Hiking Splitrock Reservior

September 17, 2019 By Hollie in hiking Tags: hike, hiking, new jersey, Rain 1 Comment

A couple of weeks ago, my husband and I headed north to hike Splitrock Reservoir in Rockaway Township in North Jersey. We narrowed it down to a few hikes, but the Splitrock Reservoir won out. We usually use the Alltrails App to find what we are looking for. The hike itself was supposed to be about 11 miles, but we think we might have cut off a mile or so. We heard Splitrock Reservoir was a beautiful hike, so we decided to drive up.

There is about 20 spots to in the parking area and parking lot. After starting the hike, you actually turn left onto Split Rock Road and walk over a dam to get to the beginning of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference trail. While the hike starts on a dirt road, you quickly exit and get onto the Splitrock Reservoir trail system.

Splitrock Reservoir is rocky with elevation change almost every step. You don’t have a lot of steep climbs, but you are either climbing or descending nearly every step. There were also water crossings, and they’ve added rope to help you across.

Before our hike at Splitrock Reservoir, it hadn’t rained much, so the water level was high. About 5 minutes into our walk, it started torrentially downpouring. We thought it would clear up, but it didn’t. It was a soggy but enjoyable hike. In case you wondered, I used the Hoka Midi Speedgoat which kept my feet dry the entire time.

Several factors made Splitrock Reservoir a challenging hike:

Length
Scrambling
Unforgiving rain

While it was challenging, we did both enjoy ourselves.

Can you tell it’s raining on the Splitrock Reservoir?

There is no real “peak” of Splitrock Reservoir, but this comes the closest

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Decided to check out Splitrock Reservoir. About 5 minutes into our hike it started to torrentially downpour. We thought it would stop…it didn’t. . We finished the loop in the rain, marriage intact, so it was a successful Monday.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on Sep 2, 2019 at 1:46pm PDT

It was a lot of fun, and we hiked somewhere between 9-10 miles. I would love to go back to Splitrock Reservoir when it isn’t pouring rain.

You can see all the hikes here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever hiked in the rain?

Do you prefer hiking with a peak or around a reservoir?

Hiking Green Mountain in Black Canyon (Gunnison National Park)

September 3, 2019 By Hollie in hiking Tags: colorado, fitness, hike, hiking, sports 3 Comments

While in Colorado, my husband and I wanted to be outside as much as possible. We found the Green Mountain in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It’s far off the beaten path, and you are driving an extra hour down dirt roads and no service zones to get there. But is it worth it? Yes. Hiking Green Mountain in Black Canyon is a great 3-4 hour hike. We took our time, and it took us about 4 hours round trip. We stopped for a while to admire the views, especially at the summit of Green Mountain and Exclamation Point.

The North Rim of The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is located near Crawford, Colorado. The South Rim is located near Montrose, Colorado. Between the two rims is nearly a 2-hour drive.

One of the most beautiful views of the trail, Exclamation Point, is worth it and not as far. To be honest, it rivals the views of the Grand Canyon. You basically follow the rim of Black Canyon, so the entire 7 miles (3.5 out and back) is worth it. After visiting Exclamation Point, I believe it’s closer to 8 miles round trip.

We started around noon from the North Rim Ranger Station. It costs $15 to enter Gunnison National Park.

The first miles are peaceful. Since the Green Mountain Trail is so far off the beaten path, there aren’t a lot of hikers. We saw about four parties the entire time we were out. Some spots are shaded and hidden from the sun.

Around mile 1.5 is the view of Exclamation Point. In my opinion, it’s the best view of the park. You are up close and personal with views of the canyon. I mean it’s named after an exclamation mark! At Exclamation Point there is one big lollipop trail, so it doesn’t matter which direction you choose at Exclamation Point. They will both lead back to the main trail.

Looking down at Exclamation Point

There is another Overlook that is worth a short stop. It’s just called Overlook which seems boring compared to Exclamation Point. Maybe it will be named after another punctuation mark like a question mark or quotation mark.

As you head back to the North Vista Trail, the paths get sandy and muddy. It’s not a hike I would be likely to do after a lot of rain.

Somewhere between 3.25-3.6, the trail begins to incline, and there are switchbacks. This is the steepest part of the path and where most of the 800 feet of elevation are gained. Once you reach the top, the trail circles the Summit of Green Mountain. I kept thinking, “are we there yet,” only to realize we were doing another lollipop and you have 360 degrees of views of Black Canyon and Green Mountain. It doesn’t have the same close-up feel of Exclamation Point, but you can see a good 50 miles over Gunnison State Park, Black Canyon, the San Juans, Gunnison River, and Green Mountain.

Then you head back the way you came. I would love to explore more trails in Gunnison National Park.

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Lost WiFi but didn’t get lost.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on Aug 18, 2019 at 3:43pm PDT

You Can See All Hikes Here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever been to Gunnison National Park?

What is one of your favorite hikes?

Exploring Box Canyon Falls (Ouray, Co)

August 22, 2019 By Hollie in hiking Tags: colorado, hike, hiking, Vacation, waterfalls

After running the Mt. Sneffels Half Marathon and refueling, my husband and I decided to check out the Box Canyon Falls (Ouray). This wasn’t so much a hike as a tourist attraction, so it’s a great stop if you don’t feel like walking much, but want to see waterfalls.

Located in the city of Ouray, the “Box Cañon” Falls, is the point where the Canyon Creek narrows and spills thousands of gallons of water a minute over the falls. It’s one of the more beautiful waterfalls I’ve been too. The Box Canyon Falls are an 85 foot waterfall that falls into the narrow Canyon Creek.

The Box Canyon is also home to the Black Swifts which are swifts that migrate from Brazil. They stay from June to September, but sadly we didn’t see any.

