Appalachian Trail, NJ - Warwick Turnpike to Surprise Lake Loop

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Appalachian Trail New Jersey - Appalachian Trail Conservancy

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.201500, -74.391610

Appalachian Trail Parking along Warwick Turnpike

TRAIL MAP: 

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

HIKE DISTANCE:  8.9 miles

Hiked together with Fuller Mountain Preserve, NY (1.7 mile drive away) - 2.6 miles

THE HIKE: 

Heading north on the Appalachian Trail.

It's a shame there is no connection to Fuller Mountain Preserve.  Looks like it would be just under a mile to the southern end of the trail.

Coming up on Longhouse Road

It's a short road walk ...

... to roadside parking and continuing on the trail.  Parking here would take 2.6 miles (1.3 each way) off of this hike.

This guy passed me and I had to zoom in to read his shirt.

The last time I was here in 2011 this bridge had been wiped out by Hurricane Irene and I had to shimmy across on a log that is no longer there.

Long House Creek

Entering Abram Hewitt State Forest after crossing Long House Creek.

Passing by yellow - we would be returning here on yellow at the end of the loop.

Now the real fun begins.  The topo looks pretty flat but don't be fooled, it is anything but flat.   It's an almost continuous series of ups and downs with many scrambles thrown in.

Leaving the AT turning right on the blue State Line Trail.

Right on yellow when blue continues straight, steeply downhill.

Many views of Greenwood Lake.

Back into the woods towards Surprise Lake...

... for a break.  This place is usually pretty busy but we were the only ones there.

Continuing on green/yellow.

This was the trickiest scramble to get Brodie up. He does not cooperate at all, in fact he tries his darndest not to go up.

Got him up on the narrow ledge ...

... then shoved him up the rest of the way.  Whew!  Now my turn and trust me, there will never be photographic evidence of that.  I always make sure there are no witnesses around.

Green leaves to the left and we stayed with yellow,

There is a short side trail to the right for a view of West Pond but I could hear two women laughing and cackling in there so I decided to continue on to get away from the chatter.  I had been there before anyway.

Getting Brodie down is definitely easier than getting him up.

Staying with yellow when pink is to the left.

West Pond to the right.

Finally back at the Appalachian Trail where we turned left to retrace, the hardest part now behind us.

It is still multiple ups and downs all the way back but no more scrambles.

Back at Longhouse Road, wishing I had parked here.  Having hiked Fuller Mountain Preserve first, I was really tired.

Now back at the car on Warwick Turnpike.

Fuller Mountain Preserve, NY

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Fuller Mountain Preserve - Orange County Land Trust

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 41.212518, -74.369599

Small parking lot on Bowen Road.

TRAIL MAPS: 

Fuller Mountain Preserve Trail Map - Orange County Land Trust

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

HIKE DISTANCE: 2.6 miles

Hiked together with Appalachian Trail, NJ - Warwick Turnpike to Surprise Lake Loop - 8.9 miles

THE HIKE: 

This small preserve is 1.7 miles (3 minutes) from the Appalachian Trail parking on Warwick Turnpike at Wawayanda State Park, just over the New York state line.  I had always wanted to hike it as an add-on to a nearby hike that wasn't quite long enough on it's own.

I started on the southern loop hoping to give enough time for the haze to lift before heading to the overlook at the northern end.

Following along Fuller's Brook.

Just the other side of the rock hop it is confusing where to go as no markers are visible.  Finally saw one to the right on a downed log (center of picture).

From there I could see the next marker heading uphill out of the gorge.

The trail then turns left and follows the rim but markers are missing so it is easy to lose the trail.

Coming out on Bowen Road ...

... left to cross over the creek on the road towards the parking lot ...

... then right just after the creek to continue on the orange trail.

We turned right on green which turned out to be the more rugged trail.

Lots of bird activity with more migrants having arrived from the south.  That Scarlet Tanager was serenading almost the entire time.

When green ends, right on orange.

Orange leads directly to the overlook on Round Hill.

I could faintly make out the Catskills in the distance.

And there is that Scarlet Tanager!

Heading back on orange.