taking as I kind of recalled the upcoming water crossing to be a bit challenging.

At the far end of Timberbrook Pond ...

Timberbrook Pond

... down to the crossing over Timber Brook which wasn't quite doable without getting wet this early on.

So back we went to take the high water option.

That is where we encountered the first of many illegal dirt bikes.

On the High Water Walk Around which is ...

... a dirt road ...

... into the Pequannock Watershed where the permit is required.

I doubt all of these dirt bikers have permits seeing as it's not allowed.

Veering left after crossing an old stone bridge, the walk around is on an old rail bed.

On the map this rail bed wraps around Timberbrook Pond to the western side and I wanted to check that out since I had hiked it to the south previously.

Passing by where the Four Birds Trail comes up from the creek crossing and it doesn't look like that is used much.

The Four Birds Trail leaves to the right, we continued straight on the rail bed.

Timberbrook Pond from higher up on the rail bed.

It was all easy going for a while until ...

... flooded out as far as I could see. Not worth trying to get around so we retraced.

Turning left on the Four Birds Trail. I was searching for woods roads I had not yet hiked but could not find them so I stayed with the Four Birds Trail until I ran into where I wanted to be.

Mountain laurel just about ready to bloom.

Where the Four Birds Trail turns left at a woods road, we turned right a short distance, then left at the T-intersection with another woods road.

There were a lot of wet areas but they were easy enough to avoid.

There are several woods roads and old rail beds in this area. We worked our way down to the woods road closest to Charlotteburg Reservoir.

From that woods road there is no trespassing at all to the left on the Charlotteburg Reservoir side ...

... but on the right side entry by permit.

Timber Brook drainage into Charlotteburg Reservoir.

There was a dirt road down to the reservoir with no signs so I went down for ...

... a view of Charlotteburg Reservoir at a littered party spot.

Back up to a wide dirt road up above the reservoir. This leads to Charlotteburg Road which is where I needed to go but it was such a pleasant stretch that we stayed on this road for a bit before turning around and heading back to ...

... the fork where Charlotteburg Road is to the left.

Stepped way off trail for another dirt bike to pass leaving a complimentary lung full of exhaust.

We turned right on a woods road that was not chunked up by illegal dirt bikes. The reason would be ...

... that it ends at Misty Pond where it was absolutely gorgeous and teaming with wildlife.

Northern Flicker

Red-winged Blackbird

Two deer drinking out of Misty Pond completely unaware of our presence.

We found a perfect break spot right next to a beaver lodge.

Straight ahead is the end of the road that ends in a swamp. According to the map it continues on the other side and I'd be checking that out later in an attempt to approach from the other end off of the Four Birds Trail.

There must have been some activity in that beaver lodge because Brodie suddenly alerted in prey drive mode so we packed up and moved on.

Following woods road along the edge of the pond it makes a lollipop loop back to Charlotteburg Road.

Eastern Kingbird

Tree Swallow

A look back at Misty Pond.

Back on Charlotteburg Road following along the western side of Misty Pond.

There is a short woods road to the right to a party spot at an overlook. Where we sat for our break was directly across a little to the right.

Leaving Charlotteburg Road on the blue trail to the right.

This leads to the Misty Pond overlook indicated on the map ...

... but it pales in comparison to the views from the other side.

Misty Pond from the blue trail.

At the end of the blue trail we turned right on the Four Birds Trail.

Before turning left on green ...

... we turned right on the woods road directly opposite. This is the woods road that should lead back to Misty Pond at the swamp. But the road was a soggy mess ...

... and become completely obliterated a short distance in. So it's safe to say that this approach no longer exists.

Back to green heading towards that section of yellow I could not find at the beginning of the hike.

Where green ends it's right on yellow but looking to the left ...

... yellow continues on the map all the way to Splitrock reservoir but it's all closed off by the scout camp, no doubt. I have a feeling there is a turf war here over where a trail goes and who owns the property.

The part of yellow to the right is along the boundary line so these signs are everywhere to the left.

Bears can't read no trespassing signs.

What looks to be a newer kiosk ...

... with a map showing yellow heading south of green where the scout camp has it closed off

The trail comes out at a barrier ...

... then turns right on the paved camp road. The NYNJ Trail Conference map shows the trail in the woods parallel to the paved road but there is no trail there and the blazes are along the paved road.

Coming out through the gate that was closed earlier and to ...

... the now insanely packed and overflowing parking lot. This picture doesn't even capture all of the cars. I had no idea this area had become so popular. I'll just have to stay deeper into the Pequannock Watershed in the future to avoid all of this.