Showing posts with label NJ Lost Brook Preserve. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NJ Lost Brook Preserve. Show all posts

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Palisades Interstate Park, NJ - Englewood Cliffs to Tenafly with Tenafly Nature Center and Lost Brook Preserve


ABOUT THE PARKS:
Palisades Interstate Park - Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Tenafly Nature Center/Lost Brook Preserve - Tenafly Nature Center
Live Weather Cam - Weatherbug.com (Gives a live preview of current conditions!)
NO DOGS ALLOWED - Tenafly Nature Center/Lost Brook Preserve

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.924338, -73.945040

View Larger Map
Parking at Tenafly Nature Center

TRAIL MAP:
Tenafly Nature Center and Lost Brook Preserve Trail Map - Tenafly Nature Center
Hudson Palisades Trails Maps 108 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference
Palisades State Park, NJ with Tenafly Nature Center and Lost Brook Preserve at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 12.8 miles

THE HIKE:
The view crossing over the entrance drive from the parking lot.
Head towards the back of the nature center...
... where you will find some wildlife that had been found injured and cannot be released back into the wild.
Facing the birds, turn right and follow the path until it ends at a T-intersection with yellow; turn left on yellow.
A dock out to Pfister's Pond.
Pfister's Pond from the end of the dock.
Back on yellow.
A left on the Main Trail ...
... to a bridge for more views of Pfister's Pond.
Left on white ...
... to the other side of Pfister's Pond.
Pfister's Pond Residents
From the white trail to the red and white Bishoff Trail.
Something happened to his tail :(
At the end of red/white, cross the Main Trail to the red Little Chism Trail.
From the red trail there is a connection to the Long Path.
Yellow/red connector trail.
Cross Route 9W ...
At the Greenbrook Sanctuary sign (that is a private, members only place)...
... go under the Palisades Interstate Parkway ...
... to the Long Path.
The Long Path runs right next to the Palisades Interstate Parkway so there is lots of traffic noise but the views will make up for it.
The Long Path veers away from the parkway ...
... to amazing views!
Continuing on the Long Path, as I was taking this picture I felt eyes on me and slowly turned to see...
... about 15 feet from me!  I took the picture quickly and moved on because had he bolted, it would have probably been right on to the parkway :(
At times you are so close to the Palisades Interstate Parkway that you could just stick out your hand and thumb a ride.
Coming up on Rockefeller Lookout, directly accessible by car from the Palisades Interstate Parkway.  This is where I saw the most people the.  Only ran into 2 other hikers and a jogger on the trails - on a gorgeous Saturday in the most congested area of New Jersey!
The George Washington Bridge and New York City.
Continuing on the Long Path from the overlook.
Directly across the Hudson River.
An overlook with a railing - saves me from having to hold on to a tree for dear life 3 feet from the edge!
View north towards Yonkers, NY
View south to the George Washington Bridge.
Where the Long Path crosses the park entrance road, turn left on the yellow Dyckman Hill Trail.
The yellow trail descends through beautiful old stonework.
Turn left at the circle...
... to the Englewood Picnic Area and Boat Basin.
Looking back at the George Washington Bridge.
Continuing through the Englewood Boat Basin.
Asleep for the winter.
Today's Hudson River Bathers
There are interesting old ruins all along the Palisades and the Hudson River.
The trail continues along the Hudson as a white-blazed trail although you don't see any blazes right away.
High tide detour or a way to Henry Hudson Drive if you want an easier walk.
The trail along the Hudson is not at all easy peasy - it is mostly very rocky and rugged.
A kayaker
Fall foliage seems to be at it's best the first week of November in this area.
Lost Brook Falls - apparently lost because they were not there.
There also was no Larry's Bar 1/4 mile away.
Greenbrook Falls
At this sign, left on the red-blazed Huyler's Landing Trail.
Henry Hudson Drive
Back at the Long Path...
... to the Greenbrook Sanctuary drive ...
... under the Palisades Interstate Parkway ...
... across Route 9W ...
... to the red trail in Lost Brook Preserve.
On the yellow Allison Trail.
The purple trail.
Red triangle trail back to the nature center and parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Cross entrance road towards Nature Center and proceed to aviary behind the Nature Center; from the aviary turn right and follow path to end at T-intersection, left on yellow
[  0.40]  Turn left on Main Trail at end of yellow
[  0.50]  Cross bridge then turn left on white
[  0.80]  Left on red/white when white goes right to the Main Trail
[  1.30]  Red/white ends at Main Trail,  cross Main Trail and continue on red Little Chism Trail
[  1.80]  Left on yellow/red; cross Route 9W and continue straight under Palisades Interstate Parkway
[  1.90]  Right on teal-blazed Long Path
[  2.40]  First overlook
[  3.20]  Second overlook - Clinton Point
[  3.60]  Palisades Parkway parking for views at Rockefeller Lookout
[  4.20]  High Tom Overlook
[  4.80]  Left on yellow where Long Path crosses park entrance road
[  5.30]  Left towards Englewood Boat Basin when yellow ends
[  6.00]  High Tide detour on left
[  8.00]  Lost Brook Falls
[  8.80]  Greenbrook Falls
[  9.30]  Left on red with Long Path continues straight
[  9.90]  Left on Long Path
[10.70]  Turn right on paved road, go under Palisades Parkway, cross Route 9W to yellow/red trail
[10.80]  Left on red
[11.20]  Right on yellow Allison Trail
[11.50]  Straight on yellow when orange goes left
[12.00]  Left on purple
[12.10]  Right on purple when blue goes left
[12.50]  Left on red
[12.80]  Left on Main Trail to parking lot