ABOUT THE PARK:
Patriots' Path - Morris County Park Commission
Randolph Trails - Township of Randolph
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| Some upcoming dates to be aware of. |
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.795850, -74.560207
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| Parking at Dismal Harmony Natural Area. |
TRAIL MAPS:
There are a lot of maps but the problem is they show short hikes with no corresponding trail names of blaze colors so it is almost impossible to figure out what connects to what. I kind of did this hike on the fly because I had to actually be there to see what was there.
Several maps on this page - Hike Mendham
Randolph Trail System - Township of Randolph
Patriots' Path West - Morris County Parks Commission
Patriots' Path East - Morris County Parks Commission
Easiest to just grab by track from here:
HIKE DISTANCE: 13 miles
THE HIKE:
I set out to do this as an out & back hike on the white-blazed Patriots' Path unless I was able to see a connection down towards Buttermilk Falls which I had not been unable to find on maps without some road walking. I had already scouted out the connection from the blue-blazed Patriots' Path spur up to Buttermilk Falls the previous day. Turn out there was a fantastic connection that I happened on accidentally so this turned out to be a great loop.
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| Heading north into Dismal Harmony Natural Area on the white-blazed Patriots' Path from the parking lot. |
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| The Patriots' Path turns left here although there is a marker visible on a tree in the other direction. |
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| The Patriots' Path climbs up to the top with Dismal Brook down below. |
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| A yellow trail joins in from the right for a short distance but can't tell what it is or where it goes on the maps available. |
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| After passing ruins on the left ... |
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| ... the trail becomes somewhat overgrown, yet still passable, to ... |
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| ... the Woodlawn Terrace parking lot. |
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| Left on Woodlawn Terrace then right on ... |
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| ... Woodland Road ... |
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| ... along Clyde Potts Reservoir. |
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| Watch for the trail markers in the power cut ... |
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| ... when Woodland Road veers right. |
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| The trail crosses the power cut ... |
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| ... into the woods ... |
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| ... then back across the power cut again. |
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| Back in the woods, balloon #49 of the year. |
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| It's very remote feeling through these woods. |
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| So remote feeling that I was surprised to see a bridge. |
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| Balloons #50 and #51. |
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| Some very early fall color. |
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| The footpath comes out on to a gravel multi-use path. |
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| I had not seen another person up to this point. But farther along it became busier with bikers and joggers. |
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| The gravel sometimes becomes asphalt for a short stretch before becoming gravel again. |
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| Apparently this trail is not only the Patriots' Path but also the blue/white trail through Clyde Potts Reservoir Watershed. I was kind of figuring the trails out as I went along since you can't tell by the maps. |
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| Left on white when it leaves blue. |
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| This might be Combs Hollow Preserve or heading into it. |
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| Balloon #52. |
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| Only ran into one person heading in the opposite direction so from this point things became quieter once more. |
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| The white trail ends at a small parking lot on Combs Hollow Road. From here I was going to turn left and road walk to where I could access Buttermilk Falls Natural Area but thought I'd go right a few steps to the little bridge for a look first. |
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| At the little white bridge railing up ahead over India Brook ... |
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| ... I saw this sign just beyond. |
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| Oh joy! A trail I did not know was there! This turned out to be the missing link in order to complete a loop without road walking. |
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| It's blazed white, follows along lovely India Brook and there was nobody else in sight. |
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| Coming up on the back of a sign that says ... |
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| A yellow trail joins in. |
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| Not only do signs of civilization become visible, the human hooting and hollering coming from Buttermilk Falls lets you know you are getting close. |
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| Crossing the bridge to the other side. Going straight would lead to a parking lot and Buttermilk Falls crowds. There is virtually nobody on the other, more rugged side. |
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| Buttermilk Falls |
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| We rock hopped out to the middle ... |
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| ... for our crowdless view of the falls. |
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| Continuing on white. |
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| White/red switchbacks down to India Brook level. |
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| No fancy bridge here, it's a rock hop over India Brook. |
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| Now staying on the other side the rest of the way. |
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| Old bridge abuttments. |
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| Pink is my track from the day before and you can see where I walked up where there is no trail on the map. I knew this would lead to the parking lot because of all of the people in flip flops coming from that direction. |
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| The white-blazed trail ends at Mountainside Road; cross over and continue on the gravel road ... |
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| ... to the far end ... |
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| ... where a wide gravel multi-use trail follows along India Brook. |
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| At the end, left on the blue-blazed Patriots' Path spur. |
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| This trail is very busy with bikers, joggers and dog walkers but it's a nice flat finish for the last miles of a long hike. |
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| And that balloon I mentioned on the previous hike that I could not find on my way back... FOUND IT! Balloon #53. |
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| At the end of blue, left on the white-blazed Patriots' Path. |
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| Right on East Main Street ... |
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| ... to the parking lot a short distance ahead on the left. |
