Apshawa Preserve, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Apshawa Preserve - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

DIRECTIONS:

GSP Coordinates 41.025230, -74.373941

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TRAIL MAP:
Apshawa Preserve Trail Map - New Jersey Conservation Foundation
Note that at this time (Dec 2012) the yellow trail is closed due to flooding of the pond by beavers.  Additionally, trails had not yet been cleared after Hurricane Sandy so there were areas with heavy trail obstruction due to blow downs but it was possible to get through/around them, just a lot more time-consuming.

HIKE DISTANCE:  4.85 miles

THE HIKE:

The white trail leaves the parking lot through the gate of a deer exclosure.  (NJ Urban Forest Blog has some nice background and details on the deer fencing.)

The green trail connects from the white trail and descends into a pretty valley with a rock hop over a creek.

Old dam at historic Mixing Pond on Apshawa Brook.

Looking back at the dam after a short but very steep descent.

Building ruins and tanks, from what I understand these are from an old water purification system of the early 1900's.

More old tanks in the woods.

The green trail crosses over Apshawa Brook at the ruins and tanks then follows along some pretty cascades...

... before it climbs out of the gorge to views of...

... the New York City skyline - but you have to remember to turn around at the top to see it.

Confused by the tangle of blow downs at the top.

More views to the west farther along the green trail.

Exit through another gate of the deer exclosure and turn left on the red trail to Butler Reservoir at the dam.

A female and male Bufflehead couple enjoying a nice December day on Butler Reservoir,

The red trail loops around Butler Reservoir for almost one mile.

Dark-eyed Junco 'Slate-Colored' (I believe)

Looking back at the dam from the opposite side of Butler Reservoir.

The red trail veers away from Butler Reservoir and is supposed to cross the creek on a bridge but in this heavy area of blow downs, there was no bridge to be found.  The blazes suddenly stopped but continued on the other side.  Fortunately there are plenty of rock hopping opportunities to cross over.

The red trail ends at the white trail which leads to the yellow loop trail around the pond which is now closed.  The white trail continues across a spillway/beaver dam (?) to bypass the yellow trail.

The residence of the culprits?  Can't help but wonder if they are making use of some of that storm debris.  Kind of looks like a new roof, doesn't it?

Passing by the other side of the Butler Reservoir dam on the white trail.

Climbing up to ...

... a view of Butler Reservoir from up above on the white trail.

Back down into the valley and the parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  White trail from parking lot through gate at deer exclosure
[  0.20]  Left on green when white goes straight
[  1.00]  Pass exclosure gate and High Crest Lake on left
[  1.20]  Descend steeply at dam, keep to left of creek over boulders
[  1.35]  Ruins and old tanks from early 1900 water purification system
[  1.75]  Turn around at top for view of New York City skyline
[  2.10]  Cross over woods road
[  2.30]  Exit exclosure through gate; turn left on red (gravel road) past dam
[  3.25]  Rock hop over creek (used to be a bridge but did not see it – lots of blowdowns so you lose the red markers and have to watch for them to continue on the other side of the creek)
[  3.30]  Turn right on white when red ends
[  3.55]  Turn right on white when yellow begins (yellow closed due to flooding of trail by beavers)
[  3.65]  Right on white when the other end of yellow goes left
[  3.95]  Left through gate on white when red goes right
[  4.35]  Straight on white when green goes right
[  4.65]  Straight on white when green goes right
[  4.85]  Back at parking

South Mountain Reservation, NJ - New Trails at Mayapple Hill

ABOUT THE PARK:
South Mountain Reservation - Essex County Parks
South Mountain Conservancy  (this link is not working at this time and cannot find a working URL)
The Lenape Trail 
"Improvements to Hiking Trail System in South Mountain Reservation" - article, NJ.com

DIRECTIONS:
Mayapple Hill Parking GPS Coordinates 40.773650, -74.286933

View Larger Map

TRAIL MAPS:
South Mountain Reservation Trail Map - Essex County Parks
The map is of no use for this hike as it does not show the trails and to date I have not been able to locate one.  So for lack of anything better...

