Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve and Gnome Hollow Preserve, NJ

ABOUT THE PARKS: 

Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve - Township of Frelinghuysen

Gnome Hollow Preserve - Ridge and Valley Conservancy

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.998680, -74.886290

Parking lot off of Lincoln Laurel Road.

TRAIL MAP: 

Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve and Gnome Hollow Trail Map - Frelinghuysen Township

HIKE DISTANCE:  6.9 miles

THE HIKE: 

When I last hiked Gnome Hollow Preserve in May 2015 the trails were blazed with green and sometimes the current yellow markers but there was often no trail to follow - I had to find my way from marker to marker.  The connecting trail to the Paulinskill Valley Trail was not complete and I don't believe Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve existed at the time, at least there was no connection.  Now there are clearly defined trails at Gnome Hollow Preserve with all connections complete.

We started by turning right on Lincoln Laurel Road and walking a short distance to the kiosk on the left.

The yellow trail turns right on a grassy woods road ...

... which turns to gravel.

Passing a pond on the right ...

... then a lime kiln on the left.

Taking half of the orange loop.

Continuing on yellow.

Yellow ends at Route 94 where we turned back.

Taking the other half of the orange loop.

Back on yellow.

Where we came in from the left earlier, now keeping straight on red and taking other trails in the area.

Coming out on Lincoln Laurel Road ...

... we crossed over and bushwhacked a few steps to turn right on the yellow trail but ...

... that turned out not to be necessary because had we turned right on Lincoln Laurel Road and walked a few steps, there was a legitimate opening to get to yellow. 

At the clearing we worked our way over to the public fire pit ...

... then to the left to access the blue trail.

Yellow joins in with blue.

We would be crossing this bridge again on blue/yellow at the end of the hike.

At the end of blue and yellow, to the right ...

... is the beginning of the yellow loop.

Right on orange which connects to Gnome Hollow Preserve.

Orange overlaps with the yellow markers of Gnome Hollow Preserve.

Now in Gnome Hollow Preserve which is the more rugged preserve.

Passing by the old Christmas tree farm on the left.

Passing between the parking lot on the left and the ruins on the right ...

... the trail loops around to the right.

Passing by the connector trail to the Paulinskill Valley Rail Trail.

Meeting back up with the overlapping orange trail ...

... and following orange to the left back into Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve.

Right on yellow ...

... retracing when blue joins in ...

... then turning right on yellow leaving blue.

The Kittatinny Ridge in the distance on the right.

Yellow leads back to the parking lot.

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