Colliers Mills in May

[bobpbx]

Went with Ben today to explore more of Colliers Mills. I was really surprised at the beauty; the open fields, woods with huge oaks, the lake, cedar swamp, creeks. It is much more than I imagined, and I have been there 3 other times.

Here's an iris at the lakeside:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=241&pos=105

Ben at the golf course fairway. I was surprised to see they put in a course:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=241&pos=32

Plenty of lady slipper orchids out today in Colliers Mills:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=241&pos=50
http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=241&pos=65

We bushwacked to a high hill, but had to cross a huge cedar swamp to do it. There was a lot of interesting things in this swamp. Here is an area where the mountain laurel is rampant and lies prostrate along the ground:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=241&pos=72

Ben bushwacking:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=241&pos=74

It was a really good day, I had a good time........

 

[Teegate]

Very nice! And nice to see Ben bushwacking

Sorry I could not make it.

Guy

 

[Ben Ruset]

I am in a lot of pain right now. My legs are killing me.

And damn, that's a really unflattering picture of me.

 

[BEHR655]

I am in a lot of pain right now. My legs are killing me.

It's good for the soul.(not sole)

 

[Badfish740]

Jeez, I'm learning more and more about Colliers Mills all the time-where exactly is the golf course?

 

[bobpbx]

Just teasing about the golf course Badfish, I wanted to see if anyone would pick up on it. The next time you go there, go to the back of the lake on your right. There is a long wide grassy area that winds around the back of the lake. It is really nice, and the chestnut oak on both sides make it seem clean and nice. Definitely a nice place to take the family for a walk. Halfway up is a dam with a walkway over it. See the sickle shape at the bottom of the lake. I encourage a walk around the entire lake:

https://boydsmaps.com/#16.00/40.058506/-74.441885/napp90/0.00/0.00

 

[Ben Ruset]

Yes, it was a great day. I was extremely sore a few hours later, but some Tylenol took care of that. I feel fine today.

Bob's Iris at Turnmill Lake. The muck amost sucked me down when I went in to get this shot: (click on the images for a higher resolution picture)

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=1

The "fairway" at the far end of Turnmill Lake. This is right before it started raining:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=3

The bridge:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=5

"Hey, there's a tire down here!"

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=4

Pink Lady's Slipper:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=7

The forest floor:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=8

We later bushwacked from Success Lake up to the top of this hill to explore the white "private property" area. We found a large foundation and some trash. There were a few trails in the area, and I am sure that one of them would likely take you back down to the lake. But we did it the hard way.

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=18

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/gallery/displayimage.php?album=319&pos=15

I haven't decided if I hate chiggers or briars more. I have a nice scratch on my forehead from a briar thorn.

 

[Teegate]

I haven't decided if I hate chiggers or briars more. I have a nice scratch on my forehead from a briar thorn.

Wear that war wound proudly!

Very nice Ben!

Guy

 

[BEHR655]

There were a few trails in the area, and I am sure that one of them would likely take you back down to the lake. But we did it the hard way.

Gee......Bob didn't have anything to do with that, did he?

 

[Ben Ruset]

Gee......Bob didn't have anything to do with that, did he?

No. Oddly enough it was my idea to trek through the swamp.

We did try to navigate via an easier route coming out.

 

[Ben Ruset]

Bob and I also walked through an area that he felt was a landing strip. I disagreed. It turns out that I was wrong. I was just playing around with the newest version of USA Photomaps that downloads USGS Landmark data, and "Colliers Mills Heliport" popped up in the area that we walked.

Lo and behold: http://www.airnav.com/airport/36nj -> with an 1800' landing strip.

Here it is on the map: https://boydsmaps.com/tz/#z=18&n=4435062&e=547463&s=50&size=l&datum=nad83&layer=DRG25