Washington Township Open Space, NJ - Patriots Path/Highlands Trail with Cataract Park and Other Trails

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Highlands Trail Segment 7 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

Explore Cataract Park: Hidden Waterfalls and Historic Mine - Explore North Jersey

Washington Township Trails - Washington Township (This is the only information I could find but most links are broken and there is very little information, nothing about trails I found that are not mapped.)

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.81423, -74.81886

Cataract Park Pullout Parking Along Route 517

I intended to park at Harrington Park (40.805514, -74.802511) where I had left off hiking the combined Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail.  It was gated and closed - entrance road had not been plowed - so it was not a matter of being there too early.  Looks like this park is closed during the winter although I could find nothing online about it.  On to Plan B - parking at Cataract Park and starting from there.  I would meet up with Harrington Park later in the hike.

TRAIL MAPS: 

Highlands Trail Map 4 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference (most complete map I could find)

Washington Township Trails - Google Maps 

Cataract Park map in the kiosk.  There is no map online, just the Google Maps link, above.

Unmapped trails off of the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail.  (The blue Lime Kiln Trail is on the Gaia app but the Patriot's Path spur is not on any map.)

HIKE DISTANCE:  8.8 miles

THE HIKE: 

There were several unexpected, unmapped yet clearly marked trails on this hike that weren't part of the plan but what the heck, had to see where they went!

Starting at Cataract Park.

At the start there were many footprints in the snow but they fizzled out quickly - most must have turned back because of the frozen snow.  I wore spikes the entire time and would not have attempted these steep trails with frozen surfaces without them.

The blue trail goes up very steeply to the right - no footprints went that way and neither did I.  Straight on the red trail.

Looking back down at the steep drop of the blue trail.

Blue and red merge together for a bit.

Now staying with blue to the lower falls.

At the top, blue descends around to the right.

Coming up on the lower falls.

The falls were frozen but there was some running water underneath the ice.

Retracing back up.

Taking orange to the mine and towards the upper falls.

Turning around at the mine for a winter view, the orange trail continues to the left.

Orange ends at red, left on red to the upper falls.

At the intersection with yellow, red switchbacks steeply down to the left.

Coming up on the upper falls.

The frozen upper falls.

Looking over to the left at the top of the lower falls.

There is a blue dot on white trail starting the other side of the falls.  I could have crossed and taken that trail but did not know where it would come out at the time.  I'd be meeting up with it later at a higher level.

Back at the intersection with yellow, left on yellow.

Left on blue (the blazes are really hard to see but they are there) towards Quail Run.

Blue ends at green up ahead.

Green ends at blue dot on white where I would have come out had I taken that trail.  Now continuing straight on blue dot on white.

This ends at a power cut ...

... where I turned right and ascended the unmarked trail up the power cut.

At the top at Quail Run the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail goes straight towards Harrington Park but that was for later on.  First left on Quail Run for a short residential road walk on the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail.

Left on Winay Terrace ...

... then right on Sparrow Lane to the end of the cul-de-sac.

At the end of the cul-de-sac the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail enters the woods.

It wasn't too far in when I noticed those red blazes on the right.  I looked to the left and ...

... there was a red-blazed trail so I went that way.

There were other old markers along the way but I stayed with red.

After rock hopping a frozen creek and descending, the red trail splits.  I stayed to the right.

Red descended and looped around to the left following the creek.

Then it ascended and met back up to where I had veered right forming a loop.  Now retracing on red back up the hill.

Just before that creek crossing I noticed yellow blazed to the left and followed them.

The yellow trail led right back to the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail.

On the left, the .5 mile blue-blazed Lime Kiln Trail that I knew about but I thought it would be an out-and-back.

I was surprised to see the blue Patriot's Path spur trail markers.

Around this area the Patriot's Path markers left blue veering to the right.  I thought they would probably lead back to the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail and I would not have to retrace.  However, as I noticed those markers I also noticed two black bears and they noticed me immediately.  I think crunching on ice in spikes kind of clued them in.  So I continued on to the lime kiln a short distance ahead on blue.

I waited a few minutes at the lime kiln debating on whether or not I should take the Patriot's Path spur where those bears were - not a good idea to head towards them!  

I slowly made my way back and no bears to be seen so I proceeded with my head on a swivel.

That trail did in fact lead back to the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail and those bears were long gone.

Coming out at Reservoir Road.

The trail continues along Reservoir Road for a road walk portion but this was my turn around point.

Heading back, straight through on the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail all the way to Sparrow Lane.

Veering left - to the right of the tree with the blazes is where the Patriot's Path spur trail came up from the lime kiln.

Passing by the Lime Kiln Trail on the right.

Back at Sparrow Lane.

Retracing back to ...

... Quail Run to left on the Patriot's Path/Highlands Trail.

The trail skirts to the right of a field at Flocktown School.

Crossing Flocktown Road.

Coming out at Harrington Park.

It is most definitely closed.  Where the trail continued straight, I turned left at the opening in the trees to ...

... straight on Partridge Road.

Left on Flocktown Road.

Passing by Quail Run on the right ...

... to the next road, Pheasant Road, where I turned right.

Left on Mallard Lane ...

... to the end then ...

... right on the yellow trail back into Cataract Park.

Passing that blue trail I had been on earlier.

At the end of yellow, continuing straight on red.

Passing by the orange trail where the mine was and staying on red the rest of the way.

From this point on it was downhill on a sheet of ice.  Doable with the spikes but I still had to be very careful.

The trail switchbacks down but it is steep at times.

Meeting back up with blue when it joins in ...

... then red to the end.