ABOUT THE PARKS:
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.75375, -74.44288
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| Parking Lot off Loantaka Way |
TRAIL MAPS:
DISTANCES:
19 mile bike with 1.2 mile hike at Drew Forest
THE BIKE:
I last hiked here in February 2013. Loantaka Brook Reservation gets insanely busy. At 6 AM it was very nice with just a few other bikers and joggers. At 10 AM it was very crowded and often challenging to maneuver through on a bike.
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| While there was very little traffic at 6 AM I started out by turning right on Loantaka Way ... |
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| ... then left at the crosswalk on to ... |
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| .. the 1.5 mile section of trail at the southern end of the reservation. |
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| The trail ends at the post office on Green Village road where you can turn around but there is no trail parking. |
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| Heading back. |
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| Crossing Loantaka Way at the crosswalk and continuing straight. |
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| Straight through the first intersection ... |
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| ... across Woodland Avenue to the Giralda Farm trails. |
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| These trails are gravel, sometimes crushed, sometimes chunky, sometimes loose and hard to pedal through. |
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| I had thought I could hop over to Dodge Drive from the trails to get to Drew University but that was not doable as it is all fenced and gated off. |
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| So back out the entrance and a left on the bike path along Woodland Ave to see if I could access Dodge Drive that way but nope, it's gated. Little did I know the bike path not only continued straight but would turn left along Loantaka Way and I could have gone that way. But not knowing that at the time, I turned around and went the other way on Woodland Ave. |
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| When the separate bike path ends, it continues on Woodland Ave. |
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| The first right turn on Treadwell Avenue ... |
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| ... is a residential street apparently used for walkers to form a loop with that bike path. |
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| At Route 124 the separate bike path resumes to the right. |
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| The bike path passes along the gated front of Giralda Farms then turns right on Loantaka Way - the way I could have gone. |
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| At Loantaka Way I had to stay on Route 124/Madison Avenue on the on road bike lane just a but farther to... |
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| ... a right into the main entrance of Drew University. |
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| To get to the trails, it's straight ahead then a right just past the athletic fields. |
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| This leads to Hepburn Woods on the left and Zuck Arboretum on the right. |
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| First, left into Hepburn Woods where there was a bench next to the kiosk to lock my bike to. |
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| There was absolutely nobody around so it was very peaceful. |
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| The trail forms a loop through the woods. |
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| Back at the beginning, crossing over to Zuck Arboretum. |
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| This trail passes by two ponds. Nothing going on at the first pond. |
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| But at the second pond, a green heron ... |
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| ... and a Great Blue Heron. |
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| Continuing around the ponds.... |
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| ... back to the beginning. |
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| Biking back out of Drew University. |
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| At the main entrance, crossing over Madison Avenue at the crosswalk and continuing one block ... |
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| ...to a left on Page Street, one block to a left on Redmond Drive, then right on Morris Place... |
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| ... all the way to the end to a right on Danforth Road. |
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| Just over the bridge ... |
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| ... left at the crosswalk ... |
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| ... to the access point for the Traction Line Recreation Trail. |
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| This is a straight paved path for 3 miles. |
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| Passing Convent Station where I would be getting off when heading back. |
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| The trail ends at Morris Avenue directly across from Washington's Headquarters. |
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| Heading back. |
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| Just past Convent Station, right on Convent Road. |
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| Continue straight across Madison Avenue then left on Fox Hollow Road through a quiet residential area. |
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| At Woodland Avenue a bit to the left is the bike path back into Loantaka Reservation. |
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| It was incredibly mosquito-free and that would be thanks to dragonflies and damselflies, the mortal enemies of the mosquito. I wish they lived in my yard. |
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| Loantaka Brook |
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| Coming out at the main parking lot and looping around to head back. |
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| Kitchell Pond |
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| Back at the parking lot on Loantaka Way. |
Haven't visited your blog in a little while; did you switch to biking? What kind of bike do you ride? How's Brodie taking this change?
ReplyDeleteI didn't switch, just added in biking. But I found that in the summer when it is hot and buggy while hiking, it is not when biking so it has just been way more pleasant. Also, it is much easier on my ankle (arthritis from multiple injuries over the years) and I recently pulled a tendon in the other foot so I have had to stay with biking for a bit although I need to get more hiking back in soon with a couple of hiking trips coming up. Brodie seems to be totally fine with staying home and this is a dog that had separation anxiety for the first 7 years I had him. Thank goodness he finally got over that. As far as hiking goes, he can take it or leave it but seems to be happy staying home in the air conditioning. He's starting to show his age but when we do hike he still keeps up fine. I went to the local bike shop a couple of months ago and told the guy what kind of riding I would be doing and he set me up with this one https://www.batchbicycles.com/step-thru-comfort-bike/ I like that it is step through because it took some getting used to again after 40 years of not being on a bike.
DeleteI hiked (ok, it really was more of a walk) some of this route a few years ago, but in a counter-clockwise direction. I too was not happy to find out there was no access from Dodge Way into the Giralda Farms walking paths. I had to double back along Loantanka Way. BTW there's some really nice architecture on the College of St. Elizabeth Campus, worth an extra 1/2 mile or so of walking/biking from the Traction Line.
ReplyDeleteSomehow my tag didn't show up. I didn't intend to be anonymous.
DeleteHi there Anonymous Ken! Yup, pretty frustrating when you are on foot and the way is blocked and it makes you go WAY out of your way. More of a very minor inconvenience when on a bike. One of the benefits of biking.
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