Hiking Passaic County’s Friendship Park!
Friendship Park
Welcome to Passaic County’s Friendship Park!
Friendship Park
The 45 acre park, located in Bloomingdale, NJ consists of deciduous wooded upland and wetlands.
Virtual Hike
Friendship Park 8.25.12 Hike
The 1.2 Orange Blazed Trail we are going to follow was blazed courtesy of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. The actual hike described below took place in August 2012, about two months prior to Hurricane Sandy. Some changes to the trail have taken place since that time. Ok, ready to start?
Orange Trail Trailhead
From the parking area head east to the Orange Blazed Trailhead near a wetland.
Turn left heading north on the trail. Immediately you will notice a large outcrop of rocks of precambrian origin. The rocks are known as “basement rocks” and were originally covered by soil and other rocks. Through the years due to natural activities such as past glacier action the rocks became exposed. Most of the rocks are thought to be comprised of ancient granite-gneiss.
Puddingstone
Pudding stone rocks, seen above, are common in the NJ Highlands and consist of well-rounded quartz and red sandstone cobbles in a fine-grained red ironstone matrix.
Dry Stream
After a few minutes, you will pass over a seasonal stream. Wait! Where’s the water? That’s a good question and I am glad you asked it. This stream is part of the wetlands that exist in Friendship park and only flows when the water table located below the surface gets too high such as in heavy downpours in spring.
Continuing on we come to the northern boundary of Friendship park which is seen here as a fence separating the park from an old abandoned golf course. Let’s stop and look around for a second. It seems we are not alone. There’s an American Robin & Eastern Gray Squirrel keeping watch over the forest.
American Robin
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Wait! What’s this? It’s an American Chestnut Sprout!
American Chestnut
The American Chestnut tree was an important member of the eastern forest found in the United States. A wide variety of wildlife fed on its chestnuts. American Chestnuts began to die off in 1904 due to imported Chestnut Blight from Asia. The blight, imported to the US via Asian chestnut trees, is a fungus dispersed by spores in the air, raindrops and animals. American Chestnut now survives only in the understory as shoots sprouting from old roots (which are not affected by the blight). The American Chestnut sprouts reach about twenty feet before the blight strikes. The roots then shoots up new sprouts and the process repeats itself. The American Chestnut Foundation is currently working to restore the once great American Chestnut back to its native range.
Black Oak Coppice
Heading east now there is a slight climb where we see a large coppice Black Oak. The orange blazed trail now continues on top of a large rock ledge.
Rock Ledge
The trail now starts to descend as we turn right and head south. Be careful to follow the orange blazes here as there are other trails that are not blazed which meander through the forest. According to our trail map, it looks like we left the trail! Let’s head back and find the last blaze.
Back on the Trail!
Whew! Back on the trail! Let’s stop and listen to the sounds of the forest: Sounds like we are hearing a White Breasted Nuthatch & a Blue Jay. Let’s continue on our hike! Now we have arrived at the bottom of the descent.
Friendship Park Wetlands
Notice how the flora has changed. Before we came down here there was Chestnut Oak but now we see the ground is wet and tussock sedge and Musclewood have appeared.
Musclewood
Continuing south we see….what exactly is this we are looking at?
Makeshift Shelter
It appears to be a makeshift shelter of some kind.
Inside Makeshift Shelter
Turning right and heading north we are only a short distance from the trail’s end. But before we continue pause and check out those old growth White Oak Trees!
Massive Old Growth White Oaks
We have now come to the end of the orange trail and our exploration of Friendship Park.
Orange Trail End
Interested in checking out Friendship Park yourself? Check out below!
Directions (as taken from the NY NJ Trail Conference Website)
From I-287 north or south take Exit 53 (Bloomingdale) and turn left onto Hamburg Turnpike. Upon entering Bloomingdale, the name of the road changes to Main Street. In 1.3 miles (from Route 287), you will reach a fork in the road. Bear right (following the sign to West Milford), and in another 0.1 mile, turn right (uphill) onto Glenwild Avenue. Proceed for another 0.3 mile to the intersection of Woodward Avenue (on the left). Opposite this intersection, you will notice a dirt parking area bordered by stones on the right. Turn right and park here.
Northern Red Oak Friendship Park
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
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Little Fall’s Morris Canal Preserve!
