Sunday, January 14, 2018

Flat Rock Brook Nature Center, Palisades

Englewood,
Bergen Co.,
New Jersey

Hiking Trails:
White Loop Trail
Purple Trail
Blue Loop Trail
Red Loop Trail
Yellow Trail/Yellow Loop Trail
Green Loop Trail
Orange Trail/Orange Loop Trail

Total Time: 1:30 hour
Estimated Distance: 3.2 Miles

Pros: Quiet and tranquil in winter
Cons: No views, surrounding urban region

The weather has continued to be incredibly cold. The previous week featured a warm up with heavy rains and 60, which melted all the snow and frozen lakes. But then it quickly froze again and the tempatures plummeted, with this hike at about 12 degrees. I was fully dressed and covered with my ski mask and goggles.

I figured this was a good hike because at anytime if I felt too cold I could bail out as everything is close together here. I parked by the Nature center Building, which was closed (presumably for the season.) I took the boardwalk into the the old quarry right at the parking lot, then took the White Trail south by Quarry Pond, to the Purple Trail, to the Blue Loop Trail. I then took the Red Loop Trail to the Yellow Trail and then crossing Flat Rock Brook. I then took the Green Loop Trail back to the Yellow Trail, to the Red Loop Trail, going down alongside the cascades. I then took the Orange Trail, crossing the brook to the Orange Loop, then cutting across the brook back to the Red Loop Trail to the White Loop Trail to the parking area.

Map of the Route

Quarry Boardwalk

Great Horned Owl in one of the Animal Cages in the Quarry Area

Frozen Quarry Lake

Quarry Lake with Interpretive Sign

Boardwalk Along the Trails

Red Loop Trail

Flat Rock Brook

Green Trail and the Brook

Looking Down at the Cascades

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