Bogs above Constable Bridge

[Jon Holcombe]

Northeast of Constable Bridge. I am so fascinated by the history of these abandoned bogs. I looked at all of the maps here and the Tax List Search map but came up empty. This particular area I shot has no obvious dykes and canals on the maps, but is clearly developed and is adjacent to a defined bog. I have been buying lots of books but find little time to pore through them I am so busy exploring and shooting and scouting areas. I imagine the answer is there. There is a thread regarding a canal near Pleasant Mills Rd, I will have to review that again to see if these bogs were fed by that, although it appears there is a feeder from the Mullica river.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.66803348490626&lng=-74.66457958918096&z=15&type=topo&gpx=

 

[bobpbx]

WWW

Wonderfully Wild Wilderness

 

[manumuskin]

There is a ditch here that drains this area into the Mullica
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.66098029422748&lng=-74.66030951242925&z=16&type=nj2015&gpx=
Now some of this area drains west into the Sleeper as well.It's a complicated area with some draining east and some west.
Here is another drain into Sleepy Creek and then into the Mullica
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.69533096854751&lng=-74.69082232218267&z=15&type=nj2015&gpx=
Here is where Sleeper Creek empties out of the Great swamp
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.6654897942213&lng=-74.6731412003565&z=16&type=nj2015&gpx=
Sleeper and Sleepy are two different Creeks.

 

[bobpbx]

It's a complicated area with some draining east and some west.

Complicated is a good word. I once tried to seriously figure out the water-flow (the reasons, history, and direction) into and out of Wescoat Bogs. Devilishly complicated. I think the land was probably scraped out by the original owner when just a swamp, causing water to take its own course while ignoring human designs.

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Here is where Sleeper Creek empties out of the Great swamp
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.6654897942213&lng=-74.6731412003565&z=16&type=nj2015&gpx=
Sleeper and Sleepy are two different Creeks.

I did an overlay on the 1930 aerial and it looks to me like the entire area is (was) a bog network. I may see if I can walk out to where the Sleeper Branch empties into that reservoir. Could be a good sunset shot if I can get there.

 

[manumuskin]

Last time i was at that resevoir it was fairly easy to get to though a bit wet.It wasn't a far walk but I came in from Pleasant Mills and drove most of the way to here
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.663338320390935&lng=-74.67639941375734&z=16&type=nj2015&gpx=
but the bridge has been out for years
Now not only is the bridge out but the road from paradise lakes is blocked.You may be able to go in by Rockwood here
http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.696763251720185&lng=-74.72163218658449&z=14&type=nj2015&gpx=
But that is one bad ass road and thats an understatement.IfI was you I"d get ready for a long walk or a bushwack in from Constable bridge. I have done that before by following the southernmost ditch you have outlined and don't remember it being that bad but it was long ago.,

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Thanks MM. I agree that Rockwood Rd does not look passable. I was there last year and turned back. On the map the road looks like it runs through pond sized puddles. If I go I may try to bushwack along the ditch/dike. If the frigid weather holds now would be the time to do it too. I walked the bogs fairly easily yesterday. A couple of months ago trying to walk the bog nearly pulled my hip joints out of their socket. Thank you as always for the advice.

 

[manumuskin]

I have driven the Rockwood road all the way through twice.Both times was with a four wheel drive suzuki vtara.It was mid summer and about as dry as it gets.The ponds were still there but you could skim around the sides of some of them.Where I could see tracks going in and out i followed the route of the vehicle before me as long as that vehicle didn't seem to be a monster truck,in other words it had sane looking tires like me.Most ponds I still got out and walked.For the most part the bottoms are sand and hard when wet but some of them had mud filled ruts torn up by yahoos using a public road as a play hole.The road is a gorgeous wild walk if you don't mind wading through the holes. Wild country this area is for sure, some of the wildest in the Barrens.

 

[manumuskin]

I am going on ten year old memory,maybe more but I think the south side of that reservoir is easily negotiable,you just have to wade the creek at the bottom,the northern side turns into a morass as you are at the bottom of the Great swamp there.From the reservoir downstream Sleeper Creek is a very nice walk or even a tight kayak when the water is up.Gorgeous.

 

[RednekF350]

Here's the trip report from the PBX hike that I put together 9 years ago. It was called Bog Slog.
Unfortunately, all of the photo links are dead.

Another point of sadness is that the reservoir used to be fairly easy to access from West Mill Road. But that has changed due to a certain gate that has been installed.

We started just north of Constable Bridge.
https://forums.njpinebarrens.com/threads/the-bog-slog-a-pbx-hike.5029/#post-55385

 

[Jon Holcombe]

Thanks for the link Scott. I am trying to talk my son into joining me out there this week. It is about as solid and "walkable" as it will ever be. I am thinking of leaving at the same point (I think) that you may have started. Maybe I can ice skate up the canal like Hans Brinker.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.662100986135954&lng=-74.66403443019868&z=17&type=nj2007&gpx=

 

[manumuskin]

I remember the canal had quite a current in it.