Experience the sights, sounds, history and community of one of the most magical places on earth - the Land Where the Smoke Rises - in and around Kinnelon, NJ
4. Meeting place: Fosterfields Visitor Center on Kahdena Road, Morris Township. Fosterfields can be reached from Morristown by taking route C 124 (Mendham Rd) West 1.5 miles and turn right on Kahdena Rd (after passing the Burnham Park swimming pool). You can Google for directions to 73 Kahdena Rd Morris Township, NJ.
5. If you'd like to be involved in the End of Year Get-Together after the hike, Janet is coordinating a “bring your favorite goodie”. Simply email her at jmcmillan@morrisparks.net. As Tom says, "This is purely voluntary so there’s no pressure to make that Fruit Cake with 18 different ingredients."
We can't wait to see Tom Edmunds, Russ Nee and Janet McMillan again and take part in another MCPC hike. It's been too long! We hope to see you there, too!
In case you weren't aware, there's a new trail in town at Silas Condict Park in Kinnelon and it's definitely worth checking out on September 25, 2011 [or on your own]! You'll find it identified as the W trail on the Silas Condict Trail Map, although I refer to it as the Bear Mountain Trail.
Regardless, it represents an approximately 4 mile loop hike and transforms - in my mind - the Silas Condict Park hiking experience and you have the opportunity to check it out via guided tour with one of Morris County Park's talented teacher/naturalists! Here are details:
On Sunday, September 25, 2011, Douglas Vorolieff from Morris County Park Commission will lead a hike along the new Bear Mountain Trail in Silas Condict Park in Kinnelon.
When: September 25, 2011 at 9AM
Where: Meet at the Silas Condict Casino (i.e., the main stone building by the lake).
The Route: Along the W trail through the recently acquired area south of the lake and adjacent to Borough owned properties between Kinnelon Rd and Smoke Rise. This area is about 250 acres.
Description: The trail will take us through parts of Bear Mountain in Kinnelon.
To participate in this hike, you must register. To register, please call and leave a message at 973 283-2880 or email Ken Bitz at kbitz@optonline.net.
Note: no dogs.
Sadly, Emma and I won't be able to participate. However, Ted will be there!
To give you a preview of what to expect, here are photos and my trail map from last December's Morris County Hike a Park a Month event during which we previewed the Bear Mountain Trail. So many participated [~45] that we formed two groups, pictured here.
Here's the trail map with photos. Notice the range of terrain, including a really cool rock formation to squeeze through. It's a fantastic trail!
Tom Edmunds shared the following as we prepared for the hike last year:
The creators of this route through our recent acquisition in Silas Condict Park (Duncan Douglas, Tom Carr and Ron Luna) will be leading us over a quite challenging and adventuresome trail with great views and a good warming workout fit for the cold we anticipate.
We strongly encourage all to wear good hiking boots as there are several areas where secure footing is advisable. Hiking sticks will also help but be careful of depending on them on smooth rock surfaces. We’ve chosen a direction to hike this loop trail so it will appear to be more downhill than up ----of course you know I sometimes overstate the case.
Don't forget to register! Then, after the hike, let me know what you liked most.
It's been a long time since we last participating in a Morris County Park Commission hike, but we are hopeful about the next one which takes place on August 6th, 2011 at the Schiff Nature Preserve in Mendham Township, NJ. Any chance you might join us?
Here are the details that Tom Edmunds, MCPC Trails Mapping/GPS, shared in a recent email:
"On August 6 we’ll hike a part of Schiff Nature Preserve in Mendham and some adjacent properties. We’ll meet at and start the hike ( 9AM) on the grounds of The Community of St John Baptist at 82 W Main St. Mendham 07945. This a Religious Order for Women in the Episcopal Church. One of our hikers is a member of their staff and has assisted us in the planning for the hike.
The route will start on a short trail on St john Baptist grounds and then the part through Schiff will include several of their trails, stopping at some of the old/restored Boy Scout sites and the Schiff Preserve HQ if it’s open."
