Kittatinny Valley State Park, NJ - Northern Section with Sussex Branch Trail

ABOUT THE PARK:
Kittatinny Valley State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.04207, -74.73859

Sussex Branch Trail parking on Newton Sparta Road

TRAIL MAP:
Kittatinny Valley State Park - NJDEP

HIKE DISTANCE:  6.5 miles

THE HIKE:

Sussex Branch Trail

Only one street crossing at Yates Avenue.

Andover Slate Cut

It was one of those nice crisp mornings with a clear shot of the moon.

The Vernal Trail comes into view to the right of the Sussex Branch Trail in about 1.4 miles.

The green-blazed Vernal Trail.

The Vernal Trail running parallel to the Sussex Branch Trail on the right.

Vernal pool through the trees,

On the red-blazed Mt. Nebo Trail.  I was just thinking to myself that I had not seen any red efts yet when within about 20 more steps ...

... one ...

... then another!  And that was it for this hike.

A few of the blazes are crossed out but it doesn't appear to mean anything as this is still the trail.

After crossing the park service road with a communications tower to the right ...

... there are supposed to be views but not in the summer.

The yellow-blazed Twin Lakes Trail descends to the lake then an unmarked trail to the right follow along the lake but ...

... it ends and you have to turn back but it's a pretty stretch of trail with lake views.

Twin Lakes

Back on the yellow trail.

A left on the park service road leads to ...

... ruins.

Back on yellow which according to the map crosses over the Sussex Branch Trail but ...

... it is actually blazed green on the other side.

Back on the Sussex Branch Trail for a bit to...

Blue-blazed trails on the right.

Shawnee loves the ramps the mountain bikers build and she makes good use of them.

Heading back on the Sussex Branch Trail.

Back at the parking area.

Kittatinny Valley State Park, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Kittatinny Valley State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Although this park allows hunting, hunting is not permitted between Goodale and Limecrest Roads (everything in green on the trail map which includes more than half of the park and most of the hiking trails) making this a good choice for hiking during hunting season.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates for Sussex Trail parking off Route 206: 40.999665, -74.747051

View Larger Map

I like parking at the Sussex Branch Trail off Route 206 at the very southern tip of the park because it cuts a few miles off of the drive and allows me to do a loop hike without passing by my car.  This parking lot is not shown on the map.

TRAIL MAP:
Kittatinny Valley State Park Map - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Kittatinny Valley State Park, NJ at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 6.1 miles

THE HIKE:

Start on the Sussex Branch Trail at the parking lot.

Turn right at the second trail which is blazed orange but not shown as an orange trail on the map.

White's Pond

Yellow-blazed park road.

Coming up on Lake Aeroflex and Aeroflex Airport

We hiked here in the summer about 5 or 6 years ago and sat on the bench watching airplanes take off and land.  No air traffic today and too cold to sit.

Turn left towards Lake Aeroflex ...

... to the post with the white blaze - this is where the white trail along the lake begins.

Lake Aeroflex and the "But why can't I go in the water?" look.

She is sizing up that wall and has already decided she is not attempting that jump.  No worries, a trail goes around to the left.

Looking back at the dock.

On the white-on-black trail.

Somebody wants a snack.

Meeting back up with the white trail which now runs parallel to Goodale Road from higher up.

Coming up on one of the parking lots just off of Goodale Road.

For as many cars as there were, everyone was walking on the park roads.  I did not run into another person on the trails during the entire hike.

Cross the parking field, turn left at the woods, then right on the ...

... red trail.

This red-bellied woodpecker was hamming it up for the camera.  This is only about half of the shots of got of him.

The tufted titmouse allowed me one shot and this was it.

Back on the blue trail but not the same part we did before.

Then to a different red trail.

The Sussex Branch Trail ...

... back to the parking lot.

Way across a field, a turkey vulture sunning himself.

Here is Shawnee in motion, about 3 months shy of turning 14 with slow spreading cancer, a partial cruciate ligament tear/arthritis in her right knee, arthritis in her spine, 5 weeks after being completely incapacitated with vestibular disease, and at the end of a 6-mile hike.   Pretty darned good for an old girl!

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Sussex Branch Trail north to second right on orange; keep right on unmarked at intersection
[  0.50]  Right on blue at White's Pond
[  1.00]  Right on yellow-blazed park road; continue on gravel then paved road towards lake/airport
[  1.35]  Left across grass before lake towards beginning of white trail (white blaze on post before bench)
[  2.70]  Left on unmarked at letters C and A on yellow/red markers with arrows on tree
[  2.75]  Right on white on black
[  3.25]  Left on white
[  3.80]  Cross parking lot and park entrance road veering to the right, cross parking field towards "Authorized Vehicles Only" sign; continue straight
[  3.90]  At the woods turn left on woods road briefly, then right on red-blazed foot path into woods
[  4.60]  Right on blue
[  5.00]  Left on yellow-blazed park road briefly then right on red
[  5.95]  Left on orange
[  6.00]  Left on Sussex Branch Trail
[  6.10]  Back at parking