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Wawayanda State Park
885 Warwick Turnpike
Hewitt, NJ 07421
(973) 853-4462
13,422 acres
Directions
Take Route 23north to Union Valley Road. Follow Union Valley
Road about 6 miles to stop sign. From Stop sign, go to second
traffic light. Turn left, travel to fork in road (about 2 miles)
go left about 1/2 mile to Warwick Turnpike. Turn left. The park
entrance is four miles on the left.
Facilities &
Activities
Barrett Farm
Historic Site
Swimming (Lake
Wawayanda), restroom facility
Boating/canoeing:
electric motors only, trailer launch, car top launch, boat
rentals, canoe rentals
Picnic tables, food
concession, playground
Fishing, hunting
Winter sports:
cross-country skiing, ice fishing, ice skating, snowmobiling
Trails, hiking,
biking, mountain biking, horseback riding
The quiet charm of
Wawayanda appeals to hikers, campers, swimmers and boaters.
Forested hills surround Lake Wawayanda creating a restful
backdrop for canoeists, boaters and fisherman, while steep
mountains challenge casual as well as serious hikers. A
twenty-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail runs through the
park, while the top of Wawayanda Mountain offers sensational
views. More than forty miles of trails are marked in the park.
Terrace Pond Hike
Nearby City: Highland Lakes
Length: 4 total miles
Trail Type: Loop
Elev. Gain: 400 feet
Skill Level: Moderate
Duration: 3.5 to 4 hours
This hike in Wawayanda State Park is on land called the Sussex
Woodlands when it was owned by Fred Ferber, a Depression-era
immigrant from Austria. Ferber was not a lover of state parks;
he objected to hunting and to such facilities as restaurants,
toilets, and campsites, normally part of state parks. His
ambition was to keep his property as wilderness, untouched by
such facilities. But gradually, as over the years he ran into
debt, he sold portions of his land to the state. Bearfort
Mountain Ridge, was one of the last tracts to be sold, in 1973.
this hike uses the Terrace Pond South Trail (marked in yellow),
the White Trail circling Terrace Pond, the Terrace Pond North
Trail (marked in blue), and a woods road. The terrain is varied,
and all sections are superb. At first the hike is gentle, but
the approach to Terrace Pond-the climax of the hike-is
reminiscent of a roller coaster. You must also negotiate some
wet areas.
Camping
Group campsites:
Three sites with pit toilets; total capacity: 150. Water is not
available at campsites; it must be carried from the maintenance
building. Open April 1 through October 31. Fees.
Bearfort Mountain Natural Area (1,325 acres)
This area encompasses
several forest communities including swamp hardwood,
hemlock-mixed hardwood and chestnut oak forest communities. This
is a key location for observing the state endangered
red-shouldered hawk, with a 360-degree view of the surrounding
northern highlands.
Wawayanda Hemlock
Ravine Natural Area (399 acres)
The topography of
this ravine is one of high relief with 300-foot increases in
elevation from Double kill Creek to surrounding hills. The
hemlock-mixed hardwood forest provides a cool shady break for
hikers on the Appalachian Trail, which is located along the
western boundary of the natural area.
Wawayanda Swamp
Natural Area (2167 acres)
This natural area
features an Atlantic white cedar swamp, mixed oak-hardwood
forest and a glacially formed spring-fed lake and is habitat for
the red-shouldered hawk, barred owl and great blue heron.
Visitors may choose from several trails, including a scenic walk
around Laurel Pond. |
