Paulinskill River WMA, NJ - Hyper Humus Marshes

ABOUT THE PARK:
Hyper Humus Marshes - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
March 1956 Hyper-Humus Ad

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.05803, -74.72939

TRAIL MAP:
Hyper Humus Map

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HIKE DISTANCE:  7 miles

THE HIKE:

Because of current COVID-19 regulations gatherings are prohibited so grandson Harrison's big first birthday party had to be cancelled.  We went on a family hike instead.  Granddaugher Ellie road with Brodie, the rest of the family in the car behind us.

Starting our hike on the Sussex Branch Trail.

The stroller was decorated with balloons left over from Shawnee's 16th birthday hike.  Unfortunately all but one met their demise early on due to sticker bushes along the trail

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

First we turned left for a short 1/2 mile segment of the Sussex Branch Trail to the Paulinskill River.  I had seen a beaver cross the trail here in 2014 so we wanted to see if there were any on this day.

No beavers and absolutely no sign of beaver activity.  The trail on the other side of the bridge was not paved back in 2014.  We turned back before crossing the bridge.

Paulinskill River

Granddaughter Ellie LOVES horses and got to see her first real live horse up close.

Swans flying over the marshes.

Great Blue Heron

We set up Harrison's birthday party in the middle of the trail.  Nobody came by the entire time.

Birthday Cupcakes

The Birthday Boy

Little Hikers

Lots of frogs along the way.

Shortly after crossing Rt. 663 ...

... the intersection with the Paulinskill Valley Trail.

We turned left on the Paulinskill Valley Trail and in a short distance crossed Route 663 again through a parking lot.

Continuing on the Paulinskill Valley Trail.

Tired Hikers

Gray Catbird

At the first intersection, left on the dirt road leaving the Paulinskill Valley Trail.

Paulinskill River

Coming up on the marshes.

Looks like maybe a female Baltimore Oriole.

A red-tailed hawk that had been flying with a group of vultures.

And in the same place they were almost the same time in 2014, nesting eagles.

When the trail runs into the marshes, it's left a short distance back to the Sussex Branch Trail.

Sussex Branch Trail

More horses for Granddaughter Ellie.

My son spotted a balloon about 10 feet off trail in sticker bushes.  We built a bridge on top of the sticker bushes with big branches and logs so I was able to walk over the stickers to retrieve balloon #24 of the year.  It just happened to be a Happy Birthday balloon fitting for the occasion.

Coming up on the side trail to the parking lot.

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