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Patriots' Path Hike in Chester

1/17/2015

 
PicturePatriots' Path along the telephone pole easement
Hello Hikers!

Yesterday I explored the section of Patriots' Path in southern Chester just off of Old Chester Road. Last time I hiked this trail, it was summer and I turned around at the crossing of Peapack Brook where there is no bridge. This time, however, I climbed across the brook on a fallen tree and was able to continue. From Old Chester Road, the trail parallels Gill St. Bernards Road through the woods. There is a drop off to the left once the trail enters the woods. It then turns left and follows next to the Peapack Brook for a quarter mile to the river crossing with no bridge. This section from Old Chester Road is blazed well enough and is in nice enough condition for a walk with nice views, but is only a quarter mile in length. The trail followed the telephone pole right of way from there through the woods until turning right across a small bridge and up a hill. At the top of the field was an open field and to the left so could see a telephone pole with a blaze. The trail led across many open fields with blazes every so often on a telephone pole or tree until terminating at a fence near East Fox Chase Road. The trail will hopefully soon be able to continue via an easement to the soon-to-be-developed Mount Paul Memorial Park. But for now, there is a red spur here that turns right. This is marked with blue blazes heading toward Roxiticus Road, but is blazed red heading in the opposite direction. Apparently whoever reblazed it red did only blazed it one way. After following the property line of a farm, crossing a few streams, and a bridge, I reached Roxiticus Road. The trail was not in good shape and was not blazed very well. It is not used much since it does not connect to any other section of Patriots' Path, so that could be why. Many of the blazes were white from when this trail was thought of as the possible through-route of Patriots' Path. The trail was narrow and very uneven, sometimes covered in branches. The sticker bushes over took the trail in some parts. Not recommended for a leisurely walk, but if you like exploring the woods, this trail may interest you.

After hiking this section, I drove west to Roger Road where I tried finding the connector trail from the end of the Black River spur at Daly Road to the Chester spit I had just hiked. Finding only a few blazes and no evidence of a trail, I decided just to hike from Daly Road to Willowwood.

The hike to Willowwood was nice, but is probably a little overgrown in other seasons. There is a stream crossing along the way with no bridge. Not hard to cross, but a bridge addition would be nice because of the extrem slope and loose rocks (I tripped into the stream). The trail follows the Rockaway Valley rail bed to Longview Road, where it crosses into Willowwood Arboretum through a deer exclusion fence. The trail from here is well maintained and it skirts the fields of wild life which is pretty even in the winter.

In other news, the Township of Chester has said that they will soon blaze Patriots' Path through to Black River Fields. The end blaze at Chubb Park (parking lot near Lamplighter) has been removed, suggesting that they are going to continue blazing the trail sooner than later. Also, the Fosterfields section is soon to be extended through Jones Woods. They have scouted a possible trail to Mendham Road and a place for the trail to cross into Morris Township's undeveloped park known locally as Jones Woods, but no word has been heard on when they will develop a hikable trail.

Be sure to check out all of the brand new and updated maps and trail descriptions. I rewrote a lot of the terribly written ones (I feel embarrassed how bad they were written). I tweaked all of my trails a little bit to make them more accurate. Some of the maps are even redone with my new GPS watch that I got for Christmas and are now 100% accurate, so that's cool.

I head back to school this weekend so don't expect any updates until the spring.

Happy Hiking!

-Brian


Patriots Path in Cedar Knolls Now Open!

7/20/2014

 
Picture

The construction of the Woodmont Knolls is almost complete, and the trail from East Fredrick Place to Cedar Knolls Road has been redone. It runs along the perimeter of the apartments to the road while hugging the Whippany River and Interstate 287. Still fun to ride, run, or hike any day.


Big Site Update

8/8/2013

 
Patriots' Path Trail Maps has not had many updates in a while, but the site has been redone. All the maps are brand-new and updated. I was having trouble with pictures, so that page will be down for a while, but will be back up with much less pictures. I hope to continue to regularly update this site again.

