Ringwood State Park, NJ - Shepherd Pond and Mount Defiance

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

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.131238, -74.242777

View Larger Map

TRAIL MAP:
North Jersey Trails Map 115 - NY/NJ Trail Conference
Ringwood State Park, NJ - Shepherd Pond and Mount Defiance at EveryTrail


PEAK BAGGING:
Mount Defiance - Peakery.com

HIKE DISTANCE:  5 miles

THE HIKE:

Facing Morris Road, turn right crossing bridge over Cupsaw Brook then right on the white-blazed trail.

A new Ruffwear Web Master Harness with a handle that works great in assisting her over spots that have become too difficult for her. 

The start of the blue Cupsaw Brook Trail at the boy scout sign.

Frozen Cupsaw Brook

Different shades of brown where there is otherwise no color.

Coming up on ...

Shepherd Pond.  Amazing how many have walked out on the ice.  Not us!

The trail follows the pond on a woods road for a bit.

The precise time at which the shooting range opened.  It is the main reason I rarely hike here.  Click below to hear what it sounds like.  Incessantly.

Heading on towards Mount Defiance.

A break along the way.

Things get very confusing in the pipeline cut where there seems to be some construction.  The cairn would lead you to believe you are on the trail but I don't think it means anything.  I could not find the continuation of the red trail in the gas pipeline cut but did find blue then bushwhacked over to red.

Red should have continued on the left opposite the "no refueling" sign.

On blue, which others seem to have found.

Once on red, backtracked to the pipeline to see where it should have started and you can see the beams straight ahead where that "no refueling" sign is.  The trail markers must be missing - I did not see any from the pipeline.

Heading up Mount Defiance.

On the green-blazed Halifax Trail.

At the cairn, a short side trail to views.

Sheets of ice going down.

The end of the green trail at the white trail.

Apparently there aren't any dogs allowed in this area but you don't see that sign unless you are driving in from the opposite direction.  Don't quite know what you are supposed to do about that if you are hiking through from the other side with a dog.  I was yelled at by some historical society person (I suppose that is who she was.) for having Shawnee there.  When I told her I was just passing through on the white-blazed trail, she did not have a clue what I was talking about. 

The white trail gets confusing near the parking lot.  Continue to the "wrong way" sign.

Then head towards the eagles on wither side of the entrance (no blazes here at all).  Across this intersection to the left is the continuation of the white trail.  It is here if you turn around and look back that you see the one and only "no pets allowed" sign.

Again in the pipeline, the trail abruptly ends.  Here you have to climb the temporary wall because as you can see looking back, hay bales block the trail.

The trail veers left just before Morris Road....

... and comes out right at the parking pad.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Facing Morris Road turn right, cross bridge, then right on white Crossover Trail
[  0.45]  Turn right on yellow
[  0.50]  Turn right on blue when yellow goes left at boys scout sign
[  0.85]  Red joins in from the left just before creek crossing; continue on red/blue
[  1.10]  Right on red when blue leaves to the left, cross bridge
[  1.40]  Red turns left on woods road
[  1.65]  Shepherd Pond; continue to the right around the pond to kiosk then on woods road which is combined red/orange trail
[  2.00]  Red/orange leave woods road on footpath to the right
[  2.15]  Cross woods road which is orange, red continues straight
[  2.65]  Cross bike trail
[  2.75]  At pipeline, veer right to continue on red trail or veer left to get to blue trail to bushwhack over to red - no blazes for either trail from pipeline cut
[  3.15]  Right on green
[  3.25]  Turn right at cairn on unmarked to view; retrace
[  3.30]  Continue right on green
[  3.70]  Right on white then keep right at fork, continue past parking lot the right towards booth and exit between eagles (no blazes in this area)
[  4.25]  Cross intersection then veer right towards sign for white Crossover Trail
[  4.85]  Right in gas pipeline then left just before Morris Road
[  5.00]  Back at parking

Duke Island Park, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Duke Island Park - Somerset County Park Commission

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to Parking Lot B 40.551174, -74.666689

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Parking Lot B

TRAIL MAP:
Duke Island Park Map - Somerset County Park Commission
Duke Island Park, NJ at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:  5 miles

THE HIKE:

From the parking lot cross the park road at the crosswalk on the left side of the Visitor Center.

Then turn left on the Canal Trail - this is looking back at the Visitor Center from the Canal Trail.

The Canal Trail is between the Raritan Power Canal on the right and the paved Bikeway on the left.

Some recent beaver activity along the canal.

There must be a bluejay smorgasbord along this trail - have never seen so many at one time - 5 in this one picture!

Promised her an easier hike this time and this is about as easy as it gets.

The dirt Canal Trail merges into the paved Bikeway ...

... and passes a dam.

When the Bikeway ends at a parking lot, you can continue up the footpath on the hill ...

... for some views of the Raritan River from up above before retracing.

Have never seen so many squirrels at one time either.  They are everywhere!

Looks like raccoon and deer tracks along the river.

More Canada geese on the ground and in the air than I have ever seen in one place also.

Raritan River

Canada geese on the ground and this is just one small group.

The Bikeway was heavily salted so we tried to stay on the grass.  Neither of us is big on walking on pavement anyway.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

The Bikeway starts to feel more remote once it enters the woods beyond the picnic areas.

That's where this guy was hanging out.

The Bikeway hits Robert Street where it continues to the right and ends at ...

... the Hibernia Mine Railroad Bridge over the Raritan Power Canal with the York Road parking lot on the other side.

Raritan Power Canal from the bridge.

Pick up the Canal Trail at the bridge to head back.

Beaver teeth chisel marks.

Our favorite part along the canal.  Everyone else was over on the paved Bikeway.  We had the Canal Trail all to ourselves.

Just us and the beavers.

The Canal Trail crosses over Robert Street and continues all the way back to the Visitor Center.

Some fake geese along the canal.

Duck Pond nearing the Visitor Center.

Back at the Visitor Center and Parking Lot B.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Facing the Visitor Center from the parking lot, cross the park road on the crosswalk at the left side of the Visitor Center, follow paved path uphill then turn left on the dirt Canal Trail
[  0.75]  Keep right on paved Bikeway when the Canal Trail ends
[  1.00]  End of paved Bikeway, continue through parking lot to path to top of hill, retrace
[  1.35]  Keep right on paved Bikeway when the Canal Trail starts on the left
[  1.45]  Keep right at intersection
[  1.90]  Keep right at fork
[  2.15]  Keep right at fork and cross bridge
[  3.15]  Turn right on Robert Street and continue straight where Bikeway resumes at end of street
[  3.60]  End of Bikeway at bridge, turn left before bridge on dirt Canal Tail
[  4.15]  Cross Robert Street
[  4.50]  Duck Pond on left
[  4.75]  Cross park entrance road
[  4.90]  Back at Visitor Center/Parking Lot B