Highlands Trail, NJ - Musconetcong Gorge to Riegelsville, PA

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Highlands Trail - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

Highlands Trail Section 12 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.61464, -75.15303

Musconetcong Gorge Preserve Parking on Cyphers Road

TRAIL MAP: 

Highlands Trail Map 1 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE: 8.1 miles

THE HIKE:

With everything frozen solid under 4 - 12 inches of snow and ice and high temps in the teens on weekends it has become impossible to hike.  With the high temp hitting in the 30's on a Tuesday a vacation day was in order.  But where to hike?  It occurred to me that this would be a good time to do a road walk portion of the Highlands Trail that I had been putting off.  Roads all plowed and cleared but way too much road salt for Brodie's paws so he stayed home.

From the parking lot left on Cyphers Road which is actually the orange trail for the Musconetcong George Preserve.

At the intersection right on Bellis Road which is the route of the teal diamond Highlands Trail.

There was a blaze on the right early on but I missed it and it took a while before I saw ...

... another teal Highlands Trail blaze.  They are there but because of private property along the way they can be scarce at times.

Passing by Musconetcong WMA.  It looks like there is a path to the Musconetcong River but with the parking lot plowed with snow and ice piled at the entrance of the path and the path under a foot of snow I did not check it out.

The road follows the Musconetcong River for a while.

Coming up on this intersection, it's worth going a short distance to the right ...

... to the bridge over the Musconetcong River.

Musconetcong River upstream and ...

Musconetcong River downstream.

Heading back to Bellis Road it becomes Mt. Joy Road where I turned right to continue.

There is some nice scenery along the way.

Right on Riegelsville Milford Road.

Especially with the snow there is no place to walk off the traffic lanes but traffic was very light.

I would be coming back on Firehouse Lane later.

I would be turning on Old River Road on the way back.

For now across the bridge over the Musconetcong River.

Left on Riegelsville Warren Glen Road.

Right on River Road ...

... then left to the bridge over the Delaware River.

Delaware River to the south.

One lonely little female common merganser in the water.

I went on across the bridge into Pennsylvania ...

... and veered right to the Riegelsville Inn where there was a clean spot in their parking lot to set my backpack down and get a drink.

Heading back.

Delaware River to the north.

Just after crossing the Musconetcong River ...

... right on Old River Road.

Catching a river view at the end of the boat ramp.

Walking along Old River Road with Delaware River views.

Left on Firehouse Lane ...

... then right on Riegelsville Milford Road back on the Highlands Trail.

Left on Mt. Joy Road.

I had seen this honey stand on the way out and wanted to stop there on the way back.

You can pay with Venmo

Honey purchase made and continuing on.

Passing by that bridge ...

... where the road now becomes Bellis Road.

  A John Deere tractor mailbox and a real John Deere tractor.

Left on Cyphers Road.  (The Highlands Trail continues straight into Musconetcong Gorge Preserve.)