Here are the directions that Tom shares for the Schiff Nature Preserve Hike on August 6th:
To get to St John Baptist go west from Morristown to Mendham and look for the sign for DAYTOP on the left a short way out of the center of Mendham, turn left and take the long drive to the right all the way back past the white buildings of the Convent & Chapel and then look for the red brick building which is the St Marguerites Retreat House. Please park to the left of the Retreat House ---we’ll probably get a quick tour of this facility.
If you are interested, please be sure to contact Tom Edmunds and let him know you are coming. He'll also want you to sign a release form. You can reach Tom via email at tedmunds@morrisparks.net.
One of the benefits of living in an area so rich in history is taking part in the Morris County Park Commission (MCPC)Industrial Heritage Tours. The next one takes place this Saturday 7/16/11 for a walk through the Boonton Historic District.
Where: Meet on Main Street in front of the Boonton Post Office near the corner of Williams Street.
Parking: Since the tour will probably run longer than two hours [the limit on the Main Street parking meters], you are better off parking in the residential area north of Birch Street where there are no meters. The parking authority is active giving tickets on expired meters.
Directions: From the south get off I- 278 at Exit 44. From the north take Exit 45 and follow Myrtle Avenue south to Main Street.
Historical Background on Boonton
The story of Boonton’s growth from a small iron making village to large industrial town involves real estate speculation, venture capital, and insider information and would fit right in to today’s headlines. It started in 1831 when the New Jersey Iron Company brought cutting-edge technology to a spot where abundant waterpower and the newly completed Morris Canal would make it possible to build what would become one of Morris County's largest industrial complexes employing as many as 600 workers.
On this tour we will walk to entire site and see the remains of the iron works, a Morris Canal Inclined Plane, the bases of two anthracite blast furnaces and the oldest workers houses in town. The walk will end with a visit to the Boonton Historical Society Museum. For those who want more there will also be an opportunity to visit the nearby railroad trestle and turntable.
This moderate hike will involve walking along trails, city street and include some off-trail exploration.
Don't forget to let Joe know if you are attending. If you do go, I hope you'll take photos and share with us what you enjoy most!
During this hike, we learned about the efficiency of an inclined plane for moving canal traffic over different terrain and, more specifically, up a hill without having to construct numerous locks.
We saw the restored turbine chamber where a water-powered turbine pulled barges up the inclined plane.
We visited a nearby mine and then hiked up to a lookout point.
32 intrepid hikers!
Tom Edmunds from MCPC Trails Mapping/GIS summarized the hike as follows:
"We had a most enjoyable time on our September 18 tour & hike at Roxbury’s Ledgewood Canal Basin of the Morris Canal. Joe Macasek (and later, Bob Bodenstein) presented excellent details of the restored turbine chamber of the incline plane and surrounding artifacts. Joe’s talk and handouts were exemplary of the tours he conducts for the MCPC Industrial Heritage walks.
The hikers, 32 of us, were greeted by Roxbury Councilman Tim Smith and Open Space Committeeman Bill Dluzniewski. Peter Turnbull, Assistant Engineer also joined us. We visited the nearby High Ledge Mine and did a short hike up and over an excellent “lookout” point surrounding the plane, with 3 young ladies guiding us by the trail blazes."
Here follow my photos of Roxbury's Ledgewood Morris Canal Basin. At the end, you'll find my trail map which includes additional photos of the mine part of the hike.
Roxbury Councilman Tim Smith and Open Space Committeeman Bill Dluzniewski greeted us.
Can you believe the size of this? This is what pulled the barges up the inclined plane.
That cable ran down the inclined plane along these sleeper stones.
Cool debris
Looking down the Inclined Plane
Joe Macasek talking. Photo courtesy of Barbara Page
Those are Joe's feet. Behind him are stairs that overlook the Turbine Chamber.
Going to visit the Turbine Chamber.
Fabulous rock walls
The Turbine Chamber
Remember that photo above of Joe's feet? This chamber is just below that covered section.
Where: Meet at the Silas Condict Casino (i.e., the main stone building by the lake).
The Route: On a proposed trail through the recently acquired area south of the lake and adjacent to Borough owned properties along Kinnelon Rd and the Smoke Rise area. This area is about 250 acres.
Description: Parts of this proposed trail are “difficult” in that they are along a narrow ridge. We will determine by hike time just how to safely navigate the area and still afford everyone the really wonderful views in most all directions.
