ABOUT THE PARK:
Marble Hill Natural Area Grand Re-Opening - NJ.com
Warren-Highlands Trail/Marble Hill Brochure - Warren County
DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to River Road Parking 40.709615, -75.191613
My GPS got all kinds of confused and took me across the Route 22 bridge into PA so might be a good idea to take the
brochure directions along.
View Larger Map
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Off-road parking at the kiosk and picnic tables across the street from Aqua New Jersey. |
TRAIL MAP:
Warren Highlands Trail/Marble Hill Brochure - Warren County
Marble Hill Natural Area, NJ at EveryTrail
HIKE DISTANCE: 5 miles
THE HIKE:
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Take the blue-blazed Warren Highlands Trail at the chain. There is no way to walk around so you have to crawl under the chain. |
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It starts out as a rutted road... |
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... then follows an overgrown gas pipeline. |
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The trail gets better once it leaves the pipeline and enters the woods. |
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Ah, finally, some real trail! |
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Views of the Delaware River are very limited in the summer but in the winter there should be a decent stretch of trail with river views. |
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The trail continues uphill. |
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The orange-blazed Fulmer Mine Trail. |
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Stone work on the Fulmer mine trail that, according to the brochure, was possibly a former mine or shelter. |
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Fulmer Mine or the "Ice Caves." |
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Back on the Warren Highlands Trail through a rhododendron thicket. |
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Found one bloom that wasn't completely shot yet but we did miss full bloom which would have probably been end of June/early July. |
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The yellow-blazed Marble Hill Road Access Trail. |
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This trail crosses over some washouts and a small creek. |
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The red-square-on-yellow trail (not on the map) connects back to the blue-blazed Highlands Trail. |
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A large old growth tree. |
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A power cut ... |
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... with a nice view west into Pennsylvania. |
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Finding this on the trail creeped me out - HATE HATE HATE knives! No way was I carrying it with me to dispose of it and it was all moldy and disgusting so I flung it into the woods in hopes nobody will ever find it again. |
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The trail becomes overgrown again... |
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... as it follows along a corn field. |
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Just around this right turn... |
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unexpected views of the countryside. |
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It was cool and cloudy so it made a nice break spot. |
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Farther downhill from the corn fields, some old stone ruins. |
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The trail follows the farm road. |
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Where the trail leaves the farm road it becomes very overgrown but it only leads down to Belvidere Road in a short distance so this was our turn around point. |
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Heading back uphill through the farm. |
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Back in the woods, a Merrill Creek Reservoir sign. |
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The red-blazed Lopatcong Municipal Park Access Trail. Dogs are not allowed in that park, the reason we did not park there. |
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The Delaware River view, which is not a view at all in the summer with foliage in the way. |
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A little bit of the Delaware River on the right. |
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I had noticed this sign down on River Road so I left the trail and road walked a short distance to see what it was but unless you have an appointment, there is nothing to see. All gated and locked up. |
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Just a short distance back to the car on River Road but it bypassed the overgrown gas pipeline part. |
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From the parking area I saw a large bird land on the fence way over at the other side of the Aqua New Jersey property so I zoomed in to see what it was. |
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He took off again after just a minute or two. |
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This one stayed behind. |
HIKE SUMMARY:
[ 0.00] Follow blue blazes beyond yellow chain on rutted road; a few steps in at the T-intersection turn left; keep straight through overgrown gas pipeline
[ 0.15] Trail clears and enters woods uphill with seasonal river views
[ 0.70] Turn right on orange Fulmer Mine Trail
[ 0.75] Fulmer Mine; continue on orange
[ 0.95] At the end of orange, turn right on blue
[ 1.10] Straight on yellow when blue goes right
[ 1.20] Rock hop creek then turn right on red-square-on-yellow when yellow goes left
[ 1.30] Turn left on blue
[ 1.80] Cross power cut with views
[ 2.30] Views from corn field
[ 2.50] Old barn and stone foundation ruins
[ 2.70] Blue leaves farm road to right on overgrown path; turn around point
[ 3.50] Cross power cut with views
[ 3.95] Straight on blue when red-square-on-yellow goes right
[ 4.00] Straight on blue when red starts to the left
[ 4.05] Left on blue when yellow goes right
[ 4.15] Straight on blue when orange goes left
[ 4.20] Seasonal river view on right
[ 4.40] Straight on blue when orange goes left
[ 4.90] Leave trail to right on path to River Road then left on River Road
[ 5.00] Back at parking