Teetertown Ravine Nature Preserve

Teetertown Preserve

Split gneiss rock - Photo by Daniel Chazin Split gneiss rock - Photo by Daniel Chazin

This loop hike passes a scenic pond and interesting gneiss outcrops and descends to a ravine with a cascading stream.

40.751638, -74.856095

HUNTING: Not permitted on weekends; weekday hikers are advised to wear blaze orange during hunting season 

East of the parking area, a sign gives the history of the Mountain Farm, where the hike begins. Proceed ahead on a paved road (shown on the park map as the "Pond Trail"), which soon becomes a gravel road and passes between a pond on the left and a large field on...

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Trip Reports

rate experience
September 09, 2013
0
Blue Better Now, Part of White Almost Impassible
<p>As of 9/8/13 the downed trees on the Blue Trail have been cleared and it is passable although overgrown with weeds and briars in places. &nbsp;However the White Trail from the Geology Trail to the Red Trail is still blocked by a huge number of downed trees.</p>
Trachten
December 14, 2012
0
Blue Trail Obliterated by Sandy
<p>After Sandy, the Blue Trail from Teetertown Road to the Red Trail is impassable. You can hike up the hill on Blue from Teetertown Road to the top of the ridge, but not beyond that. The number of downed trees is hard to believe, and this area is thick with thorny vines so it would be extremely difficult to bushwack around the deadfalls. We had to turn around. It will be some time before the trail in that area can be cleared or rerouted.</p>
ark222
July 30, 2012
0
I live 2 miles down the road from here, nice short hike
<p>This is a nice late afternoon hike, especially for me since I live right down the street. Good to get a few mile hike in with a little challenge on that steep part of the Blue trail when I don't feel like driving far to get there. There's another parking area before the entrance indicated here. It's before the former Camp Beisler (now "Crossroads Outdoor Ministries") on the left. Parking within the gravel area outlined by the brown railings is permitted. You'll essentially walk through a small wooded path through some campsites to the activity field where the Red trail starts in 2 places (it's a loop) at the field's back left end. (driving to it, if you pass the driveway to the outdoor ministry you've gone too far, or if you hit Sharrer road, you might as well just contunie just past it to park at the main entrance.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Across the street now from the parking areas I just indicated there is an Orange blazed trail that leads off into the woods, maybe 3/4 mile or so to the Crystal Springs section of the Teetertown Nature Preserve. This preserve is still half working corn fields but there are mowed paths and you can walk along the edges of the fields - until you reach trees some 3 or 4 fields back that are posted no tresspassing. There are some ponds in here for fishing (subject to NJ fishing regs) and another "hidden" entrance, as the park kiosk and picnic table imply. An alternate way to gain direct access to this areas is while the road is still called Califon, head down the hill past the soccer fields, past Ascot Road, to an area with a farm to the left, and newer looking houses to the right (there are 4 of them lining the road. There will be a paved driveway that's wide enough for 2 lanes with a red hydrant terminal sticking out of the ground and a street sign facing the road that states something like "51-53" (this indicates the 2 other houses behind the group of 4. Follow the driveway (yes it's legal, the residents may not like a lot of people going through here but it's not tresspassing if you stay on the driveway) And cross through the break in the trees where the lane becomes a dirt/gravel road. Once you cross the little concrete bridge back here, you've crossed the county line to Hunterdon (Living here all this time, I live in Morris, but am surrounded by Hunterdon on 3 sides pretty much.) Continue to the parking area. The Morris side leading from Calidon Road to the concrete bridge is a parcel donated byt he Washington Twp open space committee and the open area beyond is similar to nearby Point Mountain where some of it is working corn fields and the rest donated open space land. Just be mindful when you reach the area in the back where the tree signs replace the yellow diamond Hunterdon open space declaration and become "POSTED" no tresspassing signs and you're legal.</p>
efecher
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