Morris Canal Preserve
Welcome to Little Fall’s Morris Canal Preserve!
Map of Little Fall’s Morris Canal Preserve
Walking on Little Falls Main Street, few people would suspect that a preserved woodland and forested floodplain is located behind the stores.
Passaic River Basalt
The Morris Canal Preserve is located right above the Passaic River. The river rushes by on fractured basalt . The preserve features a gentle paved path which traverses the edge between the developed landscape of Little Falls and the remnant forested floodplain of the Passaic River.
Gazebo Morris Canal Preserve
The paved path leads from a beautiful gazebo and heads in a southwest direction to its terminus near an outflow from the Passaic Valley Water Company.
Outflow
You might be tempted to think that Little Falls was named after these views, but the real falls were eliminated late in the 18th century to relieve upstream flooding of the Passaic River.
The path features checkerboards, basalt rocks of the second Watchung Mountain and beautiful views along the way.
Basalt Rock
Morris Canal
Morris Canal Crossed Here Passaic County
A portion of the 102 mile Morris Canal flowed over the Passaic River via an aquaduct created in 1829 of local Little Falls Brownstone.
Morris Canal Passage Little Falls (Red Line)
The Morris Canal was an artificial waterway which connected the coal fields of Pennsylvania’s LeHigh Valley to Paterson, Newark & New York City. Successful at first, railroads eventually replaced the need for the canal. After falling into disrepair, the Aqueduct was dynamited to the ground in 1925.
Flora
Canada Mayflower
Typical examples of flora found along the Morris Canal Preserve include:
Want to learn more about the high diversity of plant life found in the Garden State? Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Directions: (as taken from the NYNJCT Botany Website)
From Route 80 westbound, get off at the Union Avenue exit and bear left to follow Union Avenue for about one mile into Little Falls. Turn left at the light onto Main Street and then go about five blocks looking for Maple Street and Schumacher Chevrolet on the left. Turn left down Maple and continue as for the bus directions.
Alternative route by car: From Rt. 46 westbound, get off at the Great Notch/Cedar Grove exit. Bear left and follow overpass over Route 46 on to Notch Road. At the end of Notch Road turn right at the light onto Long Hill Road. Proceed on Long Hill Road for about one mile where it becomes Main Street. At Schumacher Chevrolet, turn right onto Maple Street and then follow the directions as for the bus. Look for the brick sign for the preserve on the left.
By public transportation: Take NJ TRANSIT 191/195 bus that leaves the Port Authority Bus Terminal, NY (check schedule prior to the trip) and get off on Main Street in downtown Little Falls at the corner of Maple Street Turn right on Maple and walk one block to entrance to the preserve parking lot on the left.
Morris Canal Preserve Forest
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Wayne’s High Mountain Park Preserve!
High Mountain Park
Welcome to High Mountain Park Preserve! The preserve, aka High Mountain Park, is located in Wayne, NJ and consists of over 1,000 wooded acres.
High Mountain Park Preserve
High Mountain Park is owned and jointly managed by the Township of Wayne, the State of NJ and the New Jersey Natural Land Trust. In 2011, the New Jersey Natural Land Trust obtained the Nature Conservancy’s divided and undivided interest in High Mountain Park.
History of Site
High Mountain Park
High Mountain Park was a tree farm owned by Urban Farms, Inc., a subsidiary of McBride Enterprises of Franklin Lakes, NJ before its establishment as a preserve. On May 19, 1993 the Wayne Council majority in an 8-1 vote accepted a deal to purchase High Mountain from Urban Farms, Inc.
Green Acres
The State of NJ committed $2.6 million in a Green Acres Grant and agreed to a 2% loan of $4 million. $901,943 was provided in other grand funds. The Nature Conservancy obtained a $500,000 state grant to assist in the purchase of High Mountain.
Funding Provided by Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders
Geology
Basalt
Situated on the Second Watchung Mountain range, High Mountain Park is the largest forested area east of the NJ Highlands. The 2nd Watchung Mountain range was formed by lava flows extruding over deep sedimentary rock basalt.
Ecological communities featured in High Mountain Park include:
Rocky Headwater Stream:
Rocky Headwater Stream
Rocky headwater stream habitat includes a small to moderate sized rocky stream that lacks persistent emergent vegetation. In other words, few large rooted plants are found but mosses and algae are usually present. The stream flows over bedrock near its origin and contains riffle and pool sections.
