There is lots of solitude to be had in the winter by combining seasonally closed roads with trails. I only saw a handful of people within half a mile of the parking lot, nobody at all the rest of the time.
To start the hike, we turned right on the ungated part of Grau Road for a quarter mile road walk to the camping area.
Left into the Lake Ocouittunk Camping Area.
I was surprised there were so many people camping. It was cold!
Just after this bridge ...
... over Big Flat Brook ...
... left on the Blue Mountain Loop.
The Blue Mountain Loop will follow through very scenic areas along Big Flat Brook for a little over 2 miles.
The New Jersey School of Conservation on the right.
Their trail markers will sometimes join in with the Blue Mountain Loop.
At Crigger Road where the trail turns left, we turned right for a 1.25-mile road walk which is actually very pleasant with no traffic since this is all gated for the winter season.
Crigger Road
Passing the Swenson Trail on the right.
At the parking area on the left ...
... left on the black dot on blue Blue Mountain Loop spur trail.
At the end of the spur trail, left on the Blue Mountain Loop.
After recent rains, this trail was very wet.
There were bridges over all but one water crossing.
Sometimes the trail was a creek.
At one bridge crossing, zooming in to old stonework upstream in the distance.
The one water crossing with no bridge but it was easy enough to rock hop over.
Where the trail turns left leaving the woods road, staying with the woods road would be shorter leading directly to Crigger Road but I followed the trail because it would come out at a closed campground where I wanted to grab a picnic table to change into sneakers for the final road walk.
At Crigger Road ...
... crossing over to the campground ...
... for a break and to change into sneakers for the final leg of the hike, a 1.9-mile road walk.
Continuing on Crigger Road, this is where that woods road would have come out had I stayed on it.
Left on Grau Road.
Passing the Criss Trail.
At the gate with the parking lot on the right.
To close out the year, a slideshow with one picture from each hike of 2023:
