It's Spring Time: Take a Hike!

The natural world is waking up from its winter slumber and the ice-encased ground has given way to bright green grass. It’s time again to slip one’s feet into hiking boots or sneakers and take to the hills and pathways through the wondrous woodlands of New Jersey’s Skyland Region.   

We should consider ourselves supremely lucky to have easy access to some of the most beautiful parks and vistas in the state, and perhaps the country.

It’s been an extremely long winter and many of us spent way too much time wrapped in several layers of clothes, blankets and carbohydrates. Now it’s time to shed those layers and open our arms to the sun.

The best way to clear your head is to engage your feet, and there are many lush and lovely parks in the area to begin your journey. Among them are: Hacklebarney State Park in Chester; Schooley’s Mountain Park in Long Valley; Point Mountain in Asbury Township; and the Columbia Trail in Long Valley.

Each of these parks and trails are only minutes away and offer a slightly different experience to the hiker of any level.

Hacklebarney State Park
State Park Road, Chester, NJ

Lush and lovely with a river running through it, this vast park of almost 893 acres has a wonderful, wild feel to it. As you walk on its five miles of hiking trails, you pass enormous boulder rocks and little waterfalls. The Black River slices through this magnificent rocky landscape carved by a glacier.

In this park, I’ve always felt like I was somewhere else in the country–not in New Jersey, but somewhere much further north or northwest.

If you walk the entire loop around the main portion of the park, it takes the average walker about an hour to complete. Since portions of the hike involve walking over rocks of all sizes, sturdy hiking shoes are recommended.

If you are walking with children or senior members of your family, you may want to consider taking the shorter path that leads from the parking lot down to the river on a relatively smooth pebble path which could take the average walker about 35 minutes round trip.

This park does have restrooms and a beverage machine just outside of the ranger’s station in the parking lot. It also has picnic tables and fire pits which are great for group and family picnics.

The Columbia Trail
Local trail entrance on Schooley’s Mountain Road, Long Valley, NJ 

Originally established as the route for the High Bridge branch of the Central Railroad of New Jersey, this 16 mile trail stretches from High Bridge in Hunterdon County to Flanders in Morris County, meandering through Califon and Washington Township.

The trail head is located in High Bridge, near the intersection of Main Street and Van Syckle Place. The trail entrance in Long Valley is about a quarter of a mile up Schooley’s Mountain Road on the left hand side.

Most of this very scenic trail is easy to walk with a path of finely crushed stone.

This is another great walk for you and your best four-legged friend or all of your two-legged friends and family.

Also, from the center of Long Valley you can take Patriot’s Path in a southeasterly direction toward 513 and enjoy the view of the mountains from the valley. Or you can hike up the mountain toward Schooley’s Mountain Park and enjoy the view as you climb in elevation.

What’s great about this trail is that when you get hungry and thirsty, you can easily find your way back to the center of town and stop at the or for some well deserved sustenance.

 Schooley’s Mountain Park
Long Valley, NJ 

With lots of options for recreation and outdoor fun, Schooley’s Mountain Park is probably the best bet for families and groups.  

In addition to hiking trails, it has athletic fields, equestrian trails, picnic areas and restroom facilities. The Schooley's Mountain Park Lodge is available for corporate or private rentals, such as meetings, weddings, bridal showers, and more.

There is a lot to do in the wondrous park including: baseball, fishing, ice skating on the eight acre lake, and a play area near the lake picnic grove. There is also a 470 foot floating bridge which is one of the most unusual aspects of the park.

Point Mountain Reservation
402 Penwell Road, Port Murray, NJ

If you like walking beside a lovely, sparkling river and through wide open fields with magnificent views of the big sky in this region, you’ll really enjoy Point Mountain Reservation which has more than 1,000 acres of woodlands and streams and is part of the Hunterdon County Park System.

Point Mountain rises 935 feet above sea level and is the third highest point in Hunterdon County.

This park does not provide restrooms. There are several entrances to the park and small parking areas which are located at: 402 Penwell Road in Port Murray, NJ; 80 Point Mountain Road and 132 Mountain Top Road in Washington, NJ and 219 Old Turnpike Road in Port Murray, NJ.

Point Mountain provides an opportunity to take a nice, easy stroll along the river for several miles or climb to the peak and enjoy the rarefied air.  

So, breathe in some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine on your face. Shake off those winter layers and engage those sleepy muscles.

It’s free, it’s in easy reach. Take a hike...would ya!