Kakeout Reservoir, at 150 acres, was constructed in the 1930′s by the works progress administration by impounding Stone House Brook over an old roadway connecting Butler and Kinnelon. Most of Stone House Brook, a Pequannock River tributary, is classified by the NJ DEP primarily as FW2-NT (Fresh Water, Non-Trout). Water with this classification are generally not suitable for trout because of physical, chemical or biological characteristics but may be suitable for a wide variety of other fish.
Stone House Brook
Kakeout Reservoir holds up to 950 million gallons of water and serves an estimated 9,600 people in Butler, West Milford and Kinnelon. Fishing in Kakeout Reservoir is allowed by permit only.
Fishing by Permit Only
Trails
While it is possible to do a loop around the reservoir, (click here for a description) I prefer to take the blue blazed Butler-Montville trail north of Fayson Lake Road to Kakeout dam and back. This trail is maintained by volunteers of the New York New Jersey Trail Conference.
Blue Blaze Butler-Montville Trail
If you take the Butler-Montville Trail south of Fayson Lakes Road it will lead to Pyramid Mountain and its famous Tripod Rock. Taking this trail north of Fayson Lakes Road goes slightly west with views of the reservoir and a small island.
Canada Goose on Mini Island
The trail then heads north to a bridge which goes over Stone House Brook.
Footbridge over Stone House Brook
Once you cross over Stone House Brook, the trail turns to the east and passes Kakeout Mountain to the northwest. The trail then hugs the Reservoir until you reach the dam.
Kakeout Reservoir Dam with Wetlands
There are wetlands beyond the dam where Stone House Brook once again narrows to form a stream which flows northeast. Stone House Brook (also called Kakeout Brook at this location) becomes C1 trout production from Lake Edenwold downstream. C1 is one of the highest classifications given to a stream in the state of NJ.
Once you reach the dam, turn around and follow the trail back to Fayson Lakes Road where the hike began.
Shoreline of Kakeout Reservoir
Flora:
American Beech
Mountain Laurel
Red Oak
White Oak
White Pine
Spicebush
Skunk Cabbage
Daisy Fleabane
Indian Pipe
Directions:
From Route 23 in Kinnelon, take Kinnelon Road exit. Drive for about two miles and take a left on Fayson Lake Road. Parking is near the first causeway.
Feel free to comment or e-mail NJUrbanForest at NJUrbanForest@gmail.com with any comments, memories or suggestion! Thank you and have fun exploring!
If you are into nature and live in Bergen County chances are you might have visited the Tenafly Nature Center and Lost Brook Preserve. But have you visited Tenafly’s 8 acre Churchill Nature Preserve?
Map of the Churchill Nature Preserve
The trail head (a blue blaze) starts as soon as you enter through the main entrance on Churchill Road.
This small nature preserve has a surprising amount of flora. It includes:
Red Oak
White Oak
Red Maple
White Ash
Hay Scented Fern
Spicebush
Black Birch
Many others
A tributary of the Overpeck Creek flows through the preserve.
There are two bridges and one stream crossing. Sounds like a major ordeal for only an 8 acre site! It makes for a cool walk. Or possibly wet if you miss your footing during the stream crossing. And if you get tired there are three benches scattered throughout the preserve to take a seat.
This little preserve is the perfect place to get a quick fix of nature when you are on the go.
I will let these pictures speak for themselves of the March 13th storm devastation in Hackensack’s Borg’s Woods.
Eric Martindale, who helped preserve the preserve stated in the Bergen Record on April 2, 2010 that “Trees blocking major trails should be cleared, but otherwise, fallen trees are characteristic of an old growth forest. “The trees aren’t blocking the trails. In addition, large fallen trees provide habitat niches for various types of wildlife.”
Hackensack Riverkeeper’s own Capt. Bill Sheehan stated in the April 2, 2010 Bergen Record that “Bugs and other small critters will take care of the trees in good time, and that’s how you replenish the soil of the forest,” Sheehan said. “Things die, they fall down, they biodegrade, and new things grow up. If a tree falls in the woods, it should probably stay there.”
“As far as the Blowout of trees is concerned, the fallen trees should simply be left in place. Except of course those that fell from the County’s land onto homeowner’s property. The event was a natural event, an act of God / act of nature. This is a nature preserve. This is something that would have happened if no humans existed on the planet. Just leave it be. Don’t cut them up into small logs, that would be unnatural. We don’t want anything unnatural in the woods. The purpose of a nature preserve is to experience and to learn about nature. As upsetting as it is, a blowout of trees is part of nature. And it is part of what an old-growth forest is about. Therefore it is part of what visitors should see.”
Most of the trees that fell were mature 200 year American Beech Trees. It appears most of the damage occurred in the southeast corner of the preserve.
