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This is hike #32 ("The Hackensack Meadowlands") in
Hiking New Jersey: A Guide to 50 of the Garden State's Greatest
Hiking Adventures (1st edition), a 3.7-mile loop which uses at least a part of every trail in the park. We took all of the optional side trips as well, covering 5 miles and
nearly every foot of every trail in the park. Those with less time can follow the 2.5-mile hike
on the NYNJTC website from July 2, 2009.
Some may be put off by this park, where much of the trails are within sight of the New Jersey Turnpike. Even those points furthest from the major roads are directly under the landing patterns of jumbo jets coming into Newark International Airport. But we loved it, since it afforded an amazing contrast between nature and industry. Hell, if it wasn't for those roads we wouldn't be hiking there! A portion of this park was a landfill just a few decades ago, but you wouldn't know it. This very varied hike uses paths made of gravel, grass, sturby boardwalk and floating boardwalk! And the birds you will see are plentiful. And this was the first time we ever saw a muskrat on a hike!
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 Kingland Overlook trail (former landfill) |
 Visitor's Center from Kingland Overlook trail |
 Kingland Overlook trail |
 Most views are now obstructed! |
 Marsh Discovery trail |
 Elaborate boardwalk system |
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 Lots of viewing seats |
 Mallard upclose |
 Mallards |
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 On Marsh Discovery trail |
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 Meadowlands Commission & Environment Center |
 One of many viewing blinds |
 Canadian goose |
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 Canadian geese from Transco trail |
 Laura on the Transco trail |
 View to Saw Mill Creek |
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 Large family of swans |
 Transco pipeline |
 Transco private property |
 Malaysian airliner landing |
 Visitor's Center from Transco trail |
 Transco trail |
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 Poison sumac |
 The swan family |
 Geese in Saw Mill Creek |
 Lamb's Ear |
 Transco trail |
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 Water run-off in Saw Mill Creek |
 Ground hog crossing Transco trail |
 Mallards upclose |
 Egret cleaning |
 William D. McDowell Observatory |
 Fishermen and bridges |
 Stones on the Transco trail |
 Endless powerlines |
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 Nature and industry |
 At North Arlington scenic overlook |
 Bee on echinacea |
 Flags of the American Veterans carillion |
 American Veterans carillion |
 Gate to Saw Mill Creek trail |
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 Narrow path ... |
 ... cuts through Saw Mill creek |
 Three egrets fishing |
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 Jet coming in for landing |
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 [photo by Laura] |
 View to Belleville |
 Saw Mill Creek trail |
 Swans and lower Manhattan |
 Muskrat! |
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 Sea gull with a crab |
 Trail follows powerlines |
 Belleville across the creek |
 Seagulls and midtown Manhattan |
 Egret taking off |
 Egret in flight |
 Giants stadium |
 Group of cormorants |
 Bridge on Saw Mill Creek trail |
 As far as you can go |
 Flying egret |
 Three egrets and some geese |
 View beyond the fence |
 Can you see Laura? |
 [Photo by Laura] |
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 Two swans and Manhattan |
 Fishing egret |
 Wildflowers and fruit |
 The Shorewalk |
 Boardwalk on Shorewalk |
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 View from Shorewalk |
 Green patch in Lyndhurst Nature Reserve |
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 Bee on echinacea |
 9/11 Memorial |
 Wind vane on gazebo |
 Inside visitor's center |
 Four birds on one reed |
 Boardwalk at visitor's center |
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Photographs and content copyright © Dan Balogh Web design by Dan Balogh |