To kick of the hiking season, local residents Teun Ott and Brian Coan will lead a hike on Patriots’ Path in Chester and Long Valley on Saturday April 20, 2013.
We will meet at 9:30 at the endpoint of the hike, the Patriots’ Path trailhead next to the Lamplighter Restaurant on old Rte 24 in Chester (now CR 510 and CR 513, about .4 mile west of Rte 206). We will leave most cars there and drive with as few cars as possible to the starting point of the hike, the Patriots Path parking lot on Fairview Ave in Washington Township, next to the Columbia Trail.
[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=218397372432312459536.0004d8fed77cafe9e6eb2&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=40.782036,-74.704328&spn=0.009749,0.012875&z=15&output=embed&w=300&h=300] MAP SHOWING OFFICIAL HIKE MEETING SPOT
We will then hike back to the trailhead next to the Lamplighter Restaurant. This hike consists of 4 stretches:
Fairview Ave – Palmer Park (mostly Columbia Trail, a few hundred feet on Bartley Road);
Palmer Park – Tanners Brook Road (this stretch of trail is maintained by Brian Coan and Teun Ott); Tanners Brook Road – Furnace Road (includes a stretch of an
old railroad, including a massive old railroad bridge over the Black River); Furnace Road – Trailhead on old Rte 24 (also partially an old railroad).
Boyscout parents etc can drop off kids at the parking lot on Fairview Ave (at 9:45), and pick them up at the trailhead on old Rte 24. If you use the latter option make sure the person to be picked up has access to a cell phone.
[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=218397372432312459536.0004d8fed77cafe9e6eb2&ie=UTF8&t=m&ll=40.795618,-74.770632&spn=0.009747,0.012875&z=15&output=embed&w=300&h=300]MAP SHOWING HIKE BEGINNING SPOT
For others: If you come to the parking lot on Fairview Ave instead of the official meeting (end) point there is a risk there will not be enough cars at the endpoint. If that is the case you will have to hike back.
After the hike some of us may decide to go to a local Pizza Place.
Some background information:
The “Patriot’s Path” is a trail system in Morris County. Also see www.hikechester.org for maps and additional information.
