Rahway River Parkway, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Rahway River Association - RahwayRiver.org
The only information I could find regarding this trail, a cleared and blazed trail in my own back yard that I never knew existed until I just happened upon it, was in this article, the portion copied below.

JP Seebode is a junior at Union Catholic High School in Scotch Plains. For his project, he and his team improved the Rahway River Trail in Clark and Winfield Park for walkers, hikers and fisherman. Improvements included trail clearing, tree planting, and installing erosion control measures.

Railroad ties and gravel were used to provide safety along the trail as well as ease the walking conditions for those using the trail.

It's an urban trail but amazingly secluded feeling and teaming with wildlife.  What an awesome trail to have right where I live.  So very grateful, JP Seebode!

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.628339, -74.284486

View Larger Map

Parking along Union County Parkway at Jacksons Pond.

TRAIL MAP:

This is my rough sketch with the trail in green.

This GPS track is from 6/6/13.  The trail beyond the picnic pavilion has become overgrown and impassible.
Rahway River Parkway Trail at EveryTrail

EveryTrail - Find the best Hiking near Newark, New Jersey

HIKE DISTANCE:
The trail measures 2 miles one way for a total 4-mile out-and-back hike.
Jacksons Pond Dam to Bloodgoods Pond Dam - 1.2 miles
Bloodgoods Pond Dam to end of trail - .8 miles

THE HIKE:

Jacksons Pond Dam at Valley Road and Union County Parkway

I believe the one in the middle is a duck/goose hybrid.

From the parking lot facing Jacksons Pond, turn right and continue between the Rahway River and Union County Parkway ...

... to the beginning of the trail blazed with white squares.

I have never seen this many turtles on one log!

It's very scenic along the river and for the most part the trail follows the river in a small gorge so it's easy to forget how populated this area is.

At the bottom of this descent is a small creek to cross.  It's shallow and there are plenty of rocks to the right to cross over on.

Some Sandy blowdowns - along this section they are easy enough to get over or around.  Gah!  How did I miss that empty cigarette pack?  Will have to pick it up the next time unless somebody beats me to it.

Great Blue Heron

Red-winged Blackbird

At times the trail comes up on the road briefly but goes back down to the river again.

At 1.2 miles the trail comes out at a parking lot...

... with Bloodgoods Pond Dam on the left.

Cormorant in Bloodgoods Pond

The trail continues along Bloodgoods Pond.

Just a short bit of road walking before going back into the woods.

There are blowdowns in this section that are more difficult to get through and around.

The trail continues to the left of the picnic pavillion.  From this point to the end, there are currently lots of thorny vines blocking the trail.

Some clear sections, too.  This part is noisy with the Garden State Parkway just on the other side of the Rahway River.

At 2 miles, the end of the trail and turn around point at a small parking pullout, just before Raritan Road and exit 136 of the Garden State Parkway.

American Goldfinch

Female Cardinal

Two turtles sitting in a tree.

Male Mallard Duck

Almost every surface sticking out of the water had at least one turtle on it.

Nesting swan with nesting Mallards on the left and nesting Canada geese on the right?  Yes, that is how close the homes are in this area.

An egret, and a turtle, of course.

Looks like some irresponsible person dumped their goldfish or koi in the river.  This guy had to have been 1 1/2 - 2 feet long.