Warm greetings and best wishes for a season marked by renewed health and sanity. Join us in our continued exploration among the hills and valleys of Northwest New Jersey. We hope you keep the personality of the New Jersey Skylands near and dear when you need to freshen your horizon!
Here are some highlights from the region's calendar
of events, along with some other suggestions for you and
your family.
April 23 - 30
Boundless Imagination
Thirty-five years ago Ricky Boscarino bought a hunting cabin in the Sandyston woods and has been modifying it with a passion ever since, his home and studio, Luna Parc.
An artist's eye reminds us that the world is filled with infinite possibility. If only we could appreciate those simple gifts found just outside our door, we might be more willing to set aside our prejudices, less inclined to dredge up old grievances, make war.
Here's your essential guide to the adventures ahead. Keep our calendar close! It's filled with events that will help navigate this most gratifying of seasons. Take it to the limit!
Funky Town
Steampunk has remade a name for itself in the funky Warren County Borough of Washington with the annual Steampunk Music and Art Fair which takes place this Saturday, April 26 (10am - 5pm). This is a free-to-attend event! No tickets are required to come enjoy a full day of live music, artisan vendors, street performers, retro-futuristic costumes and general steampunk shenanigans. Live music will be provided by This Way to the Egress, Dust Bowl Faeries, Durty Rotten Parrots, A Halo Called Fred.Routes 31 & 57 in Warren County. Click or call 908/689-4800.
Treasures of the Swamp
The Great Swamp’s flooded forest floor in Spring. (George Aronson)
The Rockaway River begins its descent at Boonton Falls where the fall line generated water power and attracted industry through what is now Grace Lord Park. Follow the Boonton Greenway Trail through the park and along pathways and town streets, stopping at historic locations. Photo: Brian Kutner
A progression of relentless efforts to commemorate New Jersey’s abundant transportation heritage have found renewed focus at Boonton’s Grace Lord Park, where the mighty splendor of the Rockaway River gorge traces a forgotten industrial past.
My kayak has become my favorite mode for reaching wildness, taking me places otherwise inaccessible. I can paddle into spots that are only a few inches deep and explore those hard-to-get-to sections of a river or hidden cove on a lake. The nose of my kayak leads to experiences that are unique and special to me. It is my vessel to adventure and discovery.
Obadiah La Tourette
The building looms over the bustling Route 24, once called Chester Pike, just east of Long Valley center. At once, upon seeing it, you know that the mill holds a thousand stories and probably a thousand more secrets in its ancient timbers.
Flying Objects and Other Fun, May 3. Tech and aviation, including drone demonstrations by Warren Community College’s nationally acclaimed Drone/Robotics/AI program.
Sign up for the Warren County Wanderings newsletter, your guidepost of discovery and a nexus of community in a culturally rich and environmentally singular area.
April 17 - 24
This is not our fate!
Along the Watchtower: The fragility of Earth, conveyed by the Blue Marble images taken by the Apollo 17 crew on the way to the Moon in 1972, is apparently only a figment of "climate change religion."
Calling this spring a “season of renewal”, while the jokers and thieves in the White House eviscerate long-standing environmental protections, feels a bit like throwing a garden party at a coal mine. Earth Day has been abolished by executive order! Too much confusion? Get some relief from the miracles of your natural world. The hour is getting late!
Dig Your Earth
In the 1940s, when transportation shortages due to the war made it hard to move fruits and vegetables to market, twenty million Victory Gardens were planted in backyards, front yards, empty lots and rooftops. Now we're faced with uncertain prices and food quality. That $1.79 you'll pay for a pound of zucchini in the grocery store will buy enough seed to grow a whole summer's supply for your family. And if you find yourself with too much, maybe you can trade with your neighbor for some cucumbers.
Seeds of Passion
In the Ramapo Mountains of Ringwood lies one of New Jersey’s most exquisite gems, the New Jersey State Botanical Garden. Its ninety-six cultivated acres are a secret to many — for others, a joyous discovery waiting to happen. Celebrate Earth Day Weekend (April 18-20) with a visit, where you’ll find the beauty of nature and a soothing respite from this busy world, plus many special programs. Click or call 973/962-9534. 2 Morris Rd., Ringwood
The Greatest Show in Earth
Silver-dollar sized flowers of Mayapple hide below the foliage in the Musconetcong Gorge. (Rachel Mackow)
Enjoying flowers does not require knowing the first thing about them. The attraction of a flower is natural; seductive to people, much as to butterflies and bees, by a magical combination of hue, symmetry and fragrance. Wooded trails such as those at Musconetcong Gorge Reservation promise a great show of native wildflower displays.
A Tribute to Primal Growth
Hutcheson Memorial Forest, a 65-acre tract of old growth forest in Franklin Township, Somerset County, is a conundrum in time and purpose. It lays in limbo between a no-management policy mandated to preserve the forest's character, and influences brought by suburbia that force change. The forest is one of only three patches of virgin woods remaining in New Jersey, and one of the last uncut, unburned White Oak--American Beech forests in the country. It is listed in the National Park Service Registry of Natural landmarks. Check here for public tours and events.
Homegrown Home
The straw bale house at Genesis Farm.
Natural building considers a structure’s impact on the local environment and culture, the global ecology, the needs and well-being of the inhabitants, and the quality of the building itself. The straw bale house at Genesis Farm in Frelinghuysen demonstrates the use of locally available, time-tested renewable materials to construct an energy efficient, aesthetically pleasing home. Have a look!
Spring calves have joined the herd at Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse where they (the cows) live outside, eating grass and being milked seasonally, and not indoors, being fed grain, animal by-products and hormones, and being milked to death. Happy cows make delicious natural cheese, the artisanal cheeses that Bobolink is known for. Visit their website to learn more about our farm store, farmer’s markets, classes, events, and shipping. And visit the farm and store at 369 Stamets Road, Milford NJ.
