Middlesex Greenway, NJ - Miles 0 - 1.5 EB, Miles 2 - 3.5 WB

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Middlesex Greenway - Middlesex County 

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.539355, -74.368410

Parking lot at the western end of the greenway in Metuchen.

TRAIL MAP: 

Middlesex Greenway - Middlesex County 

HIKE DISTANCE: 3 miles (1.5 miles each way)

THE HIKE: 

This week was my 3 1/2 month post hip replacement surgery checkup with the surgeon.  I have no more restrictions, no more physical therapy and he just wants me to keep walking.  So on with the mid-week out of the neighborhood lunch time walks.

From the parking lot, right on the greenway.

Mile marker posts every quarter of a mile, ascending heading west.

There is even some wildlife here.

Crossing Pierson Avenue just before the Route 1 overpass.  The East Coast Greenway joins in from the left at this point.

Up and over very busy Route 1.

Our turn around point at mile marker 1.5 at Jackson Avenue in Edison.

The reverse side of the 1.5 mile marker post reads 2 miles as the mileage descends heading east.

Back over Route 1.

Coming back up on the parking lot.

Google Maps shows a dashed line heading east and although it is not paved, looks like there is a dirt path there that continues on.  I'll have to check that out another time.

Little Woods on the Rancocas, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

The Barbara Rich Preserve at Little Woods - Save the Environment of Moorestown 

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 39.998320, -74.889730

Parking is on a pullout along Creek Road. 

TRAIL MAP: 

The Barbara Rich Preserve at Little Woods - Save the Environment of Moorestown 

HIKE DISTANCE: 

This was the most I have hiked in one day post-surgery.  Breaking it up into smaller hikes with 15-20 minute drives in between made my first day of 7.5 miles easy to do.

Roebling Bike Path/ Delaware River Heritage Trail - 3.3 miles
    10 miles/20 minutes to
West Avenue Nature Trails - 1.4 miles
    4 miles/11 minutes to
Amico Island Park - 1.9 miles
    6 miles/13 minutes to
Little Woods on the Rancocas - .85 miles

 

THE HIKE: 

A cute little hike with nicely maintained and blazed trails just minutes before I-295 but without the traffic noise.

From the parking pullout walk along Creek Road a short distance to the sign where the trail starts to the right.

Coming up on Rancocas Creek.

Spring!

Coming back up on Creek Road.

From the trail back to the car a short distance away.

Amico Island Park, NJ

ABOUT THE PARK: 

Amico Island Park - Burlington County 

DIRECTIONS: 

GPS Coordinates 40.037702, -74.978359

Huge parking lot.  My GPS was telling me to turn right when the entrance to the parking lot was on the left so watch for the park sign in case your GPS goes rogue.

TRAIL MAP: 

Amico Island Park - Burlington County Parks

HIKE DISTANCE: 

This was the most I have hiked in one day post-surgery.  Breaking it up into smaller hikes with 15-20 minute drives in between made my first day of 7.5 miles easy to do.

Roebling Bike Path/ Delaware River Heritage Trail - 3.3 miles
    10 miles/20 minutes to
West Avenue Nature Trails - 1.4 miles
    4 miles/11 minutes to
Amico Island Park - 1.9 miles
    6 miles/13 minutes to
Little Woods on the Rancocas - .85 miles 

THE HIKE: 

At first I was a little put off by the amount of cars in the parking lot, expecting the trails to be crowded.  Surprisingly that was not the case.  I actually ran into very few other people out on the trails.

Straight through the parking lot to the start of the trails.

We turned right to loop around counterclockwise, starting between the pond on the left ...

... and Rancocas Creek on the right.

A great blue heron in Rancocas Creek.

At the confluence of the Delaware River and Rancocas Creek.

There are some footpaths not on the  map that run alongside the wider official trails.

Along the bank of the Delaware River.

We took a side path to ...

... views of Philadelphia.

But there was an official overlook a little farther along.

Philly again.

Now following along the other side of that pond from where we were at the beginning.

Seagulls in the Delaware River on a VERY windy day, hence the whitecaps.

Carolina Wren

South Overlook with a great blue heron rookery on the island.  I forgot to zoom in for a better look at the rookery because ...

... I was intent on following this path to the point of the island and forgot about the rookery.

At the point of the island with Philadelphia in the distance.

Heading back on the path.

Coming back up on the parking lot.