Showing posts with label NJ Ireland Brook Conservation Area. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NJ Ireland Brook Conservation Area. Show all posts

Saturday, February 10, 2018

Ireland Brook - Farrington Lake - Davidson's Mill Pond Park, NJ


ABOUT THE PARKS:
Ireland Brook Conservation Area - Middlesex County Parks

Davidson's Mill Pond Park - Middlesex County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.42131, -74.48314
Ireland Brook Conservation Area Parking

TRAIL MAPS:
Ireland Brook Conservation Area Trail Map - Middlesex County Parks
Farrington Lake Trail Map - Middlesex County Parks
Davidson's Mill Pond Park Trail Map - Middlesex County Parks
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HIKE DISTANCE:  6.4 miles

THE HIKE:
From the parking area, continue beyond the gate ...
... to the kiosk.
We were under time constraints on this hike because rain was moving in for the afternoon although it looked like it was already on the way
A short jog through a gas pipeline cut.
The blue-blazed Forest Brook Trail.
Ireland Brook
Coming up on Riva Avenue ...
... left over the bridge ...
... then right just beyond the guardrail on the other side of Riva Avenue to Farrington Lake.  That tree straight ahead ...
... has the orange Farrington  Lake Trail end blazes so we turned left to start on the Farrington Lake Trail.
Farrington Lake
American Black Duck
More American Black Ducks
The trail veers left to Riva Avenue where a right comes to ...
... crossing over Davidson Mill Road.
It's a little bit of a road walk to just about where that car is up ahead ...
... where the orange trail picks up again to the right.
The trail forks - we kept right and returned left.
At the end of the Farrington Lake Trail cross Riva Avenue ...
... to Davidson's Mill Pond.
To the left in the grove of evergreens is the park entrance.  We worked our way over there ...
... and turned right on the paved park road.
At the far side of the pond on the left ...
... left on the yellow Hidden Pond Trail.
This must be Hidden Pond.
Balloon #13 of the year.
Yellow ends at a dirt road which is the white-blazed Farm Road Trail.
We turned left ...
... went by swamps on the left ...
... then turned left on the blue-blazed Mill Pond Trail.
A nice spot ...
... for a break!
At the end of the blue trail ...
... left on the paved park road almost to the park entrance ...
... where a Farrington Lake Trail spur starts to the right.
This crosses over Riva Avenue ...
... and meets up with the upper level of the Farrington Lake Trail.
We merged back on at that fork and now retracing back.
Ring-Necked Ducks
The end of the Farrington Lake Trail.
The short road walk on Riva Avenue ...
... back to the blue Forest Brook Trail.
Ireland Brook
Just as we were coming up on that kiosk from the beginning of the hike, it started to spritz.
Just as we got in the car ...
... the real rain arrived much earlier than forecast.  We made it just in time.