For summer holiday weekends, we prefer to head away from the shore and the associated crowds/traffic. After poking around our stack of maps, Rattlesnake Swamp caught my eye.
We’d done the trail probably a good 6 or 7 yrs ago, maybe more, and hadn’t been back since. I believe we weren’t enthralled with it because it was really overgrown and/or confusing… can’t recall. Time to revisit.
This time we combined Coppermines, the AT, and Rattlesnake to make a big loop, which serves up a bit-o-everything: streams, water cascades, mines (closed), ridge hiking with views of rural Jersey, a fire tower, lush trails, rhododendron tunnels, a swamp… very nice. Read more…
Decided to check out Stephens State Park once we stumbled on a trail map that showed the potential for long loops here. This park is located right next to Allamuchy State Park, which we’d been to before, but we’d skipped Stephens because the official map only shows a few short trails around the parking lot.
If you aren’t looking for a long hike and are more into short trails, playgrounds and picnic areas, you’ll still want to check this park out. From the small parking lot, take a short stroll down the red trail along the river – there is a bridge to cross and you can score a picnic table on a little island of land. There are a few small trail loops and a couple of playgrounds.
10.2 miles, moderate trail surface. Lots of level woods roads, with some steep sections.There were a lot of large areas of standing water… unsure if that was just because of the recent heavy rain or not. If you head there in the summer… have bugspray handy in case it’s mosquito central. Read more…
For detailed hike directions, maps, photos and GPS coordinates, visit our Apple Pie Hill page.
8.4 miles. Easy, level trail surface through the Pine Barrens in Wharton State Forest. Follow the Batona Trail (PINK blazes) from the Carranza Memorial to Apple Pie Hill and back.
Was warm and sunny, upper 80′s. This hike has strong sun exposure since the pine trees don’t offer as much shade – plan accordingly (sunblock, hat, plenty of water) or go when it’s cooler. Wild blueberries are all along this hike so that is your reward for dealing with the sun if you hike this during blueberry season (late July- mid Aug)…
For summer holiday weekends, we prefer to head away from the shore and the associated crowds/traffic. After poking around our stack of maps, Rattlesnake Swamp caught my eye.