Says Tom Edmunds: "Party Time!!: We invite everyone to stay after the hike for an informal Holiday party at the Casino. Light snacks and refreshments. We're pretty well set on the basics, but if you'd like to bring some of your special Holiday goodies, send an email to Janet McMillan at jmcmillan@morrisparks.net."
If you do plan on joining us for this Holiday Hike through Silas Condict Park in Kinnelon, please contact Tom Edmunds, MCPC Trails Mapping/GPS at tedmunds@morrisparks.net.
Ted, Emma and I look forward to seeing you on Saturday, December 11th.
PS: If you'd like to make a whole day of the event, plan on attending Ramstein Beer's December Open House at 2pm the same day. Details will be published separately.
If you haven't taken part in a MCPC [Morris County Park Commission] hike, you are missing out on one of the best local activities available for discovering Morris County's Trails. The hikes take place monthly on the first Saturday of the month, and explore the many parks and municipalities of Morris County.
I shared with you how I first discovered the program in this post from 2009 titled Morris County Hiking Trails In Daily Record. Since then, we've participated in many of the hikes, learned a lot about the area, and met fun people.
Most amazing about this program are the three MCPC people who organize each hike, map it out, prepare the trail, guide, and invite local representatives to join in and provide perspective on the creation of the trail: Russ Nee, Tom Edmunds and Janet McMillan.
By the way, Russ Nee, MCPC Trails Foreman, quoted in the 2009 Daily Record article, is pictured here in this September 15, 2010 article titled "Patriots Path runners trail being resurfaced."
MCPC Hikes: Details of our Discovery of Morris County's Trails
Here are the details of the MCPC hikes we've been on. These posts include trail map, photos and any historic references I'm able to find. I will add to the list as I complete posts about more recent hikes.
Pictured here are Mt. Olive Mayor David Scapicchio, Girl Scout Leader Janice Bunce-Escobar and our hike leader Laura Szwak from NJ Conservation.
Thank you, Phil Bishop and Barb Page, for the photos!
We started out parking our cars at our hike ending point. From there, we carpooled to the Mt. Olive high school and hiked through some beautiful areas. Our fearless trio is pictured above by a magical pond - part of the pristine Mt. Olive waterways. We then hiked upward through a variety of terrains.
Total distance: 3.3 miles
Most extraordinary is that our trail had been blazed by the local girl scout troup. Talk about fierce determination and impressive local dedication. They did a beautiful job!
The next Morris County Park Commission [MCPC] hike takes place this Saturday, September 18, 2010 at Roxbury Township's Ledgewood Pond.
This hike should be particularly interesting as it will take us along the Morris Canal's Ledgewood Incline Plane with a special commentary from Joe Macasek who will lead a tour of the turbine chamber, the surrounding artifacts and a nearby mine.
We’ll meet at the parking lot on Emmans Rd for a 9 AM start. Be aware that there's a lot of poison ivy in this area and we strongly urge you to wear long pants and shirts. Roxbury Township personnel are going to “rid” the immediate area of the mess but still be warned.
Bring water and a snack. The port-o-john should be available.
Directions for the Roxbury Township Ledgewood Pond Hike:
From Morristown area: Take Sussex Ave or route 10 west to Roxbury/Succasunna.
Merge on to route 46 west (at the old Ledgewood circle) and keep to the right. Make a U turn right before the light and come back (eastward) on route 46, keeping to the right again.
Turn right after the ATV/Motor cycle store on to Main Street Ledgewood. Continue a short distance and turn right on Emmans Rd.
Go 100 yards and turn right into the Canal Park parking lot. Go to the far end.
Note: For your own customized directions, be sure to use an Internet mapping service to get from your place to 12 Emmans Rd, Ledgewood, NJ 07852.
Once you get there, Tom, Janet and Russ will take care of the rest! And, I'll be tracking our steps via Everytrail!
It's been a while and we can't wait to spend the morning with Tom, Janet and Russ!
Here is how Tom Edmunds describes the hike:
"We’re all set for a cool, mostly shaded walk in Mt Olive’s Turkey Brook Park on Saturday, August 7. Volunteers, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts and other citizens of Mt Olive have done a great job of creating and maintaining a trail system in this large park.
