Patriot's Path, NJ - Speedwell Lake to Fosterfields Farm

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Patriots Path - Morris County Park Commission

Fosterfields Living Historical Farm - Morris County Park Commission

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.81269, -74.48099

Speedwell Lake Parking

TRAIL MAP: 

Patriots Path Trail Map - Morris County Park Commission

HIKE DISTANCE:  8.7 miles

THE HIKE: 

Because I had an appointment in Morristown and it's half day summer Fridays at work, I wanted to hike a part of the Patriot's Path I had not previously hiked and incorporate Fosterfields Farm where dogs are not allowed since Brodie was not with me.  At least that was the plan.

Speedwell Lake from the parking lot.

The first 2 miles are paved.

Lake Road over ...

Whippany River

Passing by the recycling center ...

... where they have a large section of trash repurposed as outdoor area with bird feeders.

The trail follows along the Whippany River.

At almost 2 miles, coming up on Route 617, the busiest road crossing.

I don't think that button was working but cars did stop to let me cross.  If you want to stay on pavement, a short road walk to the left leads to another paved portion of trail.  I would be returning that way later.

Straight ahead after crossing the road, the pavement ends and the trail becomes gravel.

At Washington Valley Road I would be heading to the left but needed to go a bit farther straight ahead to Lewis Morris County Park where I left off previously.

At Whitehead Road Lewis Morris County Park begins.  This was my turn around point.

Continuation of the Patriots Path into Lewis Morris County Park if going that way.

Heading back.

Back at Washington Valley Road, turning right coming from this direction ...

... on a blue spur of the Patriots Path.  Just the other side of the bridge up ahead ...

... left on a dirt footpath.

At the paved path, a parking area is to the right, I turned left.

At this bench, the red-blazed spur (there are no blazes here) goes to the right as a dirt footpath.

I hated to disturb this rabbit sleeping smack in the middle of the trail.  Zooming in I could see several bloated ticks on his neck.  Poor bunny.

This trail goes uphill pretty steeply.

Finally some red blazes.

The path follows along a road all the way to Fosterfields.

A juvenile brown thrasher.  Saw lots of recently fledged juveniles around.

Coming up on the Fosterfields Visitor Center that looked awfully quiet.

Seriously?  I had checked the website the night before and there was nothing stating this.  So disappointing.

I walked up the road heading back to see if I could catch a glimpse of anything in the farm.

I zoomed and got one resident!

Hopping off the road and back over to the Patriots Path.

Song Sparrow

Back at that bench, right on the blue-blazed Patriots Path.  It's paved all the way back from this point.

Downy Woodpecker

A left on Route 617 ...

... to the pedestrian crosswalk to cross over then retracing the rest of the way.

Ugh

I packed it out along with a big wad of fishing line.  There is never an excuse for this but there are trash cans literally everywhere along here.

Back at the parking lot.

Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, NY

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Dogs are not allowed.

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates to the entrance drive to the parking lot - 41.63666, -74.21874

The parking lot is farther up the entrance drive.

TRAIL MAP: 

Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge Trails - U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Note that there are two different maps depending on the season.

DISTANCES:

HIKE:  Joppenbergh Mountain - 2.1 miles  

BIKE:  Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Kingston to New Paltz - 26.8 miles  

HIKE:  Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge - 3.3 miles

THE HIKE: 

I have always wanted to hike here but never could with Brodie along as dogs are not allowed.  It was a nice add on for this day to take advantage of not having Brodie with me.

To loop around counter clockwise, starting at the overlook area on the left.

Back at my car, an Eastern Bluebird.

A female bobolink - I would be seeing lots more of them later on.

Waaaaaaay off in the distance, as far as I could zoom in, an American Kestrel.

Heading off on the trail which is a wide mowed grass path.  It's flat and looks easy enough but going isn't all that easy.  The grass is mowed but it is thick so it's like walking on a sponge.  And there is full exposure throughout.  It was only in the mid-70's but when the sun was not behind clouds it was brutally hot.

The views of the Shawangunk Mountains are much better in person.

Female Red-winged Blackbird

Male Red-winged Blackbird and they were everywhere.

Mohonk Mountain House in the distance.

Monarch - not so many butterflies but the buzzing of bees was almost deafening at times.  Not buggy at all though.  The bees mind their own business and none of the annoying or biting kind around.

I had no idea I had captured two fawns until I uploaded the pictures at home.

I grabbed that shady spot under that one tree to cool off.

Although for the most part the trail was dry, it was pretty wet and muddy at the far end in spots.  It's the kind of mud that grabs your shoes and almost sucks them off.

Song Sparrow

Yup, pretty muddy.

This Eastern Meadowlark was singing nonstop and sounded like it was right in front of me but I never could locate it.

At an intersection the red trail (they aren't actually blazed) continues straight, I went right on blue.

Gray Catbird

Enter the Land of the Bobolinks.

The last time I saw bobolinks was nearby on the River-to-Ridge Trail and my pictures did not turn out as well as this time so get ready for Bobolink overload.

And the female Bobolink.

Coming to the observation area at the other end of the parking lot ...

... and back to the parking lot.