In honor of National Trails Day, the Warren County Board of County Commissioners, officials from the New Jersey State Park Service, and local volunteers held a ribbon cutting ceremony in Hackettstown on Saturday, June 5 to announce the opening of a new 5-mile trail segment following the completion of a new footbridge. As part of the Morris Canal Greenway, the Waterloo Valley Trail follows the route of the historic Morris Canal from Bilby Road in Hackettstown along the Musconetcong River to Waterloo Village.

“This project was a wonderful collaboration between the state, county, and local nonprofit groups that clearly benefits our community. We have about 20,000 residents here in Hackettstown, Independence, and Allamuchy who now have much easier access to an extensive network of recreational trails,” stated County Commissioner Jason Sarnoski. “Not only that, but residents from all over Warren County and the State now have more trails to enjoy and new places to explore here. With the train station nearby and downtown Hackettstown just minutes away, we invite everyone to come visit the park, get some fresh air, and then grab a bite to eat at one of our many amazing restaurants – make a day of it!” Sarnoski encouraged.

“Since last year, many parks continue to see record visitation because people want to be outside. Whether they want to go running, biking, or maybe just for a nice leisurely walk, trails like this are essential for our health. They are places where residents can exercise, decompress, and just enjoy being in nature,” remarked County Commissioner Lori Ciesla. “Made possible by the state, county, and volunteers all working together, this will be another great resource for our community and I’m excited to see it open,” Ciesla added.   

Work crews recently completed painting the new 60-foot bridge that was installed over winter, and park officials added finishing touches like gates, a trail kiosk, and signage. Volunteers from the Warren County Parks Foundation also completed a litter pick up on Earth Day and regularly cut back vegetation along the path to keep it inviting for visitors. With the bridge complete and the trail looking its best, hikers and bicyclists are invited to come enjoy the uninterrupted jaunt of about two miles through the woods from Bilby Road in Hackettstown to Waterloo Road (Route 604) at Saxton Falls in Allamuchy.

For those seeking a longer excursion, the trail continues on for another 3 miles to Waterloo Village, with a few short road walks connecting the off-road sections.

To help cover the cost of the bridge, Warren County received a State Recreational Trails Grant totaling $30,000 from the New Jersey Department of Parks and Forestry with a County match of $6,000. The approximate cost of the bridge was $15,000, with the remaining $21,000 funding surveying and engineering fees, decking and other miscellaneous costs.

“This project highlights the importance of the DEP’s Recreational Trails Grant Program, which has provided over $23 million dollars in financial assistance to nearly one thousand trail construction and improvement projects throughout New Jersey, like this one,” stated Brandee Chapman, State Trails Coordinator, Green Acres Program.

Beginning on County property along Bilby Road, the Waterloo Valley Trail passes through the 2,400-acre Allamuchy Mountain State Park, with several trail intersections that offer visitors an extensive range of hiking options. In fact, there are more than 14 miles of marked trails available for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding in the Allamuchy Natural Area and more than 20 miles of unmarked trails in the northern section of Allamuchy Mountain State Park.

Notably, this extensive network of trails includes a 3-mile section of the Sussex Branch Trail that starts at Waterloo Road and goes northwest to Cranberry Lake, providing easy access from Waterloo Road through Kittatinny Valley State Park to Branchville, New Jersey.

Additionally, a 10-mile section of the Highlands Trail runs from the northern boundary of Allamuchy (off Route 206) through Stephens State Park.

This new segment not only gives Hackettstown area residents direct access into the park, but it is also an important addition to the Morris Canal Greenway. Stretching from Phillipsburg on the Delaware River to Jersey City on the Hudson River, the Morris Canal opened in 1831 and lasted until 1924. Pulled by mules, long canal boats hauled coal, agricultural products, and other goods through a combination of canal locks and inclined planes in order to transverse the hills of northern New Jersey. Overcoming an elevation change of 1,674 feet and known as the “Mountain Climbing Canal,” the Morris Canal became an engineering marvel of its time.

“Warren County boasts the longest sections of the Morris Canal in public ownership, which include various parks along the old canal route that are open to the public. In addition to this Waterloo Valley Trail section, right here in Hackettstown visitors can also walk along 1 mile of the old canal towpath at Florence Kuipers Park and another half mile or so at Mount Rascal Park,” explained Corey Tierney, Director of Preservation for Warren County.

Since 1981, the County of Warren has helped lead efforts to create a Morris Canal Greenway across northern New Jersey, following the path of the historic transportation route. The Greenway is envisioned as a 110-mile continuous pedestrian and bicycle trail connecting six counties in northern New Jersey (Warren, Sussex, Morris, Passaic, Essex and Hudson). Once completed it will extend from the Delaware River on the west to the Hudson River on the east. Of the Greenway’s 110-mile length between Phillipsburg and Jersey City, 33 of those miles are in Warren County.

“For many years, completion of the 33-mile Morris Canal Greenway trail has been one of the primary goals of the Warren County Open Space Plan,” noted David Dech, Warren County Planning Director. “With the much appreciated help from our County Bridge Department, who installed the bridge and our dedicated volunteers,  we now have a five mile uninterrupted continuous walkable trail from Bilby Road to Waterloo Village with notable stops along the way at Saxton Falls and the Guard Lock. Today’s dedication marks another major accomplishment in the on-going efforts to acquire the historic Morris Canal for recreation, education, and transportation purposes. It will certainly be enjoyed by the county’s residents and visitors alike,” Dech continued.   

“Though the experience of walking along the towpath is of course much different today than it would have been during the canal era, there are still many parts of the original canal that remain in Warren County. In addition to the unique inclined planes and locks found at a few of our parks, while out in the woods visitors will often see rock walls along the basin, stone foundations from old canal buildings, or even the occasional piece of coal revealing itself in the towpath. We are looking forward to seeing more visitors experience a piece of the historic canal along this new trail section while enjoying the great outdoors – and it’s a great way to celebrate National Trails Day,” Tierney added.

Each year on the first Saturday in June, the nation celebrates the values of trails with the American Hiking Society’s National Trails Day. This day recognizes all the benefits that trails provide for recreation and exposure nature and encourages people to discover their local trails, become active concerning trail issues, and share their excitement for the outdoors.

“In honor of National Trails Day, we are encouraging everyone to take American Hiking’s #NationalTrailsDayPledge to help restore trails and parks and build a more inclusive outdoors,” shared David Lacouture, Chairman of the Warren County Parks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to supporting the County’s park system.

As part of the National Trails Day pledge, visitors are asked to take a trash bag with them whenever they hike or go for a walk and to collect trash on local trails, along their neighborhood sidewalks, or in any nearby natural space. Trail users also are urged to keep themselves healthy, protect their public lands and waters, and help make the outdoors enjoyable for all. 

“I cannot think it a more fitting place to be for National Trails Day than here,” said County Commissioner Director James R.  Kern III. “The past year has brought many residents and visitors to Warren County’s beautiful public open spaces, and investments like this will certainly be well used. We are so grateful to have such dedicated staff and volunteers who continue to make our parks and trails some of the finest in the state. I encourage everyone to get outside and explore Warren!” Kern added.

Photo: Warren County Commissioner Director James R. Kern III cuts the ribbon on a new Morris Canal Greenway bridge, along with (l-r) Commissioner Lori Ciesla; Commissioner Jason Sarnoski; Mark Texel, Assistant Director, NJ State Park Service; Dave Lacouture, Chairman of the Warren County Parks Foundation; Corey Tierney, Warren County Land Preservation Director; and NJ State Park Service Regional Superintendent, Josh Osowski.