Red Maple Swamp:
Red Maple Swamp (Fall)
Red Maple Swamps (as the name suggests) are dominated by Red Maple, a tree that is moderately flood-tolerant. Skunk Cabbage, False Hellebore, Cinnamon Fern and Spice Bush (along with many other species) are found in Red Maple Swamp habitat.
False Hellebore
In addition to Red Maple Swamps, Shrub swamps are also found in High Mountain Park. This community consists of temporarily to permanently flooded wetlands usually populated with Skunk Cabbage, Buttonbush, Spicebush among others.
Talus Slope Community:
Talus Slope
Talus Slope communities consist of sparse vegetation occurring on exposures of shale bedrock, ledges and talus. Little soil exists on the talus.
Trap rock Glade/Outcrop Community:
Trap Rock Glade- Outcrop Community (Winter)
The trap rock glade/outcrop community is globally rare and was the principal reason the Nature Conservancy was interested in protecting High Mountain. Trap rock Glade/Outcrop communities, a globally impaired community type, consists primarily of grasses and forbs with occasional red cedar.
Prickly Pear Cactus
Prickly Pear Cactus may also be present. Hickory-Ash-Red Cedar woodland is also dominated in the trap rock glade/outcrop community. Rare Rock Outcrop Plants include Torreys Mountain Mint and Dewey’s Sedge among other rare plants.
Hickory/Ash/Red Cedar Woodland:
Red Cedar
This community contains the trap rock outcrop community and consists of Pignut Hickory, Eastern Red Cedar, White Ash and Chestnut Oak with the understory consisting primarily of grasses and forbs. This community along with the trap rock glade/outcrop community harbor a total of 14 rare and endangered plants.
Mixed Oak Forest:
White Oak
The mixed oak hardwood forest found in High Mountain Park is dominated by White, Red & Black Oak and includes trees such as Shagbark Hickory, White Ash, Yellow birch, Tulip Poplar and Black Birch.
Tulip Poplar Leaves and Flower
Shagbark Hickory
Black Birch Coppice
Frequent disturbance is required for the oak-hickory forest to maintain itself. Without disturbance, shade tolerant species such as Sugar Maple and American Beech regenerate replacing oaks over time. Maple-Beech dominated woodland do not provide sufficient quality mast (i.e. acorns, hickory nuts) required for wildlife.
American Beech
The composition of the present Oak-Hickory forest found in High Mountain Park will likely change as the sapling layer is mostly populated by Sugar & Red Maple with only a few Oak saplings present. This change may be due to fire suppression.
Hemlock-Hardwood Forest:
Wooly Adelgid on Hemlock Needles
Most of the hemlocks found in High Mountain Park Preserve are dead or dying due to the Hemlock Wooly Adelgid. Native to East Asia, the adelgid feeds by sucking sap from Hemlock trees. This exotic pest was accidently introduced to North America circa 1924 and is currently established in eleven states ranging from Georgia to Massachusetts. It is estimated that 50% of the geographical range of the Eastern Hemlock has been affected by the adelgid. Biological control (i.e. using adelgid predators to control infestations) has been the major emphasis of control since 1997.
Streams:
Preakness Brook
High Mountain Park is a part of the Passaic River watershed. All streams that originate or flow through High Mountain Park drain to the Passaic River. Streams include tributaries to the Point View Reservoir found in the western section of the preserve and tributaries of the Molly Ann Brook (the last stream to drain into the Passaic River before the Great Falls in Paterson) found in the eastern portion of the preserve. The headwaters of Preakness (Signac) Brook are located in High Mountain Park and are classified in this location as C1 Trout Production. Numerous tributaries to the Preakness Brook are found primarily in the heart of the preserve.
Trails
There are five blazed trails ranging from 0.2 miles to 4.9 miles waiting to be explored at High Mountain Park. All trails are maintained by volunteers of the NYNJ Trail Conference who have maintained the trails since the 1940’s. Click here for a trail map provided by the Township of Wayne.
Red Trail Trailhead College Road Parking Lot
The trailhead of the 1.7 mile Red Trail is accessible from the small parking lot off of College Road.
