Monday, June 23, 2014

Hewitt Butler Trail to the Stone Living Room (and a little AT)

Location: Norvin Green State Forest, Bloomingdale, NJ (Hewitt Butler Trail) and Wawayanda State Park, Hewitt, NJ (AT)
Season Visited: Summer
Trail Length: According to the official website, Hewitt Butler Trail is 5.5 miles.  If you're just going to the Stone Living Room, I estimate the distance to be 1.5 miles, there-and-back.  This is nothing more than an estimate based on my hiking time.  It could be a little less.  The section of the AT mentioned is about 1 mile there-and-back, estimated.
Time to Hike: 1 hour for the Hewitt Butler Trail, 30 minutes for this small section of the AT.
Difficulty Level: Hewitt Butler Trail to Stone Living Room - 3; AT - 1.

My sister Sara and I went on a summer solstice hiking trip this past weekend to New Jersey's own Stonehenge, the mysterious Stone Living Room.  This legendary site of Weird NJ fame has been on my sister's bucket list since we first lost ourselves in the sacred pages of our hardcover Weird NJ book, so we decided to make like pagans and worship the sun at the ancient shrine built by unknown stonemasons that has been overlooking a perfect view since maybe the 1990s (no one seems to know for sure when it was built).  This was more difficult than it sounds, because there are no clear directions to the trailhead.  After much internet research on shady-looking websites, my sister and I set GPS coordinates to somewhere along Glenwild Avenue and went from there, knowing that we had to look for a blue sign that said "Welcome to Bloomingdale" and then cross the street to find the blue blazes.  Fortunately we made it just fine, and the result was a very rewarding trip to this awesome "living room."

If you plan to make this trip, know that parking is limited.  Also, be sure to cross the street from the parking area where the Welcome to Bloomingdale sign is.  We saw a number of people go down the wrong trail looking for the Stone Living Room before we ourselves found out where we were.  You are looking for blue blazes on a narrow, rocky trail that almost immediately goes uphill.

Cleo the hiking yorkie-poo is ready for more adventures this summer!

Once you've navigated parking and finding the trail, the lovely surroundings should help you to forget the madness you just endured.  As I have found is typical amongst North Jersey trails, they are really rocky and surprisingly beautiful for being in the part of the state that gives Jersey a bad name.  You will see interesting boulder formations and maybe even some wildlife in the initial forested section of the trail.

Gypsy moth caterpillar.

Boulders.


It was hotter than expected, and we worked up a sweat!

Soon the forest gives way to boulders and lovely views.



A little ways past these cairns is the Living Room!  You have to look off-trail, a little to the right I l believe, so be sure to keep your eyes open so you don't miss it!  I read a few accounts on the internet of people passing it, but you really shouldn't have a problem as long as you're looking.

View from the Stone Living Room, with half of the Living Room shown to the side.



The complete set of chairs.

The armchair/throne.


Nothing is forever.





Be sure to spend as much time as you want enjoying the chairs and the view.  There's a fire pit here (with lots of beer bottles in it), but it's probably less-than-wise (and maybe also illegal) to build a fire.  Still, this is a great place for lunch!

All that's left to do when you're done, of course, is to head back down!  It's an easy descent, just watch for toe-stubbing rocks.



This could be the end of your hiking adventure, or you could do what Sara and I did and head to the Appalachian Trail.  It's all over the place up here, but I headed 30 minutes to Wawayanda State Park due to my familiarity with the trail there.  Parking for this particular section is on Warwick Turnpike around these GPS coordinates: N41.12054, W74.23298.  There is a little more roadside parking here and it's not quite as popular, so you should be fine arriving any time of day.  The AT is on both sides of the road, so make sure you're going south-bound if you plan to camp where we did.  If you're coming from Bloomingdale, this will be on the left side of the road.

The trail starts out grassy and flat, then crosses next to Parker Lake before coming to the AT shelter in Wawayanda State Park.  There are lots of places to camp here, which is another reason why I chose this location.  There were some thru-hikers near the shelter, so my sister and I camped on the other side of the trail, opposite the shelter but still within walking distance of the privy (which we discovered only after we peed in the woods, conveniently).  Overall it's a very nice little place to spend the night, although you can still occasionally hear cars and jets (and, on this particular night, also fireworks/gunshots?).  It's super easy to get to, and you can walk a little before calling it a night and see the sights or talk to the other hikers who congregate here.

AT south-bound, right off the road.

Midday nap with the Cleo <3

The shelter is off to the right side of the trail.  We passed by it at first and then noticed the blue shelter signs.

After setting up camp, we came back to look at Parker Lake.





"I'm ready to sit, Mommy."

A little after the shelter, when we stopped our evening walk and decided to go back to camp.

