Apshawa Preserve – Butler Reservoir, Waterfalls, Ruins

Hiked:
Apshawa Preserve - Butler Reservoir

A new trail map for Apshawa came out last September, and while it’s not unusual for trails to change, there are some huge differences since we last hiked this in Nov. 2010 (“Apshawa Preserve“).

In addition to some changes in route configurations, a few trail colors have changed (the trail, in the beginning, is now BLUE instead of WHITE etc) and even a whole section of WHITE is gone from the map.

BLUE trail

And last time we hiked a rather soggy YELLOW trail around the end of the reservoir but that is now closed due to the eager beavers who have managed to flood the trail.

Miles: 5.4

For complete hike info visit our main Best Hikes in NJ: Apshawa Preserve page.

Apshawa Yellow Trail
Butler Reservoir at the YELLOW trail
Apshawa Beaver Lodge

The culprits’ hide out.

IMG_0036_2
Frog Eggs

This park packs in a lot of variety: plenty of views along the reservoir…

RED trail
Along the RED trail
Beaver lodge in the distance, at the YELLOW trail
Butler Reservoir
RED trail

some overlooks and a glimpse of the NYC skyline…

View of Butler Reservoir from WHITE
Viewpoint on the GREEN trail
Glimpse of NYC on GREEN

Snazzy metal bridge at a stream crossing…

Bridge on the RED trail
RED trail

The occasional gate to get in and out of the deer fence….

Gate through a deer fence.
Apshawa Preserve Waterfall

Waterfalls…

Waterfall on Apshawa Brook

Related: Waterfalls in NJ / Best Waterfall Hikes in NJ

….ruins of a water purification system from the 1900’s…

Water filtration system ruins, dates to the early 1900s
Water filtration system ruins, dates to the early 1900s

and a dam…

Dam on Apshawa Brook
...whoops.

Whoops.

Well, now, that’s just not something you see every day. Rusted out cars along the trail, sure, that’s almost a requirement along NJ trails… but this is a new one.

Hopefully, this was empty when it went over.

Wildlife spotted: Heard a woodpecker and lots of frogs. Saw a turf war going on between two pairs of geese – lots of honking and chasing going on.

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