$9.7 million to preserve 5,000 acres of woodlands and wetlands

[Boyd]

Noticed that the gate at Rt 50 has been open this week, so today I made a quick trip inside. Looks like this will remain open, and there is a parking area/boat launch next to Stephen Lake.

They seem to be clearing trees adjacent to Walker's Forge Rd. At first I assumed this was to create more parking space, but it looks like a really wet area that wouldn't be good for parking.

Here's where I took the photo; the entrance is right at the intersection of Rt 50 and Walkers Forge.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.39558693975268&lng=-74.74903464317322&z=17&type=nj2007&gpx=

 

[Teegate]

Very nice Boyd. PBX may be there one day. Thanks for passing this on.

Guy

 

[bushwacker]

I was able to explore bits of the tract on the west side of rt 50 yesterday.
the gate at rt50 and walkers forge rd was open. this road only goes about 1/10 of a mi. in to a primitive boat launch with a dock on stevens lake. the upper reaches of the lake appears to be braided cedar islets and quite inviting for a paddle. one wonders how far up the feeder, stevens creek is passable. there were two very overgrown old roads leading away from the dock/parking area one roughly followed the fence line with many deadfalls so i was quickly turned back. another passed through a stand of white pine but just for a few hundred yards.

the gate near maple lake was shut but the fence was open and signage invited foot traffic. a good road from the gate goes back to a pond on james branch among the cedars about 500 yards in. the pond was quite high and the road was flooded as far as I could see from this point. back closer to the gate a passable road followed the ridge roughly parallel to maple rd. I am sure it leads to another gate eventually but not having a map I only went a mile or so.

the gate near cumberland ave and rt 50 was shut with the fence open simlar to the maple lake gate. the road leading away from there looked fairly rough going, so I left that for another day.

I did not locate the golden eagle from gibson creek rd.

 

[manumuskin]

looking on Big maps I'd say you can get almost up to maple lake but not quite.Probably would be feasible to clear any liftovers and make a canoe run from Maple lake to the Great Egg.. We could stop at Boyd's for a tailgater on an upturned canoe. Then again there may be a regulation against clearing lift overs because once it becomes navigable then everyone has the right to travel it. I wonder if their big fence crosses the creek? There have been trials over farmers stringing fences across navigable streams in pa and md.

 

[manumuskin]

Then on the flip side the reason there are so many tires in the woods at least down here is because your tax paid trash service makes you pay extra per tire to take them to the dump.Then after getting paid by your taxes,making extra on the tire dump fee then they get to sell them to rubber recycling facilities. We also have had our trash collecting fees increased down here while getting our recycle pickups dropped from weekly to bi weekly and from having big trash picked up monthly to you have to take it yourself one day monthly.Try that working shift work not knowing one week day from the next and not caring.But no i have never dumped crap in the woods,well not trash crap anyway

 

[Boyd]

I wonder if their big fence crosses the creek? There have been trials over farmers stringing fences across navigable streams in pa and md.

Just looked and the fence does go across the creek. Really, I don't think it's an issue because you are right at the Maple Lake dam there and can't go further anyway. And the gate, which now allows access, is only about 100 feet away: http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.405344830511886&lng=-74.77763772010803&z=17&type=nj2007&gpx=

 

[manumuskin]

Does the creek there look canoeable? Haven't been there in a few years and can't remember.Might make a nice run down to 50..I know the creek is or was canoeable from 50 to the Great egg

 

[Boyd]

Believe it or not, I still have not gone inside the preserve so I have no idea of conditions. Going upstream from Maple Lake, you will probably only get about this far. Stephen Creek gets pretty small with lots of obstructions. I imagine it got a lot worse with the storms this year.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.410202540682796&lng=-74.78546977043152&z=17&type=nj2007&gpx=

 

[manumuskin]

I wasn't even considering on going up from Maple lake,was wondering if you could go downstream from maple lake to Stephen Lake and hence out to the Great Egg.Would of course have to carry over route 50 if you did that. Though of course a poke further upstream might be cool. There is a small canoable section above Lummistown pond on NC property that i have never been on but a friend of mine says it is a very nice place.That would be here
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.352460126347204&lng=-75.17184734344482&z=17&type=nj2007&gpx=