Hike In Gladstone

5/28/2012

 
Picture
Today I went on a hike on Patriots' Path that someone e-mailed me about. I picked up the segment at Old Chester-Gladstone Road by the Gill Saint Bernards School. It was a narrow trail that cut through the swamp following a brook and paralleling Roxiticus Road. I turned around at a river crossing where it followed a telephone pole right of way. I went the other way down the right of way back to Old Chester Road. I'm not sure if the trail continued across the river because I did not see any blazes, but I saw another trail head on Roxiticus Road and I am not sure if it connects.
The trail had cool views, but it was not maintained very well.
3 out of 5 stars. Map is below, and Patriots' Path Hacklebarney to Black River is updated.

patriots_path_blue_gladstone.kmz
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Patriots' Path Update 2-27-12

2/27/2012

 
Patriots' Path was rerouted in Chester.  The white trail now takes a shortcut near Furnace Road, and a new red spur connects the Chubb Park and Black River blue spur to the main white trail.  The Black Oak Section near Palmer Park is now also blazed and done.  Check out the maps page for the four updated maps.
New: Patriots' Path Chester Red Spur
     Stretches from the white trail to the Chubb Park/Black River Park Spur
Updated: Patriots' Path in Chester
     Now takes the gravel road shortcut
Updated: Patriots' Path Through Chubb Park Blue
     Now connects with Black River Blue Spur
Updated: Patriots' Path in Long Valley
     Now goes through new Black Oak Section

As well as these updates, the Columbia Trail is now completed from Bartley to High Bridge.  You can now bike from one end to the other without going onto roads between Fairview Avenue and Schooley's Mountain Road

Run in Jockey Hollow/NJ Brigade Area

1/16/2012

 
PicturePatriots' Path in Scherman-Hoffman Sactuaries
Yesturday I went on a run from Scherman-Hoffman Sactuaries to The Cross Estate Gardens.  The trail was beautiful, but was not well marked.  There were some areas where there were signs pointing in two different directions indicating loops.  On my Trail Decriptions page I provide you with directions through the area so you do not get lost.  The trail was very nice and looked beautiful.  Very nice area and very nice trail.  This trail continued from where we left off on our new years hike.

Hike in Jockey Hollow

1/3/2012

 
Picture
Happy New Year!  This new years hike was local in Jockey Hollow and was the usual 8 miles.  My dad, my cousin, and I hiked from the Jockey Hollow trail center to the Cross Estate Gardens.  Very fun and interesting hike.  The trail was very well maintained and had hills and valleys and cool sights.  Perfect trail for the average hiker.  The trail took us into Somerset County and to the beautiful Cross Estate Gardens.  I cannot wait for the next hike from the Gardens to Scherman-Hoffman Sanctuaries on this trail.

Hike in Black River County Park

1/3/2012

 
Picture
Patriots' Path at Kay Environmental Center
This hike happened in early December, but with the holidays, I got busy and did not update the site.  On my hike I ventured on a 4 mile route (8 miles there and back) on a blue spur of Patriots' Path through the park starting at the Cooper Mill.  The trail was very well maintained and interesting to hike as it followed the famous Black River.  The trail also rode on the Central Railroad bed. The trail then came out at Kay Environmental Center and PP now followed the Bamboo Brook Trail.  The Bamboo Brook trail went through Kay and then went across Pottersville Road.  Here the trail became rocky and hard to follow, but still a very cool trail.  It followed the Bamboo Brook to Lamerson Road where I turned back.  The trail was very nice and I cannot wait to hike the remainder of the blue spur in the spring and summer along with the red conifer trail spur.

Hike in Morristown

11/27/2011

 
Picture
Patriots' Path at Ridgedale Avenue
Today I hiked one of my favorite sections of the path that I used to ride my bike on all the time when I was young.  We hiked from Hanover Avenue to Martin Luther King Avenue.  The trail is great for hiking and biking.  The trail follows the train tracks and the Whippany River.  It is still well maintained going from the Morristown Hollow to the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.  This hike is through the town, but is still very nice.

Hike on Patriots' Path in Hanover and Morristown

11/19/2011

 
Picture
Patriots' Path at Eden Lane
Today I went on a 12 mile hike from Lurker Park to Frelinghuysen Arboretum.  The hike was very cool, and was nice.  The hike had a lot of street walking and some trail walking.  It had some nice places.  The trail goes through Hanover Farms, Troy Meadows, Bee Meadow Park, Central Park of Hanover, and the North Tract of the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.  These are the nicest places on the trail.


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    I am a Senior at Lehigh University, and I have a passion for biking and hiking.

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