Union Transportation Trail, NJ - Miles 0 - 3

 

ABOUT THE PARK:
Union Transportation Trail - Monmouth County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.095313, -74.521505

Millstream Road Parking

TRAIL MAP:
Crosswicks Park and UTT Brochure - Monmouth County Parks

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HIKE DISTANCE: 6 miles (3 miles each way)

THE HIKE: 

Granddaughter Ellie was spending the weekend and this was our second hike, this one longer than the first, so stroller-friendly

Leaving the parking lot the side trail loops around to the right, then left on the UTT immediately crossing Millstream Road.

It got a little crowded in spots but then there would be long stretches of no other people around.

American Goldfinch in the winter.

Cedar Waxwing

Just up ahead before the road crossing is a self service farm stand.  We'd be stopping there on the way back.

Crossing Lahaway Creek.

Female Cardinal

This road crossing at Route 539 is particularly difficult, especially with a stroller and dog to maneuver across.  The crossing light is useless and does nothing.  To the left the road forks and considerate motorists on either leg of the fork stopped and held back traffic.  From the left traffic just would not stop.  Finally there was a break and we were able to cross, waving gratitude to those on the right for stopping to let us cross.

Crossing Jonathan Holmes Road at another parking area.

Carolina Wren

Male Cardinal

Our turnaround point at Burlington Path with the 3-mile marker just the other side of the road crossing.

Catching falling leaves.

Horses!

White-throated Sparrow

Mockingbird

Turkey Vulture

This time crossing Route 539 wasn't so bad.  We just happened into a lull in the traffic and were able to cross immediately.  Usually it's a nonstop stream of traffic so we were lucky.

And here we were back at that farm stand where we purchased two dozen chicken eggs.  Brodie and Ellie had some for dinner that night.  This farm stand even has a QR code posted for paying with Venmo which is really convenient.

I had seen these off the trail on our way out so nabbed them on the way back.  Balloons #57, #58, #59 and #60 of the year.

Of course she falls asleep almost at the end.

Last road crossing before the parking lot.

Tired hikers heading home.

Allaire State Park, NJ - Robinwoods Dinosaurs

 

 

ABOUT THE PARK: 

UPDATE 10/12/2022: Dinosaur stick sculptures at Allaire State Park destroyed by vandalism - Star News Group

Allaire State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection

Dinosaurs! - Exploring Allaire State Park

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.133700, -74.122226

Parking outside the main entrance of the group campground.

TRAIL MAP: 

Allaire State Park Hunting Map - NJDEP (shows a snippet in the bottom right corner but the trails are not accurate.)

Allaire State Park - Trailforks (shows some trails but not all)

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HIKE DISTANCE:  1 mile

 

THE HIKE: 

Granddaughter Ellie was spending the weekend.  This was hike one of two for the day.

Ready to go find those dinosaurs in, as Ellie calls it, "The Big Forest."

We walked in on the main campground drive where unmarked trails branch off.  We took the first trail on the right.

This section of the park does not allow hunting so you have to get started really early and watch carefully for mountain bikers on the trails because the later it gets, the more mountain bikers arrive.

Early on balloon #56 of the year.

When you see these structures you are getting close to the dinosaurs.

They are somewhere in this beautiful pine forest.

Over there!

This would be a stegosaurus.  (ID compliments of 3-year-old Ellie)

Feeding the stegosaurus some pine needles.

A triceratops. (ID compliments of 3-year-old Ellie.)

T-Rex (ID compliments of 3-year-old Ellie)

Looping around back to where we parked, we touched on the only blazed trail in this part of the park.

Where we were the only ones there at 7:30 AM, by the time we got back to the car it was getting pretty busy with dog walkers and mountain bikers.