Red Trail
From the kiosk in the parking area, the Red Trail heads east on a gravel trail in an open field adjacent to College Road and enters the woods heading in a north to northwest direction.
Massive Boulder on Red Trail
After entering the forest, a large boulder is visible to the west near a sign advertising High Mountain.
To High MTN
From here, the Red Trail passes a stream & wetlands.
Wetlands near Red Trail
At half a mile, the southern trailhead of the Yellow Trail is accessible on the east. Past the trailhead of the Yellow Trail, the Red Trail passes the southern trailhead of the White Trail Trailhead to the west .6 of a mile. Once past the trailhead of the White Trail, the Red Trail crosses a stream and wetlands before continuing in a northwest direction.
Waterfall off of Red Trail
Another stream with a waterfall eventually appears to the east of the Red Trail. The Red Trail crosses the stream proceeding a short distance to its northern terminus at Reservoir Drive in Franklin Lakes.
Reservoir Drive Red Trail End
White Trail Trailhead
The southern trailhead of the 1.6 mile White Trail is accessible from the Red Trail about .6 of a mile from the Red Trail’s trailhead at College Road.
From its trailhead, the White Trail heads west through the wetlands of a Preakness Brook tributary stream. Continuing west the White Trail reaches another Preakness brook tributary and its wetlands.
North Jersey Country Club
From here, the White Trail turns north passing the North Jersey Country Club. Continuing north past the North Jersey Country Club, the White Trail passes a reservoir used for the ponds found in the country club.
North Jersey Country Club Reservoir
From here the White Trail continues north and goes through talus slopes while paralleling and eventually crossing another Preakness Brook tributary. The White Trail ends at the Yellow Trail near Beech Mountain.
White Trail End
Yellow Trail Trailhead from Red Trail
At 4.9 miles, the Yellow Trail is the longest trail present in High Mountain Park. The southern trailhead of the Yellow Trail is accessible from the Red Trail about ½ a mile from the trailhead of the Red Trail on College Road.
From the Red Trail, the Yellow Trail turns east and crosses a stream and wetlands heading in a northwest and then northeast direction. Soon the Yellow Trail passes the summit of Mount Cecchino to the east. From here the trail begins a steady climb to the summit of High Mountain. At 885 feet, High Mountain is the third tallest peak in the US within 20 miles of the Atlantic Ocean.
High Mountain Grassy Summit Yellow Trail
The grassy summit is about 1 mile from the Yellow Trail trailhead and provides fantastic views of the Manhattan skyline, Garrett Mountain (1st Watchung) and the distant Ramapo Mountains.
Summit of High Mountain View of NYC with Black Cherry Tree in Bloom Yellow Trail
From the summit of High Mountain the Yellow Trail heads west going downhill and crosses a stream.
After crossing the stream, the Yellow Trail comes to an intersection with the Red Trail.
Once past the intersection with the Red Trail, the Yellow Trail heads northwest to a paved circle on Reservoir Drive in Franklin Lakes and briefly travels along Reservoir Drive before reentering the forest near Winding Hollow Drive in Franklin Lakes.
Reservoir Drive Franklin Lakes NJ
Heading south, the Yellow Trail passes the northern trailhead of the White Trail and then heads south and climbs Beech Mountain. At 875 feet, Beech Mountain is the second highest peak in High Mountain Park.
Swamp Beech Mountain Yellow Trail
The Yellow Trail then traverses past a large forested wetland to the west and crosses a Preakness Brook tributary. Turning west, the Yellow Trail reaches a beautiful view found on a basalt outcrop of Pointview Reservoir and the distant NJ Highlands.
View of Point View Reservoir with Distant NJ Highlands from Yellow Trail Beech Mountain
The Yellow Trail continues northwest past another Preakness Brook Tributary and heads south and west past the parking lot for JVC Corporation.
Back of JVC Building on Yellow Trail
From here, the Yellow Trail heads northwest and passes the northern terminus of the Horizontal White Blaze connector trail. The Yellow Trail then turns north and traverses through the Franklin Clove.
Yellow Trail Franklin Clove
The Franklin Clove was formed by glacial action in the last ice age. Continuing north, the Yellow Trail passes by the very short Orange Blazed Buttermilk Falls trail and then ends at Indian Drive in Franklin Lakes.
