The first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice, is the “‘official astronomical”’ beginning of summer as the Northern Hemisphere angles itself at the point where it is closest to the sun, causing the longest day and the shortest night of the year. 

Many cultures, both ancient and modern, celebrate this day’s sunlight with rituals and holidays! This event will take place tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21^st 2022 at precisely 5:14 a.m.!  Obviously, we are one of those cultures that likes to get an early start on things, AND, do it right, by beginning our summer season, with not just a day’s celebration, we start things off in a big fashion with an entire Memorial Day Holiday Weekend!

STORY BEHIND THIS PHOTO OF THE WEEK ARTICLE

Wasn’t sure about this Solstice article as I had written one before, but I wanted to expand the stories and photos, thus found myself trying to connect many ‘dots’ which would show you some interesting photos of Solstice sun-rises and sunsets, along with also informing you about those very sites/sights as great places to visit with your families during the long day summer months

While putting this article together, I then realized that these very sites ALSO could include another story with connections to Warren County.  I believe I will do these stories and meld same into ONE!

DOTS & STORIES TO CONNECT

First the photos:  Let’s begin overlooking the farm fields in Allamuchy watching the Summer Solstice sun rise over the tree line across the field.  Ever get to wondering the many different sites/sights you would come across if you could just fly into that scene? Then I got the idea that I have been to sites east of there on the same date Dec.21^st albeit different years during the same time sunrise period. Might be fun to show off those scenes going all the way to the furthest east, the horizon on the Atlantic Ocean. 

I put the photos together and then next stop on to Eagle Rock Reservation, which overlooks NYC and points east.  Beyond that the Atlantic Ocean from another great place, Mount Mitchell Reservation, which is atop the Atlantic Highlands also overlooking NYC to the north and the ocean to the east.  All wonderful places to visit with the Family!

Then I realized these overlooks have something else in common.  They have become, over the years, respectively Essex and Monmouth County’s 9-11 Memorial Sites witnessing the tragic events of 9-11. I am thinking and remembering, another way of memorializing that tragic event, was the creation of a National 9-11 Memorial Trail, which connects all three target sites in a large multi-State loop trail. The New Jersey leg of that trail is named The Liberty-Water Gap Trail, which goes from Jersey City through New Jersey to the Delaware Water Gap! That trail travels through Warren County, entering Warren at Hackettstown and winding its way through various State Parks along well known greenbelt trails and rails-to-trails, it ultimately departs Warren County at the Columbia Pedestrian Bridge crossing the Delaware River into Portland PA. These are all interesting places with stories of their own AND all great interesting places to visit!

NOTE – As interesting and beautiful as the sunrises can be rising over the eastern horizons, when the longest day of the year is ending, that same sun is now gently dropping out of sight over some western horizon! That Western Horizon for us at the Hope – Great Meadows Scenic Overlook is none other than the middle of the Delaware Water Gap! Thus we are looking at sites/sights located on BOTH ends of New Jersey’s Liberty-Water Gap Trail which traverses through our beautiful Warren County!

Please visit my Flickr site for some Summer Solstice Sunrise Trips and Photos   **Please read the stories with each Flickr album**

Sun sets in Delaware Water Gap | Flickr

Summer Solstice Sunset 2016 & A Strawberry Full Moon | Flickr

Columbia-Portland Pedestrian Bridge | Flickr  – Bridge is the western end of the ‘Liberty-Water Gap Trail’ being developed in NJ as a part of the nation’s, ‘The September 11^th National Memorial Trail’  This was a previous article in insidewarren.com

Some of these stories have been on insidewarren.com however I am sure a revisit will still be enjoyable!!

Enjoy Your Open Space

Charlie Fineran

Director Open Space

Allanuchy Township Environmental Commission – Chairman

Allamuchy Historical Society – President