Abram Hewitt State Forest, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Abram S. Hewitt State Forest - New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.156477, -74.363453

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Looking back at the parking pullout from the trail head.  There is room for 2-3 cars with two additional pullouts further up the road.

TRAIL MAP:
North Jersey Trails Map #116 - NY/NJ Trail Conference
Abram Hewitt State Forest Map - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Abram Hewitt State Forest, NJ at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE:  6.7 miles

THE HIKE:

Walk back along Warwick Turnpike from the parking pullout across the concrete bridge, then left where the guardrail bends to the left in front of the yellow gate.

... where the white-blazed Bearfort Ridge Trail starts.

About 1/10th of a mile in the orange Quail Trail starts on the right but I find it is best to use that as the return route.

Shawnee started out with her winter coat on because it was supposed to be in the 20's with wind chill in the teens.  It was 35 with no wind.  She soon started panting, the coat came off and I had to readjust my layers as well.

Ahhh, much better.

Cooling off.

The blue-blazed trail connects to the second parking pullout.

The trail climbs steadily....

... to views at the top

There were two scrambles that Shawnee refused to do, she just can't do the more difficult ones any more.

It was not a problem because as you can see, she found a way to bypass way to the left.

Still bypassing...

Back up on the trail.

Scramble #2 that was bypassed.

But she can still do the less vertical ones.

A few patches of snow in the lower areas.

Nice winter views.

The trail passes along a huge separation in the rock with a swamp on the other side.

She had an easy time getting through this - me with my backpack, not so much.

Everything along this hike is scenic.

Views at the end of the white trail.  Here we turned left on yellow.  I remembered that 5 or 6 years ago when we did this hike I attempted to go left but had to abort because at that time there was a steep downhill scramble Shawnee could not do so we did not even try this time.

There are a couple of water crossings on yellow.  I found easier ways to get over to the right in each case.

Going through a rhododendron tunnel.

Coming up on Surprise Lake at the intersection with the orange Quail Trail.

Surprise Lake

Continuing on yellow to the summit of Bearfort Mountain.

Views start to open up.

Greenwood Lake

Break time!  I gave her everything in the bag because she worked very hard on this hike!

Heading back on yellow.

Returning on the orange Quail Trail.

It's all very rocky woods road but a lot of it is like rock hopping down a creek.

Cooley Brook

The Cooley Brook crossing ...

... was no problem at all for her.

But for me, I had to pull out the plastic boot covers as I recalled how I slipped and fell into Cooley's Brook in the winter the last time I did this hike.

A few waterfalls towards the end of the hike.

And a few more wet crossings.  I had to put on the boot covers 3 times for fording.  At least I did not slip and fall in this time :)

When the woods road becomes drier and less rocky, it's almost the end.

Coming up on Warwick Turnpike.

The end.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Walk back along Warwick Turnpike across the concrete bridge then turn left at the trail head on the white trail
[  0.10]  Left on white when yellow starts on the right
[  0.75]  Straight on white when blue comes in from the left
[  3.00]  Right on yellow when white ends
[  3.50]  Left on yellow when orange starts to the right; continue to Surprise Lake then continue on yellow
[  3.80]  Views of Greenwood Lake; retrace
[  4.10]  Continue on yellow/orange then left on orange when yellow goes right
[  6.60]  Left on white when orange ends then right on Warwick Pike
[  6.70]  Back at parking

Kittatinny Valley State Park, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Kittatinny Valley State Park - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Although this park allows hunting, hunting is not permitted between Goodale and Limecrest Roads (everything in green on the trail map which includes more than half of the park and most of the hiking trails) making this a good choice for hiking during hunting season.

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates for Sussex Trail parking off Route 206: 40.999665, -74.747051

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I like parking at the Sussex Branch Trail off Route 206 at the very southern tip of the park because it cuts a few miles off of the drive and allows me to do a loop hike without passing by my car.  This parking lot is not shown on the map.

TRAIL MAP:
Kittatinny Valley State Park Map - NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Kittatinny Valley State Park, NJ at EveryTrail


HIKE DISTANCE: 6.1 miles

THE HIKE:

Start on the Sussex Branch Trail at the parking lot.

Turn right at the second trail which is blazed orange but not shown as an orange trail on the map.

White's Pond

Yellow-blazed park road.

Coming up on Lake Aeroflex and Aeroflex Airport

We hiked here in the summer about 5 or 6 years ago and sat on the bench watching airplanes take off and land.  No air traffic today and too cold to sit.

Turn left towards Lake Aeroflex ...

... to the post with the white blaze - this is where the white trail along the lake begins.

Lake Aeroflex and the "But why can't I go in the water?" look.

She is sizing up that wall and has already decided she is not attempting that jump.  No worries, a trail goes around to the left.

Looking back at the dock.

On the white-on-black trail.

Somebody wants a snack.

Meeting back up with the white trail which now runs parallel to Goodale Road from higher up.

Coming up on one of the parking lots just off of Goodale Road.

For as many cars as there were, everyone was walking on the park roads.  I did not run into another person on the trails during the entire hike.

Cross the parking field, turn left at the woods, then right on the ...

... red trail.

This red-bellied woodpecker was hamming it up for the camera.  This is only about half of the shots of got of him.

The tufted titmouse allowed me one shot and this was it.

Back on the blue trail but not the same part we did before.

Then to a different red trail.

The Sussex Branch Trail ...

... back to the parking lot.

Way across a field, a turkey vulture sunning himself.

Here is Shawnee in motion, about 3 months shy of turning 14 with slow spreading cancer, a partial cruciate ligament tear/arthritis in her right knee, arthritis in her spine, 5 weeks after being completely incapacitated with vestibular disease, and at the end of a 6-mile hike.   Pretty darned good for an old girl!

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Sussex Branch Trail north to second right on orange; keep right on unmarked at intersection
[  0.50]  Right on blue at White's Pond
[  1.00]  Right on yellow-blazed park road; continue on gravel then paved road towards lake/airport
[  1.35]  Left across grass before lake towards beginning of white trail (white blaze on post before bench)
[  2.70]  Left on unmarked at letters C and A on yellow/red markers with arrows on tree
[  2.75]  Right on white on black
[  3.25]  Left on white
[  3.80]  Cross parking lot and park entrance road veering to the right, cross parking field towards "Authorized Vehicles Only" sign; continue straight
[  3.90]  At the woods turn left on woods road briefly, then right on red-blazed foot path into woods
[  4.60]  Right on blue
[  5.00]  Left on yellow-blazed park road briefly then right on red
[  5.95]  Left on orange
[  6.00]  Left on Sussex Branch Trail
[  6.10]  Back at parking