Allamuchy Mountain State Park, NJ - Deer Park Pond

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Allamuchy Mountain State Park, NJ - NJ DEP

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.90343, -74.82292

A new parking lot on Route 517 across from Panther Valley Mall.

TRAIL MAPS: 

Morris County Highlands Trails Map 126 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE: 7.5 miles

THE HIKE: 

The trail starts to the right of the parking lot.

There are Allamuchy Pond Trail markers but only the eastern side of that loop exists.

The Allamuchy Pond Trail leaves to the left heading towards Allamuchy Pond; we continued straight.

Coming out at a parking lot ...

... we made a hard right turn.

The teal Highlands Trail joins in.

Coming up on Deer Park Pond.

Following the trails that loop around the pond.

Leaving the pond ...

... and passing by where we had taken the white trail earlier to retrace back to the parking lot.

In the distance, an old Allamuchy Pond Trail marker for the western side of what used to be a loop, now completely overgrown.

Long Pond Ironworks State Park, NJ - Monksville Reservoir

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Long Pond Ironworks State Park - New Jersey State Park Service

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.12708, -74.30116

Monksville Reservoir South Boat Launch

TRAIL MAP: 

Northern New Jersey Highlands Trail Map 151 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  10.1 miles

THE HIKE:

Taking the short connector trail from the far right corner of the huge parking lot.

Left on the white Monks Trail.

Left on a side trail to ...

... views of Monksville Reservoir.

Continuing on white.

When white crosses a wide woods road, we turned left ...

... then at the bottom left again on an unmarked woods road.

At the end of the woods road, views of Monksville Reservoir.

Heading back.

Passing by the woods road we had come down on ...

... then left on white when it crosses over.

White ends and begins at the north boat launch.

Coming up on Greenwood Lake Turnpike down below ...

... watch for a green trail on the left.

Crossing over Greenwood Lake Turnpike to Beech Road.

A short distance along Beech Road, the green trail continues to the right.

Haven't found one of these in a long time!  It is only balloon #6 of the year.  

The green trail descends to Beech Road ...

... and continues left after the Tranquility Ridge park sign.

A short distance in green ends, continuing straight on the yellow Hansenclever Iron Trail.

Several interpretive signs along the Hansenclever Iron Trail.

The northern side of Monksville Reservoir.

Right on the Highlands Trail/blue Sterling Ridge Trail.

Passing by the yellow Jennings Hollow Trail.

When the Highlands/blue trail veers left, we continued straight on an unmarked woods road.

It was tricky to find the unmarked turn on to another unmarked trail but it was there.

This comes out on the yellow Hansenclever Iron Trail and interpretive sign 6 where we turned left.

At sign 7 the yellow trail turns left; we turned right on unmarked Beech Road which is a woods road here.

Beech Road continues past the Tranquility Ridge park sign where it becomes a gravel road.

Passing by where we had come off of the green trail before and staying with Beech Road.

Beech Road becomes paved.

Picking up green behind the Ringwood sign after crossing Greenwood Lake Turnpike again.

Left on white to continue around the white loop.

Yellow markers from Highlands Meadow join in.  I had hiked this 11 years ago but did not have a map at that time.  This time I printed out the map and brochure explaining the different points of interest.

The trail did not seem to be used much.

Some of the numbered stops explained in the brochure still exist.

The Harry Vreeland House seems to be under renovation?

The Meadow was pretty much a mess.

Some plants were growing.

Heading down from the meadow towards the house then continuing left on the trail.

What trail?  We hacked through thorny overgrowth ...

... and managed to find the trail again to continue the loop.

Basically, the trail is a mess and has not been used or maintained so it very well might not even exist any more.

Back on the white trail.

Left on the connector trail ...

... back to the parking lot.