<<<Hikes in NJ - Trails Less Taken
Hike Info:
Sourland Mountain Preserve
Summary: Small park in Somerset County offers pleasant, easy hiking. Mountain biking, horseback riding and bouldering are also allowed.
4.9 miles. Easy to moderate. “Ridge Trail” is rocky, and there is some minor elevation gain. Even though it's called the "Ridge" trail, there are no views from any of the trails. Shorter trail options are 1.4 mile “Maple Flats” (Triangle), and .5 miles Pondside (Circle).
Map: You can print out the map from their site, and there were ample maps provided in the trail kiosk. The map does not denote the trail marker shape, instead there are a series of numbers to follow which we found slightly awkward.
Parking: East Mountain Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844. Directions can be found on the park site.
Restrooms: Porta-john in the parking lot.
Hike Directions: This route is the Ridge Trail for the entire hike and is marked with a SQUARE. There are several unmarked trails so watch for the markers.
There is one trailhead is for all the trails, it starts behind the trail kiosk.
.3 miles – pass a bridge on your left, for another trail. Start heading uphill along a rocky trail.
About .9 miles – go through a boulder field that is quite interesting. There is no scrambling involved.
1.7 miles - Arrive at the junction with the Connecting Trail, which is marked with a “C” in a Circle and goes left if you like to cut the loop shorter. There is also a #4 marker here that corresponds to the trail map. Turn RIGHT here and continue on Ridge Trail (SQUARE)
Go over a small wooden bridge just before arriving at a pipeline cut, which is marked #5.
Turn right onto the pipeline cut, walk a little bit then turn left – there is a stone marker. Head back into the woods, over a wooden boardwalk. Then shortly after, another boardwalk.
2.5 miles – marker #6. The trail turns to the left and heads very steeply downhill for a short, rocky section. There is a pipe handrail here to keep from slipping as there are a lot of loose rocks. To the right is a fence for 3M property and a red square marked trail which you can take as an alternate.
2.8 miles – marker #7 – Continue RIGHT on SQUARE over a boardwalk. The “C” trail goes to the left if you want to cut it shorter.
3.0 miles- marker #8. Turn LEFT here, near Roaring Brook. This is where the red square trail rejoins the main trail, through a gate in the fence.
Pass stone remnants of a structure on your left.
3.5 miles – marker 9. Continue straight on SQUARE. The “C” trail crosses left and right here. If you go right, it goes out to Rt. 601.
4.2 miles – marker 10. Turn RIGHT, following the SQUARE markers.
4.6 miles – marker 11. Go straight, passing the pipeline cut.
4.7 miles – marker 12. Turn RIGHT and head towards a pond and open grassy area. Head left back towards the parking lot.
