Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve - Township of Frelinghuysen
Gnome Hollow Preserve - Ridge and Valley Conservancy
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.998680, -74.886290
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| Parking lot off of Lincoln Laurel Road. |
TRAIL MAP:
Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve and Gnome Hollow Trail Map - Frelinghuysen Township
HIKE DISTANCE: 6.9 miles
THE HIKE:
When I last hiked Gnome Hollow Preserve in May 2015 the trails were blazed with green and sometimes the current yellow markers but there was often no trail to follow - I had to find my way from marker to marker. The connecting trail to the Paulinskill Valley Trail was not complete and I don't believe Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve existed at the time, at least there was no connection. Now there are clearly defined trails at Gnome Hollow Preserve with all connections complete.
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| We started by turning right on Lincoln Laurel Road and walking a short distance to the kiosk on the left. |
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| The yellow trail turns right on a grassy woods road ... |
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| ... which turns to gravel. |
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| Passing a pond on the right ... |
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| ... then a lime kiln on the left. |
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| Taking half of the orange loop. |
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| Continuing on yellow. |
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| Yellow ends at Route 94 where we turned back. |
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| Taking the other half of the orange loop. |
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| Back on yellow. |
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| Where we came in from the left earlier, now keeping straight on red and taking other trails in the area. |
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| Coming out on Lincoln Laurel Road ... |
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| ... we crossed over and bushwhacked a few steps to turn right on the yellow trail but ... |
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| ... that turned out not to be necessary because had we turned right on Lincoln Laurel Road and walked a few steps, there was a legitimate opening to get to yellow. |
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| At the clearing we worked our way over to the public fire pit ... |
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| ... then to the left to access the blue trail. |
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| Yellow joins in with blue. |
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| We would be crossing this bridge again on blue/yellow at the end of the hike. |
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| At the end of blue and yellow, to the right ... |
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| ... is the beginning of the yellow loop. |
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| Right on orange which connects to Gnome Hollow Preserve. |
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| Orange overlaps with the yellow markers of Gnome Hollow Preserve. |
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| Now in Gnome Hollow Preserve which is the more rugged preserve. |
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| Passing by the old Christmas tree farm on the left. |
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| Passing between the parking lot on the left and the ruins on the right ... |
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| ... the trail loops around to the right. |
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| Passing by the connector trail to the Paulinskill Valley Rail Trail. |
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| Meeting back up with the overlapping orange trail ... |
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| ... and following orange to the left back into Frelinghuysen Forest Preserve. |
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| Right on yellow ... |
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| ... retracing when blue joins in ... |
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| ... then turning right on yellow leaving blue. |
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| The Kittatinny Ridge in the distance on the right. |
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| Yellow leads back to the parking lot. |
