Hike 1: Summit Field to Washington Rock

The morning started with a early hike out to Washington Rock and the overlook to the south at the Watchungs. The walk wandered a bit covering some unofficial trails and looping back along side Crest Drive. Attendance was light, but it made for a nice warmup for the day.

Hiking south towards Washington Rock

The southern view of Watchung from Washington Rock

Hike 2: Summit Field to Hemlock Falls

This hour and a half or so, slow paced hike to the falls and back was attended by a nice crew of people. With the falls raging from the recent endless rain it was a great day to go down there. The hike mixed it up between the roads/bridal paths and the red/white falls loop trail with the highlight visiting then walking over the top of the falls.

The group hiking towards Hemlock Falls

Enjoying the view at Hemlock Falls

Walk 3: Wildflower Preserve Tour

With 2 knowledgable tour guides we wandered the enclosed wildflower preserve learning about the native plant life and doing a little bird (and woodchuck) watching.

Red Columbine

Indigo bunting visiting the preserve

Watching a woodchuck run off into the woods

Learn More

Learn more about South Mountain Reservation at the Hike NJ park page, or at the Conservancy website. You can also visit the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland, NJ. The photos above can all be seen in this gallery on Flickr.

How about You?

What did you do this past weekend? Did you hike the 50 miles of NJ2NY50? Did you hike around High Point or visit a lake?

NJ2NY50

Hikers crossing the Garden Sate Parkway on last year's Lenape34

The NJ2NY50 is a 50 mile walk along the East Coast Greenway and Liberty Water Gap Trails from NJ Transit’s Metropark Station in Iselin to New York City (via short ‘hike’ on the PATH) and continuing the walk on the east side to Penn Station (where you can get a train back to the starting point). The hike goes through some suburban and more urban areas, but also meets up with the Hudson and some nice views across the river at New York and then back at New Jersey.

This event is part of the ongoing Cross-Jersey Walking Challenge, a trek of 100 total miles from Trenton to NYC, and organized by the same folks that brought you last fall’s Lenape Trail thru hike.

2nd Annual Mayapple Festival

50 miles along trails and sidewalks wasn’t insane enough for you the trail runners in South Mountain Reservation will be looping around the park to race in distances up to 100k in the 2011 Mayapple Ultra. If you’re interested, race registrations close Wednesday 5/18.

A recent scene at South Mountain Reservation's Diamond Mill Pond

For those not interested in running (and I don’t blame you!) the Mayapple Festival event caters to families, walkers, hikers and nature lovers of all types with an art fair, guided hikes to Hemlock Falls or through the wildflower preserve, and, as an addition this year, live music all afternoon in the Summit. Having missed the festival last year, I’ll be around this year with a camera over my shoulder checking out a little bit of everything.

For more information on the Mayapple Festival, and directions to South Orange, NJ, see the South Mountain Conservancy, or the official Facebook event page.

How will you be enjoying the local parks this weekend? Attending one of these events? Have plans for another trip or event?

Sponsored by the South Mountain Conservancy and the Essex County Parks Department this one day event is at South Mountain Reservation in New Jersey (Hike NJ SMR Park Info Page) the festival has something for everyone — from an ultra-marathon to walks through the new wildflower preserve to an ultimate frisbee game. Most activities will take place or originate in the Summit Field area located off of South Orange Ave. (Map).

The following info was taken from SOMOCON’s email newsletter:

Events Overview

• Art Show and exhibits – Summit Field, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• Nature Creative Writing Session – Summit Field, 2:30.
• Ultra-marathon – Locust Grove, 6:00 a.m. -10:00 p.m.
• Special Hikes – originating at Summit Field — 10:00, 12:00, 1:30, 2:00

Organized Hike Schedule

• 10 a.m. to 11:30: Washington Rock by a different route: We will walk at a moderate pace on some seldom used trails to and from Washington Rock, having a tour of some of the sites there and monuments. Meet at the south end of the Summit Field picnic area.
• 12:00 to 1:30: Quick Stroll to the Falls: A medium paced stroll using part of the newly extended red dot trail and a new section of the Lenape to Hemlock Falls. Meet at the south end of the Summit Field picnic area.
• 1:30 p.m. to 3: Origins of the Park Historical Tour: Meet at Bramhall Terrace overlooking NYC to see areas related to the founding of the park in 1895 and the years immediately after as well as some old, abandoned mines where Maplewoodians of the early 1800′s hoped to find copper.
• 2:00 to 3:00: The Wildflower and Forest Preserve: Join Tricia Zimic for a tour of the new trails in the Wildflower and Forest Preserve. Meet at the south end of the Summit Field picnic area.

I’m not able to attend, but if you do make it out I’d love to hear from you here about how it went & what you enjoyed about the first year of this event, so come back and leave a comment or link your photos!