Summer solstice sun setting.

Salamander at camp!

And that's it!  Head back in the morning and reflect on your time at an ancient(ish), sacred (not really) stone monument and your time on the trail dreams are made of.  Enjoy it, and keep wandering.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

White Rocks (Hazel Mountain and White Rocks Trails)

Location: Shenandoah National Park, VA
Season Visited: Spring
Trail Length: Between 5 and 8.5 miles there-and-back, depending on where you camp and how long you stay on the side-trail to the falls and cave.  In this review, I estimate we hiked about 5 miles total.
Time to Hike: 3 hours (an hour and a half each day)
Difficulty Level: 2.  Side trail to waterfall and cave near camp is a very short .2 miles, but it is steep and I would rate the climb back up a 4.

My love for Shenandoah National Park cannot be overstated, as I think I have made clear on this blog.  It seemed fitting that my first real backpacking trip would be at the park that houses my favorite hike, so that's where I went!  I chose a short, easy hike with my husband for my first time sleeping outdoors anywhere other than a campground.  It was everything I hoped it would be: quiet, lovely, and a perfect location for me to test my new backpacking gear and skills.

I found out about this trail combination through Shenandoah's wonderful trip planner, which I plan to use for pretty much all of my future backpacking excursions in the park.  Be sure to get a free backcountry camping permit from the visitor center during office hours (9:00-5:00).  The park staff are always friendly.  They will ask you about your trip plans to be sure you are prepared, get a little info, and then send you on your way.

View from the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, where you can get your permit if coming in from the North Entrance.

As stated on this useful itinerary, parking for the White Rocks trip is near mile marker 34, the Meadow Spring Area, on Skyline Drive.  There isn't a ton of parking, but there's enough.  You can see the parking area indicated on this map.

To begin the hike, head southeast on Hazel Mountain Trail from the parking area.  You will be going downhill at a nice, gradual pace.  Stay right when you come to the fork to stay on Hazel Mountain Trail.  Every intersection is clearly marked by posts as well, so it's really quite difficult to get lost.

Sean on Hazel Mountain Trail in the late afternoon.

And me.

Eventually you will come to another intersection, with a small stream on your right.  Turn left to begin on White Rocks Trail, which is, in my opinion, prettier and more interesting than the beginning of Hazel Mountain Trail.  You only have a short while to go until you reach some lovely camping spots at the cave/falls junction.

Slight uphill section on White Rocks Trail.

It's easy to forget you're up pretty high!

You can't miss the cave/falls junction, which is clearly marked by a post.  White Rocks Trail continues in front of you, and the side trail (unmarked on the map) to the falls and cave is to your right.  To your left, right past some brush and a boulder, are some nice camping spots.  We set up camp before heading to check out the falls and cave.

Setting up camp in my new tent with my new sleeping bag :)

The trail down to the falls is short and steep.  It's totally worth it, as the falls and cave are super fun to explore.  The cave, as the ranger at Dickey Ridge said, is really just "a hole in the wall," but it's fun anyway.

Near the bottom of the falls.


The cave is up a very short ways, right next to the falls.

Exploring the falls is lots of fun!


At the top.


Slip around the boulders by the falls for crevices to play in.

When you're done at the falls, brace yourself for a steep (but very short) climb back to camp.

Heading up!

The evening spent at camp was really lovely in mid-April.  With nobody around, everything was peaceful.  Unfortunately I (yet again) underestimated how freaking cold it gets up there in the mountains at night, but I made it through!

Taking a walk a little further down White Rocks Trail after dinner.  Campsite from the trail.

Sunset at camp.

Backcountry permit hanging from the tent, as instructed.  Unfortunately I am the lightest sleeper known to man and took it off in utter frustration at the sound of it blowing in the wind in the middle of the night.  I'll figure out a better method next time.

If you're anything like me, you'll be up at the crack of dawn the next day.  After a quick breakfast, Sean and I were back on the trail before the sun was even fully up.  I must say it looked even more beautiful in the morning light.  The hike back is more uphill, but it's really no big deal.  Just re-trace your steps and you'll be back to the parking area in no time!

White Rocks Trail in the morning.

Sun coming up at the intersection of White Rocks and Hazel Mountain.

Just after the fork almost back to the parking lot.  Buck Ridge Trail to the right and Hazel Mountain to the left on that one.

#selfie

And that's it!  If you're lucky, you might even get to see some Shenandoah deer on the way home.  Oh, and don't forget to stop at those overlooks on Skyline Drive!  They never get old.

I'm just saying, I'm proud of this really nice deer picture.

How can you not love Skyline Drive?

Enjoy your hike, and keep wandering :)

Pinterest