Butler Forest Preserve & Butler Raceway!
Welcome to the Passaic River Coalition’s Butler Forest Preserve & Butler Raceway! Both preserves are contiguous and have a combined acreage of 14.9 acres of which four are deciduous wooded wetlands. Located in Butler, NJ, The Butler Forest Preserve and Butler Raceway were purchased to prevent the development of townhouses and provide protection of the Pequannock River.
The Passaic River Coalition was established in 1969 and provides stewardship for the preservation and protection of over 1,000 miles of waterways associated with the Passaic River. The Pequannock River, a tributary of the Passaic River is labeled C1 indicating the water consists of some of the highest quality in the state of New Jersey.
Virtual Tour
This was how the Butler Forest Preserve and Butler Raceway appeared when I explored it near the end of September 2012, nearly a month before Hurricane Sandy arrived. I find Jericho Road to be the best entrance to the Butler Forest Preserve & Butler Raceway.
Entering the forest here I noticed a stream to my left (an unnamed Pequannock River Tributary) and plenty of American Beech. American Beech is part of the Beech-Sugar Maple climax forest community and are a sure indicator that this forest has not been disturbed for a very long time.
I carefully followed the woods down a somewhat steep slope while a steady roar increased. Thinking it was urban noise coming from nearby Route 23 and housing developments I was somewhat surprised to see the source was far more natural: The Pequannock River rushing by.
I noticed the river just as my eye caught old ruins. These ruins were part of the Butler Raceway which once provided water from the Pequannock River to power machinery to what was once the country’s largest rubber factory. The historic function of the raceway was to provide water from the Pequannock River to power machinery at the Butler Rubber Factory. The rubber factory was destroyed by fire in 1957.
Near the ruins is a beautiful man-made waterfall on the Pequannock River.
Carefully scrambling over the ruins I made it to the Raceway just in time for a Great Blue Heron to fly by (unfortunately too fast for me to get its picture).
After admiring the Heron I came across an abandoned motorcycle.
Continuing east Yellow Birch appeared in good numbers. Yellow Birch favors north facing slopes.
Rock Outcrops of Precambrian origin appear occasionally to the right of the path. The Butler Raceway ends near Gifford Street. To get back to Jericho Avenue, simply turn around on the Raceway and proceed west until you come back to the cement ruins. Proceed south going up the hill until you reach Jericho Road.
The Butler Forest Preserve and Butler Raceway is a great place to explore. Check it out for yourself!
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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Hiking Torne Mountain! (Norvin Green State Forest)
Welcome to Norvin Green State Forest’s Torne Mountain!
Torne Mountain, standing at 1,120 feet and located in Passaic County NJ, is situated in the southern section of the estimated 4,982 acre Norvin Green State Forest. The land comprising the forest was donated to the State of New Jersey by the nephew of Ringwood Manor’s Abram S. Hewitt in 1946.
Norvin Green State Forest has the largest concentrations of trails in the state of NJ. Most of the trails date back to the 1920’s when members of a local organization known as the Green Mountain Club constructed them.
Geology
Many of the rocks that are encountered during this hike have a rounded appearance due to the Wisconsin Glacier which came through the area around 10,000 years ago. This event is relatively recent as the Highlands rocks were formed over four billion years ago.
The rocks are “basement rocks” as the younger rocks which originally had covered them eroded away over time. Most of the rocks are thought to be comprised of ancient granite-gneiss.
Trails
Below is a brief virtual tour of a section of the 0.4 of a mile Torne Trail and a portion of the 6.4 mile Blue Blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail. Stops include outstanding views and an interesting man-made Stone Living Room. Ready? Let’s do it!
The hike is an estimated 1.5 miles from Otter Hole Road.
Starting from near the Otter Hole Road Parking area, head south to the trailhead of the red blazed Torne Mountain Trail.
Once on the Torne trail, signs advertising the blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail will appear.
Head southwest then south on the blue blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail to Climb Torne Mountain.
The first view will be of Buck Mountain to the north. Continuing southeast views of the Newark Pequannock Watershed land appear to the west.
Near the western viewpoint, a short unmarked trail appears to the left leading to a man-made Stone Living Room. “Chairs” & “Sofas” have been constructed from surrounding rocks. The Stone Living Room is an excellent place to stop for lunch and rest while taking in views.
From the Stone Living Room, head back to the Hewitt Butler Trail. Continuing south, descend Torne Mountain passing a stand-alone Stone chair.
Here you will reach a ravine at the bottom of Torne mountain and the southern trailhead of the red blazed Torne Trail which will be your return back to Otterhole Road.
For now, pass the southern trail-head of the Torne Trail and continue southeast on the blue blazed Hewitt-Butler trail climbing to Osio Rock.
From here, views of the Wanaque Reservoir, the NYC Skyline (on a clear day) and High Mountain of the 2nd Watchung Mountain range may be viewed to the east.
After taking in the views, turn around and head north west to retrace your steps back to the ravine to the red blazed Torne trail trailhead.
Here you will take the Torne trail north back to Otterhole Road where the trail began.
Flora
Flora found along the trail includes the below among others:
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!
Fauna:
Directions: (as taken from localhikes.com)
Hamburg Turnpike to Glenwild Ave. Parking area is next to Bloomingdale/West Milford border (look for Welcome to West Milford sign, or Welcome to Bloomingdale sign depending on which direction you are traveling.
Great Hiking/Ecology Books:
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!
5. Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State:
Wild New Jersey invites readers along Wheeler’s whirlwind year-long tour of the most ecologically diverse state for its size in America.
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!
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