Liberty State Park, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Liberty State Park - New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.69315, -74.05739

Parking Lot in front of the park office.

TRAIL MAP:
Liberty State Park Map - New Jersey Division of Parks and Forestry

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HIKE DISTANCE:  5.2 miles

THE HIKE:

Head to the south side of the parking lot ...

... and find an opening to ...

... the walkway and turn left.

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Liberation Monument

Statue of Liberty

Cormorants in front of New York City

Hudson River Waterfront Walkway

There were plenty of opportunities to walk on grass instead of pavement, which we much prefer.

Many, many red-winged blackbirds.

There had been something going on here.

It was the 10th Annual Veuve Clicquot Polo Classic which had been held the day before.

Oh my.  And this was just a small part of it.  There was trash everywhere.  What a mess.  What a waste.

Ellis Island

Brants

The ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

CRRNJ Terminal

The line to the ferry.

This was pretty much full sun so it was hot even on a 60 degree morning.  We took whatever shade we could get.

Empty Sky 9/11 Memorial

Northern Mockingbird

Crossing over Audrey Zapp Drive to the ferry parking lot ...

... to walk on grass.

People on the Statue of Liberty.

Heading back in the direction of where we parked, we did not even bother staying on a paved path.  It was much more enjoyable to go on the grass.

Looking back at the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway that we were on earlier.

North Cove

Columbus Monument

We found a picnic table in the shade and took a break.

At the nature center, go around to the back side to pick up the nature trails.

Green Heron

Great Egret in nature ...

... and not so much in nature.

The nature path.

Female red-winged blackbird.

Back at the nature center, turn left ...

... on to a brick path.

Yellow Warbler

An American robin with lunch.

When the brick path ends, veer left on to the paved path.

The paved path leads back to the parking lot.

Hill and Dale Preserve, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK:
Hill and Dale Preserve - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.68351, -74.78209

Parking is on the opposite side of Parsonage Lot Road from the Hill and Dale Preserve.  It is actually the parking lot for Hell Mountain Preserve, which I can find nothing about online.

The kiosk in the parking lot has maps for Hell Mountain Preserve but I could see no trail.  Perhaps another one to explore in the winter.

If anyone is game in the meantime, here are the maps.

TRAIL MAP:
Hill and Dale Preserve Trail Map - New Jersey Conservation Foundation

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HIKE DISTANCE:  1.7 miles (hiked together with Cold Brook Preserve - 2.7 miles, 2.3 miles away)

THE HIKE:

Chipping Sparrow

Walk out of the parking lot...

... and cross Parsonage Lot Road slightly diagonally to the right ...

... to the kiosk and trail which is blazed orange but shown as red on the map.

After a short distance the blue trail goes left.  I was going to return that way but could see a blow down that would present problems for Shawnee so I already knew I was not going to return that way.

These trails are very well blazed.

Orange/red goes through a wooded section and merges with blue for a few yards.

We stayed with orange which proceeds uphill along fields.

Today it was all about red-winged blackbirds - a female here ...

... and a male.

Going up, the views behind are spectacular - the pictures don't so it justice.

After passing along the top, orange/red goes into the woods.

Where orange/red turns right and crosses the creek, we kept straight on blue.

She is getting hot in the sun ...

... and LOADED with ticks.  Yes, every black speck is a tick and that is just a fraction of what was on her.  Even though she was just dosed with K-9 Advantix a few days ago and I was sprayed down with Deep Woods OFF, they were on me, too.

At that part where orange/red and blue are together, staying left on orange/red when blue leaves right.

We retraced on orange/red all the way back.

The ticks I pulled off of Shawnee when we got home before I let her inside.

The ticks I pulled off of Shawnee before we got in the car.  I stick them in a container with rubbing alcohol which makes them deader than dead.  Or drunker than dead.  Whichever, dunk them in and they never come out.