Buttermilk Falls Orange Trail Blaze
The 0.2 Mile Orange Blazed Buttermilk Falls trail begins from the Yellow Trail shortly after the Yellow Trail passes through the Franklin Clove. It ends at Scioto Drive in Franklin Lakes. The primary feature of this trail is Buttermilk Falls which spills over fractured basalt.
Buttermilk Falls
Pancake Trail Trailhead
The 2.8 mile Blue Trail (aka the Pancake Hollow Trail) trailhead is located off of Chickapee Drive in Wayne.
Blue Trail Blaze
The Blue Trail initially heads east and turns north at the intersection of the horizontally white blazed connector trail. Heading north, the trail passes the Franklin Clove and the headwaters for Preakness Brook to the east. The Blue Trail then turns northwest passing between housing developments to the north and south where a lean-to is present.
Lean-To off of Blue Trail
Once past the housing developments, the trail traverses the “pancake hollow” section of High Mountain Park.
Stream along Blue Trail
The Blue Trail continues west crossing over a brook and wetlands. As the blue trail approaches Berdan Avenue at the farthest western portion of High Mountain Park, the trail turns NW and then NE and then continues in a SE direction leaving the Pancake Hollow section returning the hiker in a loop fashion back to the portion of the Blue Trail previously traveled with housing developments to the north and south. From here, the hiker follows the blue trail back to the trailhead at Chickopee Drive.
Blue Trail End
Horizontal White Blaze Trailhead
The 0.2 mile Horizontal White Blaze Connector trail’s western trailhead is accessible from the Blue Trail near the Blue Trail trailhead at Chickapee Drive in Wayne. The Horizontal White Blaze Connector Trail initially heads southeast from the Blue Trail before turning north to connect with the Yellow Trail near the Franklin Clove where it ends.
Fauna:
Fauna I’ve spotted during my hikes at High Mountain Park include:
American Goldfinch
White Tail Deer
White Breasted Nuthatch
American Robin
Black Rat Snake
Eastern Chipmunk
Blue Jay
Red Tail Hawk
Cottontail Rabbit
Directions to College Road Parking Lot: (as taken from the NYNJ Trail Conference Website)
Take Route 208 west to the second Goffle Road exit (towards Hawthorne/Paterson) and turn right at the end of the ramp. At the next light, just beyond the intersection with Goffle Hill Road, turn right onto North Watchung Drive. At a “stop” sign at the top of the hill, turn sharply right onto Rea Avenue, which becomes North Haledon Avenue and then Linda Vista Avenue. At a T-intersection with Terrace Avenue, turn right, then bear left to continue on Linda Vista Avenue, which leads into William Paterson University (Entry 6). At the next “stop” sign, turn right and continue for 0.4 mile to a small parking area on the right, with a sign “High Mountain Park.”
Check out Plant Communities of New Jersey.
NJ’s geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment are all discussed in great detail. Twelve plant habitats are described and the authors were good enough to put in examples of where to visit!
Click here for more information!
Other Resources:
1. 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: New York City: Including northern New Jersey, southwestern Connecticut, and western Long Island – Packed with valuable tips and humorous observations, the guide prepares both novices and veterans for the outdoors. From secluded woods and sun-struck seashores, to lowland swamps and rock-strewn mountain tops, this practical guidebook contains all the information needed to have many great hikes in and around New York City.
Click here for more information!
2. Take a Hike New York City: 80 Hikes within Two Hours of Manhattan – In Moon Take a Hike New York City, award-winning writer Skip Card shows you the best hikes in and around The Big Apple—all within two hours of the city.
Click here for more information!
3. Eastern Deciduous Forest, Second Edition: Ecology and Wildlife Conservation – This book is a useful tool for anyone who wants to know or hopes to help one of North America’s great natural resources.
Click here for more information!
4. Protecting New Jersey’s Environment: From Cancer Alley to the New Garden State – With people as its focus, Protecting New Jersey’s Environment explores the science underpinning environmental issues and the public policy infighting that goes undocumented behind the scenes and beneath the controversies.
Click here for more information!
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Ringwood’s Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve!
