Hike of the Week 02/20/2003

Description:

On the southeast side of the parking area, you will notice a triple black-diamond-on-teal blaze, marking the start of a connector to the Highlands Trail. Follow the black-diamond-on-teal blazes as they cross a footbridge over a stream and proceed south along the eastern shore of Saffin Pond. You’ll notice a number of trees that have been felled by recent beaver activity in the area.

At the southeast corner of the pond, by several picnic tables, you’ll reach a junction with the teal-blazed Highlands Trail. Turn left and follow the Highlands Trail as it ascends gradually along a woods road. At the top of the climb, bear right at a T-intersection and continue to follow the teal diamond blazes as they descend along an eroded woods road. At the base of the descent, you’ll notice a birdhouse on a tree to the right of the trail and a house on a hill in the distance. Bear left here and continue along a relatively level stretch of the Highlands Trail, with Weldon Brook – the outlet of Saffin Pond – to your right. Soon, you’ll reach a Y-intersection. Bear left here, continuing to follow the teal diamond blazes, as the trail narrows to a footpath.

After another level stretch, the trail crosses a stream, bears left, and climbs to reach a high point marked by a large boulder. It bears left again and descends to cross a tributary stream, climbs over a knoll, then descends to cross the main stream on a wooden bridge. Once more, the trail climbs through a rocky area and descends to cross the stream -- for the third and final time – on rocks.

The Highlands Trail now begins to climb – steeply in places – passing by some sheer rock faces. After crossing a yellow-blazed woods road, the grade moderates. Soon, you will reach a broad overlook to the southeast to the right of the trail. No civilization is visible from here; you see only forested hillsides, with Lake Hopatcong visible in the distance to the right. After a slight dip, the trail climbs through mountain laurel to reach another viewpoint, designated on the map as the Headley Overlook. This viewpoint is more popular because it is nearer the road, but the first overlook provides a less obstructed view.

Continue ahead on the Highlands Trail, which now descends on a woods road, and bear right at the next T-intersection. As the trail approaches Weldon Road, it bears right at a fork, then crosses the paved road and soon emerges onto a parking area. A nearby open pavilion with picnic tables is a good spot to take a break.
Follow the teal diamond blazes of the Highlands Trail as they continue along a service road from the end of the parking area. You will pass a fitness center and a water pump, and in about 500 feet, the pavement ends. In 0.2 mile, you will reach a junction with the white-blazed Pine Swamp Circular Trail. Turn left, leaving the Highlands Trail, and follow the white blazes along a woods road. When you reach a Y-intersection a short distance ahead, bear left, leaving the white-blazed trail, and follow an unmarked woods road ahead to a camping area.
Bear left across an open field, then bear right onto a park road in front of a restroom building. Immediately bear left at the next fork, and follow the road for about 200 feet. Opposite Campsite #4, you will notice a sign for the Pine Swamp Circular Trail. Turn right and follow an unmarked path into the woods. (This path was formerly the route of the Pine Swamp Circular Trail; although the trail has been rerouted and the blazes removed, the sign remains as of this writing.)

In about a third of a mile, you’ll reach a complex intersection. Bear right at a fork, joining a yellow-blazed bike trail. Just ahead, bear left, continuing to follow the yellow bike markers, then turn right, now following both white blazes and yellow bike markers. You are now back on the Pine Swamp Circular Trail, which follows a winding woods road up to the highest point in Morris County (1,395 feet), marked by a sign to the right of the trail. The blazes on this section of the trail are rather sparse (and you may notice a few blue markers, indicating that the route has also been designated a horse trail), but the path is wide and unmistakable.

The trail now descends to reach a junction in a pine forest. Bear sharply left here, leaving the white-blazed trail, and follow a woods road marked occasionally with yellow bike markers and blue horse markers. To your right is the unusual Pine Swamp, with its tall spruce, hemlock, rhododendron and mountain laurel.

In another two-thirds of a mile – after a rather steep descent through mountain laurel – you’ll reach a junction with the railbed of the Ogden Mine Railroad. Built in 1865 to transport the ore from local mines, it was abandoned in 1935. Turn left and follow this nearly-level railbed through rock cuts and over embankments. In about half a mile, you’ll pass a large swamp to the left. The hill visible beyond the swamp is the one you climbed earlier in the hike to reach the highest point in Morris County. Continuing ahead, the railbed begins to parallel a stream to the left. After passing another large wetlands area, you’ll reach Weldon Road. The parking area where you began the hike is across the road to the left.

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