I drew a rough (keep in mind, VERY rough) outline of where the trails are just to give an idea.  The yellow-blazed Lenape Trail used to end at the Mayapple Hill parking lot coming in from the main part of South Mountain Reservation.  The new section continues on and currently ends at Whitbay Drive.  The intention is to eventually extended this Lenape Trail section to meet up with the main Lenape Trail to completely connect all of the main Essex County Parks.

HIKE DISTANCE:  4 miles

PEAK BAGGING:
Mayapple Hill - Peakery.com

THE HIKE:

Facing the kiosk at about the center of the parking lot along the side, turn right and walk to the corner of the lot and the restroom building to pick up the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail just to the left of the restrooms.

At Cedar Avenue the new blue-dot-on-white trail joins in from the right (return route) and crosses over the road.

Blue-dot-on-white leaves to the left at a boardwalk.

The white/yellow trail forms a loop with the yellow Lenape Trail.

The Lenape Trail has been cleared of Hurricane Sandy debris.

Although this hike goes through pretty wooded areas, it is an urban hike so developments and houses are sometimes visible along with the sound of traffic, bulldozers, leaf blowers...  But there is generally no hunting (there was a controlled hunt in January 2010 but I am not aware of anything for this year) so it's a nice weekday option to get outdoors and explore a new area.

The trail starts to switchback down at old concrete fence posts.

A creek crossing on large boulders.

The Lenape Trail appears to end at a paved road that leads to condos to the left.  This is the turn around point - retrace back to the white/yellow trail.

Crossing the creek on boulders.

Taking the white/yellow loop trail to meet back up with the yellow Lenape Trail.

Blow downs have not yet been cleared from this trail but they can be navigated through or around.

After getting back on the yellow Lanape Trail, turn right at the boardwalk on to the blue-dot-on-white trail.

There would probably be a better view over the McMansions on a clear day.

The blue-dot-on-white trail nears a large apartment (?) building where...

... a very interesting party spot overlooks that building to the right just off of the trail.

It's the neatest party spot I have ever seen. Looks like it even has a trash can.

Back on the trail...  Oops!  Looks like a couple of blue dots are missing.

The blue dot trail crosses over Cedar Avenue and continues along the side of Mayapple Hill...

... with views of the arena and Turtle Back Zoo down below.

A blue-line-on-white trail to the left is a shortcut back to the parking lot.

Continuing on the blue dot trail.

Found one of those missing dots!

The blue dot trail runs back into the yellow Lenape Trail from the beginning of the hike...

... and the Lenape Trail leads back to the parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Start on the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail to the left of the restroom building
[  0.25]  Cross paved Cedar Avenue when blue-dot-on-white joins in from the right
[  0.35]  Keep straight on yellow when blue-dot-on-white leaves to the left at boardwalk
[  0.40]  Keep straight on yellow when white/yellow goes right
[  0.80]  Keep straight when white/yellow goes right (other end of white/yellow loop)
[  1.00]  Cross creek on large boulders
[  1.25]  Reach paved Whitbay Drive and retrace
[  1.45]  Cross creek on large boulders
[  1.65]  Turn left on white/yellow (at the time of this hike, white/yellow not yet cleared, lots of blow downs)
[  2.20]  Turn left on yellow when white/yellow ends
[  2.25]  Turn right on blue-dot-on-white at boardwalk when yellow goes left
[  3.00]  Blue dot trail turns left on unmarked coming in from right then leaves to the right when unmarked veers left
[  3.10]  Cross over old section of yellow-blazed Lenape Trail running parallel to Cedar Avenue
[  3.15]  Cross paved Cedar Avenue
[  3.30]  Keep straight when blue-line-on-white goes left back to the parking lot
[  3.65]  Cross paved Cedar Avenue then small creek
[  3.75]  Left on yellow Lenape Trail when yellow/blue dot crosses road to the right
[  4.00]  Back at parking lot