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve is a 7.18 green acres woodland located in the Borough of Ringwood NJ. The preserve is located on Fieldstone Drive off of Skyline Drive. It is named after the first chair of the Ringwood Environmental Commission. The Northgate Park housing development and Fieldstone Drive sit to the north of the preserve, Skyline Drive sits to the west and south of the preserve and High Mountain Brook flows to the east. High Mountain Brook is a fresh water trout production stream with a C1 classification which is one of the highest classifications given to a stream in the state of NJ. Its headwaters are formed from the artificially created 4 acre Brushwood Pond which contains Bass, catfish and other aquatic life and flows in a south west direction until it terminates in the 39+ acre artificially created Skyline Lakes.
High Mountain Brook
Part of the purpose of the preserve is to maintain the rural character of Ringwood. The 7.18 acre site was previously threatened with development by the name of Bald Eagle Suites . Bald Eagle Suites would have contained the largest buildings in Ringwood. The development would have consisted of four four story high buildings containing a total of 100 units of assisted living high density housing. The North Jersey District Water Supply Commission which manages the nearby Wanaque Reservoir, opposed the development. NJDWS believed that runoff from the development would contaminate local reservoir feeding streams.
Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve Woodland
The development would have disturbed nearly 96% of the 7.18 acres by essentially blowing off the top of the mountain and moving 20 thousand cubic yards of soil for the construction of an entrance road and sewage treatment fields. The site would have been stripped of trees and several large retaining walls would have been in place. Thanks to the combined efforts of Skylands Clean and the Ringwood Zoning Board, the development was denied and the 7.18 acres was purchase from the developer by Ringwood for $600,000 on March 16, 2007. Green Acres provided $300,000, Passaic County Open Space provided $250,000 and the municipal OS Trust provided $50,000.The preserve is the first open space initiative led exclusively by Ringwood.
Trail
The Jerry Wyckoff Nature Trail
Jerry Wyckoff Nature Preserve Trail Map
The estimated .27 of a mile orange blazed trail entrance is found off of Fieldstone Drive just north of the entrance to Stop and Shop. The trail was created and blazed by a local boy scout troup. No map is needed for this out and back trail. The total trail is an estimate .54 of a mile. Orange ribbons were found on many trees extending near the end of the trail during my last visit. This may indicate a longer planned trail for the future.
orange blazed trail
The trail provides many scenic viewpoints of nearby highlands and the Wanaque Reservoir (especially when the leaves are gone from the trees!)
Scenic View
The trail terminates at a glacial erratic.
Flora found along the trail include Christmas Fern, Sweet Fern, White, Chestnut and Red Oak, American Beech and Red Maple among others. I spotted this awesome little Eastern Chipmunk during a warmer month visit:
Eastern Chipmunk
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve is located at the entrance to the center of town (Skyline Drive) from Route 287 (Exit 57) off of Fieldstone Drive. Parking is available in the nearby Stop and Shop.
The Jerry Wyckoff Natural Preserve
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Wayne’s Dave Waks Memorial Park (formerly Barbour Pond)!
Dave Waks Memorial Park
Dave Wak’s Memorial Park
Dave Waks Memorial Park (formerly known as Barbour Pond Park) is located in the township of Wayne, NJ. It was renamed Dave Waks Memorial Park as a tribute to a former mayor of Wayne who passed away in 2007. At 103 acres, it is Wayne’s largest developed park. There’s a playground, 3 lighted softball fields, 1 lighted baseball field, three lighted soccer fields, a model airplane flying area and a half mile paved walking path around the fields. The centerpiece of the park is Barbour Pond which features a 1.96 mile hiking trail which encircles the pond.
Barbour Pond
Barbour Pond was created by impounding part of the 8.9 mile Preakness (Singnac) Brook via the Barbour Pond dam. The brook is a subsidiary of the Passaic River. It’s watershed is located almost entirely in Wayne. The headwaters, located in the nearby High Mountain Nature Preserve, are considered to be trout production and are classified as C1. C1is one of the highest classifications given to a stream in the state of NJ. Preakness Brook enters Barbour Pond from Valley Road , where it ventures through (along with a tributary stream) a recently protected 17 acre woodland. Preakness Brook from Barbour Pond to its confluence with the Passaic River is non trout production and is considered impaired. Impairments include fecal coliform bacteria and habitat decline which are indicated by an increase in pollution-tolerant macro invertebrate species. Non-point source pollution is thought to be the culprit. In 2005, William Paterson University was granted $408,586 to collect and access water quality data along the length of the stream. The purpose of the study was to reduce fecal coliform, restore macro invertebrate health and protect the C1 headwaters segment.