This is a linear trail hike so we will have to car pool from the Meeting Point in the Budd Lake area, to the hike Start Point at Mt Olive High School. If you have an SUV/Van we’d appreciate some assistance in the car pooling effort. We’ll form the car pooling at the meeting point."
Sounds perfect for an August hike!
[By the way, did you know that Budd Lake is the largest natural lake in New Jersey according to Wikipedia?]
If you are interested in joining the group, please be sure to contact Tom Edmunds via email at:
tedmunds@morrisparks.net.
Pending approval from the Mt. Olive Police Department, here follow meeting details:
Meeting Place: The cul-de-sac at end of Gold Mine Rd (off rt 46 not rt 206) in Budd Lake.
Time: 9 AM
Route: A 2.5 hour hike from Mt Olive High School back to the meeting point. A diverse trail surface---some wet spots, cool woods, short road side walk and open fields.
Bring: Good hiking shoes (rain could make for some sloppy spots), water, a snack and bug spray if you use/need it. Please note that hiking in shorts is NOT recommended as there are numerous areas of poison ivy.
There are no restroom facilities on this hike.
Directions: Rt I-80 west, exit #26 (Budd Lake, Hackettstown)
Go about 2+ miles on rt 46 west passing the International Trade Zone
Look for landmarks---Light at the Budd Lake Diner and the Old Blue Bird Inn on right (abandoned many years), and then a car wash on left.
NOTE: Gold Mine Rd is right after the car wash but you can’t turn left (not ‘allowed’), keep right and before the next light, make jug handle turn at Anderson Pl and come back on rt 46 east, then turn right into Gold Mine Rd. Go to the far end to the cul-de-sac for parking.
Mapquest should give you these same basic directions from your home if coming from the east. Be sure they are directing you to Gold Mine Rd off route 46, not off route 206 in Flanders area. (Try a street address like 88 Gold Mine Rd)
31 of us gathered at 9am on Saturday, March 6, 2010, at the Randolph Town Hall located at 502 Millbrook Avenue where we found ample parking and great facilities. We lucked out with the weather: bright blue skies and sunshine.
And crunchy snow underfoot. Hard to believe, right, now that we are in deep summer-like weather?
That snow, though, made this hike challenging for even the most experienced hikers! I'm so grateful that Emma was away on sleepover....
Nonetheless, we thoroughly enjoyed the 5.7 mile trek and the great survival stories we've been exchanging since.
Pictured above are Randolph Township Mayor Jay Alpert and Manager John Lovell who welcomed us to the Township and wished us well on our hike.
Here is Tom Edmunds' summary of the highlights:
"Janet put some final touches on a custom route for us and we trekked through Randolph Township’s trail system adjacent to MCPC James Andrew Park and the rolling Randolph hills. After a few send-off words from Township Mayor Jay Alpert and Manager John Lovell we marched on into a surprising amount of snow right from the start. Crampons and hiking sticks/ski poles turned out to be invaluable."
Randolph Township has an extensive trail system that, as Tom explained to me, supports the town infrastructure. Students can walk or bike to schools and emergency vehicles can get through.
Notice from the photos the width of several of the trails
I mentioned that the going for this hike was surprisingly rough. In fact, several of us compared the conditions to walking in wet sand with a heavy pack... I'm eager to experience the trail in gentler conditions, without that challenging crusty snow cover that wouldn't support our adult weight. :-)
Apart from that, the trails took us alongside lovely waterways and by several bucolic lunch spots.
Our hike took us from Town Hall along the edge of Freedom Park, through Brundage Park, to the new Cohn Farm area and by the Highest Point in Randolph at 1130 feet. Tom offered us the opportunity to take a slight detour to reach that point of interest. We passed.
Here below you see Janet McMillan sharing perspective on the hike.
Thanks, Tom, Janet and Russ, for once again putting together a memorable hike! Here are the details on the trail we took through Randolph NJ.
The Smoke Rise & Kinnelon Blog has no affiliation with The Smoke Rise Club, Inc. All of the opinions shared in this blog are completely our personal views and are in no way those of The Smoke Rise Club corporation. The Smoke Rise & Kinnelon Blog is completely owned and created by Christine & Ted Whittemore.
