Hike of the Week 3/13/2003

Description:

From the parking area, cross Skyline Drive and follow the gravel road that leads into Camp Tamarack. To the left, before you reach the gate that blocks off the road, you’ll see a triple orange blaze which marks the start of the Schuber Trail. Follow the orange blazes downhill on a winding footpath. At the base of the descent, turn right at the former rifle range of the camp, then turn left, following the orange blazes as they skirt the former archery range. The Schuber Trail now follows the route of the old Bottle Cap Trail, which connected Camps Tamarack and Glen Gray (you will notice some old bottle-cap markers on the trees).

After descending to cross a stream, the trail enters Camp Glen Gray. Soon, you’ll reach a junction with the red-on-silver-blazed Millstone Trail. A sign at the junction indicates that hikers and bikers should turn right. (Straight ahead, the Schuber Trail leads into the main area of Camp Glen Gray, now owned by Bergen County and managed by the Friends of Glen Gray. Camp facilities may be rented by interested parties by calling (201)327-7234 or visiting their web site, www.glengray.org.)

Turn right and follow the red-on-silver circular blazes of the Millstone Trail (this spring, it is planned to change the blazing of this trail to white rectangles). The trail climbs to Rocky Slide Gulch (marked by a sign) where it turns right, then curves left and continues to climb. After a relatively level section, it passes to the right of a huge boulder designated as “Sitting Hen Rock,” then bears right and resumes its ascent. Just beyond the crest of the hill, the trail reaches the Southwest Lookout.

From the lookout, the trail bears left, descends slightly, then climbs to reach a balanced rock in an open area. Again, the trail bears left and descends. On the way down, a sign “HT 11" to the left of the trail marks the site of several abandoned millstones, in various stages of completion. This area was once the site of a millstone quarry, and the stones that you see were either damaged during quarrying or abandoned when the quarry operation shut down.

Just ahead, the trail bears left onto an old woods road and continues to descend. On the way down, to the right, additional millstones may be seen, one of which appears to be in nearly perfect condition. You will also encounter some long, vertical blue paint blazes, which designate the boundary of Camp Glen Gray.

Soon, the trail reaches a T-junction, with a wide stone wall (built to mark a property boundary) ahead. Turn right, leaving the Millstone Trail, and follow the Yellow Trail, which ascends on a woods road. Just beyond the crest of the hill, the trail passes a stone foundation and several stone walls. It descends steadily to cross a stream in a valley, then climbs rather steeply to Todd Lake, with a view over the lake from a rock ledge. The trail continues along the west shore of the lake, passing another rock ledge at water level with a view over the water. At the south end of the lake, the Yellow Trail turns right and soon ends at a woods road, the route of the white-blazed Todd Trail.

Turn right, now following the white blazes. The Todd Trail soon turns right onto an intersecting woods road, then turns left and descends into the woods on footpath. After reaching a shallow ravine, the trail ascends on winding, rocky footpath, with several switchbacks. Follow the Todd Trail to its end on Skyline Trail, just opposite the parking area where you began the hike.

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