We arrived around noon, paid, and talked the person in the Visitor Center. He gave us plenty of information, including trail information, history, and geology of the area.

At the Box Canyon Falls, there were plenty of people of every age visiting. If you are looking for something low key and quiet, this probably isn’t your stop. There is a parking area located right next to the Box Canyon Visitor Center.

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Colorado you were fun. Until next time.

A post shared by Hollie (@fueledbylolz) on Aug 20, 2019 at 12:32pm PDT

At the Box Canyon Falls there are three trails:

The Main Trail: The Falls Trail is an easy, level 500 foot trail that takes you to the Box Canyon Falls. There are steps to go down the canyon.
The High Bridge Trail: 95 rock steps take you up 200 feet for a beautiful view of Ouray. It also connects to the Perimeter Trail. If we hadn’t decided to run the half marathon, I would have loved to do the Perimeter trail in Ouray. It’s a beautiful view over the falls as well as Ouray itself.
The Native Plant Loop: The Native Plenty Loop looks and identifies several native plants as well as animals along the Box Canyon. This is also short and easy.

We did all three trails and even taking our time, and it took us about 45 minutes. If you are in Ouray, I highly recommend checking out the Box Canyon Falls.

The Box Canyon Falls

Walking through a tunnel a the top of the High Bridge Trail

In all, it was a beautiful and short walk to the Box Canyon Falls. If you are around Ouray and have 30 minutes, I highly suggest stopping.

View from the top of Box Canyon

The Box Canyon Falls

You can see all the hikes here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever been to Box Canyon Falls or Ouray?

What is your favorite waterfall?

Hiking Cheesequake State Park

August 16, 2019 By Hollie in hiking Tags: hike, hiking, nature, new jersey 1 Comment

A few weeks ago, I decided to take a trip to Cheesequake State Park. I’ve seen Cheesequake Park from the Garden State Parkway, and it even has it’s own Parkway exit. A dirt road runs underneath the Garden State Parkway to connect the northern and southern sides of Cheesequake Park.

Despite being that close to the Parkway, you don’t hear the cars rolling by. Cheesequake State Park has always been on my “to-do list,” but the timing or weather neer worked out. Cheesequake State Park is located in Old Bridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

After doing research, I learned the name Cheesequake comes from the following Native American Lenape words:

Cheseh-oh-ke, which means “upland.”

Chiskhakink, which means the “at the land that has been cleared.”

Here are a Few Things Cheesequake Park Has:

Camping, Tent and Trailer Sites with flushable toilets and shower facilities (facilities within walking distance of campsites)
Picnic Areas with Fire Rings
Swimming with Lifeguards
Fishing for trout, largemouth bass, catfish, and sunfish
Interpretive Center with History of the Park and Colonization History
Roughly 8 miles of easy to navigate hiking

Part of the trails were almost flooded over. I was wearing my Hoka Speedgoat Midi Boot which prevented any water in my shoes.

Cheesequake State Park offers some beautiful views. There are no mountains to climb, but you do get some glimpses of the North Jersey shore.

This might be the most unique thing I’ve noticed on a hike. I looked down to see a “swarm of caterpillars” all climbing over them. I’ve never seen anything like it. After talking with someone in the nature center, she mentioned the caterpillers do this for safety with numbers. It’s known as “as a rolling swarm of caterpillars.”

The caterpillers were harmless but a group of caterpillers bunched together is not something you see every day.

In all, I had a fun couple of hours at Cheesequake State Park. If you’re looking for an easy to navigate state park with trailer sites, fire rings, and picnic tables, Cheesequake Park is a good stop.

You Can See All Hikes Here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever seen a swarm of caterpillars?

Where is somewhere you’ve wanted to hike around you?

Hiking Tuscarora Mountain

June 21, 2019 By Hollie in hiking Tags: fitness, hike, hiking, nature, pennsylvannia, spiders, sports 1 Comment

On the way home from Indianapolis, my husband and I decided to stop at the Tuscarora Mountains for a 2-hour hike. I’m not someone who road trips very well (meaning about 5 hours is my limit for sitting still, and I need to use the bathroom every couple of hours.) The weather was perfect, and we thought it would be a good stop. Since my husband grew up in the area, he knew the mountains well.

The Tuscarora Mountains are an accessible destination to get to if you’re in central PA. Many main roads like the turnpike come within minutes of the trail head. There are a few hiking trails that reach the summit, but you can also park at the top and admire the view.

We saw a few deer as well as a few giant spiders. This was a little to close for comfort.

The trail is one of the more overgrown trails we’ve been too recently. Some spots have a calf-length grass. I advise you to wear long pants (even if it’s hot) and use bug spray. The public health major in me, says that Lyme disease is most prevalent in PA so be protected.).

There are a few rocky spots, especially to the summit, but for the most part, it’s an easy trail. It’s 4 miles out and back (8 round trip), but if you feel like that’s too overwhelming, you can park at the top and walk down then back up.

The trail is well marked, and unless you decide to go bushwhacking, it’s next to impossible to get lost.

The top is worth the climb and even if you want to make a pit stop and just drive to the top, it’s beautiful. It’s one of my favorite summits of hiking so far.

You Can See More Hikes Here.

Questions for you:

Are you a fan of road trips? How long can you sit in a car?

Do you like hiking?

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Running and Laughing through the Garden State

Category Archives: hiking

Hiking Splitrock Reservior

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Hiking Green Mountain in Black Canyon (Gunnison National Park)

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Exploring Box Canyon Falls (Ouray, Co)

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Hiking Cheesequake State Park

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Hiking Tuscarora Mountain

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At the Box Canyon Falls there are three trails:

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