Wawayanda State Park, NJ - Lake Loop from Warwick Turnpike

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Wawayanda State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.201500, -74.391610​

Parking along Warwick Turnpike at the Appalachian Trail crossing.

TRAIL MAP: 

Northern New Jersey Highlands Trails Map 152 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

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  New Jersey State Parks just had the same outdated information online: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

Ramapo Mountain State Forest, NJ - NOT the Cannonball Trail

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Ramapo Mountain State Forest - New Jersey State Park Service

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.01821, -74.26588

Parking on Pool Hollow Road

TRAIL MAP: 

Ramapo Mountain State Forest - New Jersey State Park Service

Northern New Jersey Highlands Trail Map 150 - NYNJ Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  3.1 miles

THE HIKE:

It was almost-in-ten-days-five-year-old grandson Harry's turn for his promised hike.  I had told him about the Cannonball Trail that goes over I-287, how you can be above all of that traffic crossing a highway safely.  He wanted to hike there and yell CANNONBALL!!!!!!!!!! at the top of his lungs while running across the bridge.  We can do that!  But imagine the disappointment to find out that although the bridge still says "Cannonball Trail" it is no longer the Cannonball Trail.  It was changed to a plain old yellow trail in 2020.  Bummer.  Well, we would just pretend it was still the Cannonball Trail.

Heading towards the railroad tracks on Pool Hollow Road.

Looking both ways multiple times and listening carefully before crossing the tracks.

Just after the tracks, left on yellow, Harry's favorite color.

We turned left on an unmarked trail to hike a loop around a pond.

Continuing on yellow.

Left on white.

White takes you to the top of a mountain where you can "see the whole world."

Harry displayed his assortment of snacks for our break.

Oops.  But immediately Harry said, "I am OHHHH KAAAY!"

Harry spied some litter and immediately picked it up.  So proud of how my grandchildren are all repulsed by litter in the woods and feel the need to pack it out.

Litter secured on his backpack and off we go.

Time for another break.

Harry sure did pick up his pace once he saw the bridge!

What used to be the Cannonball Trail over I-287.

We had come in from white on the left, yellow would have been the way back, but given the option of taking an unmarked trail back, Harry chose the latter.

We found some "bear poo."

The unmarked trail took us to yellow where we turned left.

Somebody became cranky and tired towards the end.

Crossing back over the tracks.

And back to the car.

Tired Hiker