Preakness Brook
Ok, back to the trail! Access to the Barbour Pond trail may be obtained off the half mile paved walking path, off of Valley Road near Barbour Pond dam, or near the model airplane area. Entrance areas are marked by a wooden pole.
Entrance to the Barbour Pond trail from the paved walking path
The trail is mostly level and pleasant. There is a serene crossing over Preakness Brook and many beautiful views of Barbour Pond.
Mallards & Canadian Geese on Barbour Pond
Barbour Pond and the surrounding woodland provide much needed habitat for many animals and especially birds. I saw these guys during my last venture:
Black-Capped Chickadee
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Three Killdeer Birds right outside Barbour Pond
Ring-Necked Ducks on Barbour Pond
I also heard a red tail hawk. The trail contains varied flora. Flora includes:
- Red Maple
- Black Birch & Yellow Birch
- American Beech
- Red Cedar
- Christmas Fern
Red Cedar
Christmas Fern
While exploring around the pond I found some interesting graffiti found on one of the wood post and several trees.
Fool on the hill
Protect Nature
Directions:
Take US 80 west to exit 55B, for Union Boulevard north, Totowa. Within a short drive turn left on Crews Road. At the stop sign, go straight which connect the driver to Totowa Road. Turn right at the light after passing the Dey Mansion in Preakness Valley Park. Then take the next right for Valley Road. Pass through the intersection with Hamburg Turnpike. Take the first left turn (Barbour Pond Drive) and go .3 of a mile to the end of the road for the entrance of the park.
Dave Waks Memorial Park (formely Barbour Pond Park)
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
West Milford’s Wetlands Environmental Center!!!!
West Milford’s Wetlands Environmental Center is an 8 acre wetland preserve complete with a boardwalk and educational signage.
The West Milford Environmental Commission received an easement from a Dr. Bernard Simon in 1991 donating the 8 acre wetland to the township. A federal Urban Forestry grant was awarded to the town in 1993 to create the wetlands environmental center thanks to the efforts of Mary Haase (who was a member of the West Milford Planning Board and Environmental Commission) and Roger Daugherty (who was the Chairman of the Environmental Commission). A tributary of the Macopin River flows through the wetlands found in the environmental center.
West Milford Environmental Center with a tributary of the Macopin River
Green Heron
West Milford’s environmental boardwalk features both upland and wetlands within its eight acres. The environment center seasonally features plants such as broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattail, wool grass, tussock sedge, bulrush, sensitive fern, marsh fern, spike rush and duckweed.
Upon entering the boardwalk from Maple Road, a kiosk has been placed that is chock full of information regarding freshwater wetlands.
It is a great place to learn firsthand the functions and plants of forested wetlands.
To get here click here for directions to Maple Road Elementary School where ample parking is available during the weekend when the school is closed. The entrance to the environmental center is across the street from the parking lot.
West Milford’s Environmental Center
Feel free to e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
Wawayanda State Park Terrace Pond
Welcome to Terrace Pond!
Terrace Pond is part of the Bearfort Mountain Natural area of Wawayanda State Park. I kept hearing how popular and how beautiful this hike was so I had to check it out for myself.
Terrace Pond
The hike to the pond was filled with amazing views, mostly of the adjacent Newark Watershed lands.
One of the many great views on this hike!
On the way to Terrace Pond, a Black Rat Snake made an appearance.
Black Rat Snake
We saw him slithering around while taking in the views.
This is one of the best scenic hikes in New Jersey. If you want to know more, check out a complete description of this hike at NY NJ Trail Conference. Also this blog entry tells of the adventures of this trail.
Serenity
Please note that swimming is not allowed at the pond. While on the hike and at the pond, remember to take nothing but photos and leave only footprints in this beautiful natural area.
Pequannock River Coalition 2010 Winter Hike!
Just found out the picture below taken on the 2010 winter hike with the Pequannock River Coalition appeared in its bi-monthly newsletter!
Beaver Dam
It was a great hike-very informative. I encourage all to learn more about the Pequannock River Coalition and its efforts.I will finish this post with some more pictures from the hike:
Bobcat Track
White Oak
Winter Scene
Comments!