Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Hyde Park Trails, NY - Roosevelt Farm Lane and Winnakee Nature Preserve


ABOUT THE PARK:
Roosevelt Farm Lane - Hyde Park, NY 
Winnakee Nature Preserve - Winnakee Land Trust
Hyde Park Trails Audio Podcasts - National Park Service
Hyde Park Trail - Hyde Park, NY Recreation Trails 

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 41.76988, -73.93470 
Parking at the eastern end of Roosevelt Farm Lane.

TRAIL MAP:
Hyde Park Walkabout Trail Map - National Park Service
Roosevelt Farm Lane Trail Map - National Park Service
Winnakee Nature Preserve Trail Map - Winnakee Land Trust

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HIKE DISTANCE:  6.6 miles

THE HIKE:
From the parking lot there is a short side trail ...
... to the Roosevelt Farm Lane which is also the Hyde Park Trail.
Our friend Al, the poodle, joined us today.
We left the Roosevelt Farm Lane and took blue with the intention of taking the entire Roosevelt Farm Lane for the return route.
Nice trail through the woods.
We went right on  yellow.
Right on red.
At this intersection I wondered if the well-traveled path to the right would lead to Winnakee Nature Preserve without having to walk along Route 9.  We gave it a shot.  We failed.  Almost, just almost at the residential road to Winnakee Nature Preserve, we were stuck in a corner at the federal land boundary line, private hunting club properly and residential back yards.  We had to retrace.
Back on red.
That dog we just passed obviously stopped at this tree.
On the Roosevelt Farm Lane.
The Hyde Park Trail leaves the Roosevelt Farm Lane to the right...
... and through the western parking lot.
Crossing the parking lot entrance.  Across Route 9 is the Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historical  Site where we will go another time to complete the Hyde Park Trails.
For now we are on this gravel path along Route 9 which passes a drive-in movie theater.
At the first road between Comfort Inn and the Shell station, right on Terwillliger Road.
At the end, Winnakee Nature Preserve is to the left.
Through the Winnakee Nature Preserve parking lot at the dead end.
The trail for the Hyde Park patch is only the red trail but we did them all.
Do you see it?  Over there?
Yes, balloon number 45 of the year.
We had turned left on green hoping to connect to Hackett Hill Park via a few short residential road but it did not turn out to be so easy.  We ran into a very busy road at a very busy intersection with no place to walk so it was not safe to proceed and we had to turn back.  Again where we needed to be was just around the corner but we couldn't get there.  Another time.
Back at the nature preserve going the other way on green back to red.
Back through the parking lot ...
... about half a mile on residential streets ...
... along Route 9 by the drive in theater ...
... and back on the Hyde Park Trail to Roosevelt Farm Lane.
I had forgotten how long it had been since Al did a full hike with us.  The last couple of hikes he rode in Shawnee's stroller with her.  And he hasn't gotten any younger.  So at about 7 miles, Al was exhausted and wanted to go no more.
We alternated carrying and walking but darned, he is heavy.
At long last, the side trail back to the parking lot.
This is how these two stayed for the entire 2 hour drive home.

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Shark River Park, NJ - Shark River Run Trail


ABOUT THE PARK:
Shark River Park - Monmouth County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates  40.20108, -74.08104

TRAIL MAP:
Shark River Park Brochure - Monmouth County Parks
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HIKE DISTANCE:  3.75 miles

THE HIKE:
When I hiked here on Thanksgiving Day I had scouted out the Shark River Run Trail to be sure it exists and was accessible from where it crossed roads.  It appeared to be.  But once on the trail, turns out most of this trail is impassable and the part east of Gully Road should not even be on the map any more.
We started by walking back out of the Gully Road parking lot ...
... then left on Gully Road for a short road walk around the bend to ...
... the Shark River Run Trail on the right.
It starts out very clear and open ...
... but quickly becomes swampy and overgrown.
We were following deer tracks in the snow.
A short distance in it became to difficult to go where deer had gone ...
... so we aborted and climbed a hill to the left ...
... to a residential street with the intention of road walking back to try the other side of the Shark River Run.
Problem with that plan was we got stuck in a maze of dead end residential streets.
We ended up having to walk along Old Corlies Avenue to ...
... left on Gully Road.
Just before the American Legion right on the Shark River Run heading west.
This was much better and mostly clear although a bit swampy sometimes.
The snow made for beautiful scenery.
I knew a bridge was out for construction but thought it was a different bridge since this one was still intact just a few weeks ago.
Now it's gone and there was no way across Shark River to get to where I wanted to go.
No other option than to head back.
Beyond the barrier ...
... right on Gully Road ...
... back to the parking lot.