ABOUT THE PARK:
DIRECTIONS: GPS Coordinates 41.201500, -74.391610
 |
| Parking along Warwick Turnpike at the Appalachian Trail crossing. |
HIKE DISTANCE: 12.2 miles
THE HIKE:
This turned out to be the most annoying hike ever. I always check park web sites as part of hike planning to see if there are anything I need to be aware of. New Jersey State Parks just had the same outdated information online:
I did not know until I was 3.5 miles into the hike that I had run smack into this:
Not just a race, MANY races. Needless to say, it was not an enjoyable hike. I have no problem with organizations using trails for races but I fault New Jersey State Parks for not making this information available. I would have gladly gone elsewhere had I known.
At any rate, it started out pleasant enough.
 |
| Heading south on the Appalachian Trail. |
 |
| Just past Parker Lake ... |
 |
| ... left on the blue Hoeferlin Trail. |
 |
| Coming out at the park entrance, there are no signs but you turn right then ... |
 |
| ... just past the building turn left to ... |
 |
| ... continue on the blue trail. |
 |
| Picked up a couple of early arriving migrants (Black-and-white Warbler and Northern Waterthrush) on the Merlin Bird ID sound app. |
 |
| At the end of blue, right on yellow. |
 |
| Yellow has lots of swampy sections but there were always enough rocks to step on. |
 |
| The first sign of something going on. |
 |
| Oh no, a race. Little did I know there were several races taking place. |
 |
| Welcome back Yellow Warbler! |
 |
| We turned left in front of the furnace heading towards the orange Lake Loop Trail. |
 |
| And here they come! |
 |
| Coming up on the main parking lot, there was no crossing over to get to the trail. |
 |
| We had to go uphill and try to get around through sticker bushes at times. |
 |
| Taking a break at a picnic table to contemplate my next move. There was music, hooting and hollering, people and cars everywhere. |
 |
| Finally made it over to the perimeter of the parking lot and went around to ... |
 |
| ... the orange Lake Loop. |
 |
| Imagine my joy when the race went to the right and the trail went to the left. |
 |
| Peace and quiet along the entire western side of the pond. Except for the shooting range that we were getting closer and closer to causing Brodie's anxieties to kick in. I had hoped we would be far enough away and when in lower areas we could not hear gunfire but when higher up we could. |
 |
| There are no lake views along the western side. |
 |
| The trail turns left at the southern end of the lake. |
 |
| And turning left along the eastern side of the lake we were in the race again. |
 |
| This was the worst part because runners were coming up behind us. Sometimes I could hear them coming, other times I could not and very few announced that they were coming up on us so I would constantly have to look behind me and I would say I had to step off the trail a good 30 times along this route. |
 |
| Across the lake over at the main parking lot. |
 |
| I had seen this eagle nest when I hiked here a couple of years ago and could see the eagle sitting on the nest but this time they were either not nesting or laying low with all the noise and activity. |
 |
| Northern Waterthrush |
 |
| Yay! The trail goes left, the race straight. |
 |
| It was near the end of the loop but sooooo nice not to have to deal with being in the race even for a short time. |
 |
| It's over. Back into the race. |
 |
| Back to the iron furnace where we would be following this road straight ahead. |
 |
| But first a break at a bench to change into sneakers for the rest of the hike, the last two miles of which would be mostly road walking. |
 |
| White-throated Sparrow |
 |
| Yes, this was part of the race also but at least it was a wide road so I never had to step off. |
 |
| Right on the main park road. |
 |
| Then left on the gravel road which is normally gated but not today because of, you got it, the race. |
 |
| We encountered several bikes from the race along this route but they were coming towards us so I could see them coming and with the wide road it wasn't much of an issue. |
 |
| Right on the Appalachian Trail to finish the hike in peace. |
 |
| Parker Lake |
