ABOUT THE PARK:
Sourland Mountain Preserve - Somerset County Park Commission
DIRECTIONS:
View Larger Map
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| Large parking lot at 7 am on a holiday. |
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| Parking lot at 11 am on the same day. |
TRAIL MAP:
Sourland Mountain Preserve - Somerset County Park Commission
Numbered posts along trail correspond with numbers on the map.
The map does not show how the trails are marked:
- Ridge Trail = white square markers
- Maple Flats = white triangle markers
- Pondside Trail = white circle markers
- Roaring Brook Trail = red circle markers
- Connector Trails = white circle markers with black "C"
HIKE DISTANCE: 5.85 miles
THE HIKE:
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| With the pond on your left, turn right towards the kiosk... |
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| ... and follow the combined white square/white triangle/white circle trail. Stay on white square when the others leave to the left over a bridge. |
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| Connector trail marker. |
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| Devil's Half Acre Boulders |
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| More Devil's Half Acres |
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| Red circle-blazed Roaring Brook Trail |
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| Pipeline crossing |
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| Roaring Brook Trail |
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| Roaring Brook |
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| Huge pile of rocks at post #7 |
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| Sign on dilapidated chain link fence - have to turn around after passing through fence to see it. |
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| A bird nest off the trail. |
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| Several bridges and boardwalks through swampy areas. |
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| But still lots of mud to walk through. |
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| Coming up on the pond at the end of the hike. |
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| A turtle swimming in the pond. |
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| One more gosling picture - they were too darned cute. |
HIKE SUMMARY:
[ 0.00] Take the white square/white triangle/white circle trail from the kiosk
[ 0.25] At post #1 keep straight on white square when white triangle and white circle go left over the bridge
[ 0.50] Keep right on white square when connector trail goes left
[ 0.70] Start of Devil's Half Acre Boulders
[ 1.00] Keep right on white square when connector trail goes left coming out of Devil's Half Acre
[ 1.75] Keep right on white square at post #4 when connector trail goes left
[ 1.80] Turn right on red circle when white square goes left
[ 2.15] Go through opening in chain link fence
[ 2.25] Cross pipeline clearing
[ 3.15] Keep right on red circle when connector trail goes left
[ 3.45] Roaring Rocks Boulders
[ 3.50] Red circle trail ends at white square trail, turn right on white square
[ 3.60] At post #7 keep right on white square when connector trail goes left
[ 3.85] At post #8 keep right on white square when connector trail goes left, go through open gate at chain link fence with 3M property sign facing the other way
[ 4.15] Cross boardwalk; there will be several more boardwalks along this final stretch
[ 4.45] At post #9 keep straight on white square when connector trail goes left and unmarked goes right
[ 4.95] Rock hop creek flowing across trail
[ 5.05] At post #10 keep right on white square when white triangle joins in from the left
[ 5.50] Cross pipeline clearing at post #11
[ 5.60] At post #12 turn right on white square/white triangle/white circle
[ 5.75] Turn right at pond to circle around pond
[ 5.85] Back at parking lot