A very special sensory treat awaits at The Orchid Show: Mexican Modernism through April 27 in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden, Bronx. In a tropical paradise, orchids partner with palm trees, cacti, water gardens and the designs of Mexican modernist architect Luis Barragan. Plus fun for 21+ at Orchid Evenings. Don’t miss it!
April 9 - 16
Early Risers
A barn owl chick poses in a hay loft after being rehabilitated at the Mercer Wildlife Center and before being returned to the nest box. (Photo: MacKenzie Hall)
Multiplication is the order of the season, and--rain, snow, sleet, or hail--the show must go on! Look and listen for the signs of spring and making babies!! Let your senses soak up the season — its fleeting beauty, warmth, scents, and most of all the peace and rejuvenation in its experience. More...
Here's your essential guide to the adventures ahead. Keep our calendar close! It's filled with events that will help navigate this most gratifying of seasons. Up and at 'em!
Find your fish!
Fishing isn't just a hobby; it's a beloved pastime in Northwest New Jersey. You'll find a wide range of fishing environments—from meandering rivers to serene lakes and babbling mountain streams. The fishing opportunities are equally diverse, featuring trout, both wild and stocked, as well as bass, walleye, carp, musky, shad, and more. Whether you prefer the art of fly fishing, the precision of casting, or just a lazy worm and bobber, there's something for every angler, and spring is the time to get started!
A Stealth River
Opening day of fishing season on the Whippany at Speedwell Dam in Morristown
If ever there was a river that expresses New Jerseyans' attitude toward their state's natural resources, the Whippany River is it. The Whippany rises in privacy in Mendham Township, and ends in obscurity amid a maze of highways in the Meadows of East Hanover, Hanover, and Parsippany, at the confluence of the Passaic, Rockaway, and Whippany Rivers. On the way, it provides us with some pretty views and some good fishing, and slices right through our lives. Mostly we drive, walk, work and live near it, never knowing it's there.
The Big House
Rutherfurd Hall
The Rutherfurd family holdings have occupied what is now Allamuchy and Green Townships (spanning Warren and Sussex Counties) since 1758, including the home built in 1902 by Winthrop Rutherfurd known by the family as the Big House, identified by the rest of us as Rutherfurd Hall. The eighteen-thousand square foot Tudor "country house", with thirty-eight rooms, elegant interior woodwork, fireplaces, ceilings and original furnishings is now on both NJ and National Registers of Historic Places. Opened to the public in April of 2012 as venue for public lectures, concerts, fairs and festivals, house tours, and private events, Rutherfurd Hall is a living archive of the family legacy. 1686 Route 517, Allamuchy.
Shining Examples
The Essence of Fluorescence. A thirty-two-foot-long pageant of rocks at the Franklin Mineral Museum that includes many of the ninety-plus fluorescent minerals found here, comes alive under ultraviolet light.
Is it the bronze statue of the miner on the front lawn greeting the visitor or perhaps the full-size replica mine inside the building? Or could it be the lure of dinosaur footprints from New Jersey, the world's largest polished slabs of petrified wood, scorpions, dinosaur dung, and over 3,000 specimens of local minerals that brings a steady stream of visitors to the Franklin Mineral Museum each year. The Museum, a non-profit educational institution which opened in 1965, is located at 32 Evans Street in Franklin (Sussex County).
Musket Memories
Among the battles and skirmishes to take place in New Jersey during the War of Independence, the Battle of Bound Brook was an early, though not crushing, defeat on the record of the Continental Army near what is recognized as the first Middlebrook Encampment. This weekend (April 12-13), American and British soldiers again do battle in street and field in Bound Brook, recreating the events of 248 years ago. Colonial crafters, encampment, children's activities, special programs and tours and more round out the event, which is coordinated by the Friends of the Abraham Staats House. Please check the website for details and to confirm times.
17 Von Steuben Ln, South Bound Brook.
Make Easter extra happy at Kymer's Camping Resort! Choose from cabin and luxury tent rentals as well as trailer or tent campsites with water, electric and cable TV hookups on two-hundred scenic acres located at 69 Kymer Road in Branchville.Easter Weekend (April 18-20) includes arts & crafts, special evening activities and Easter Egg Hunts. For reservations or gift certificates, click or call 973-875-3167.
The annual Steampunk Music and Art Fair takes place Saturday, April 26), a full day of live music, artisan vendors, street performers, retro-futuristic costumes and general steampunk shenanigans. Routes 31 & 57 in Warren County. Click or call 908/689-4800. This is a free-to-attend event!
March 26 - April 2
Signs and Symptoms
Photo: Trish Romano
It is still an underground movement, but don't be fooled! Spring will be mainstream someday soon.
If you can't feel it every day, you can smell it. That crisp, invigorating scent on an early spring walk through the forest? To a biologist, it’s the aroma of gases released by billions of tiny organisms in the thawing soil, unlocking nutrients essential for the coming explosion of wildflowers. Thank goodness for mud season!
Here's your essential guide to the adventures ahead. Keep our calendar close! It's filled with events that will help navigate this most gratifying of seasons. Go vernal!
Sweet Times & Sticky Fingers
Do you crave real-deal maple syrup? Get all you want at Lusscroft Farm in Sussex County during this Saturday's Maple Sugaring Open House and Barn Sale (March 29, 10am-3pm). You'll see how they tap the trees, collect the sap and boil it down to that deliciously sweet and thick concoction that's so hard to resist. Then buy some to take home and pour it on! It will taste even better when you know that income from the maple sugaring operation benefits the ongoing maintenance of the sugar house and support the restoration of historic Lusscroft Farm, a treasured part of High Point State Park. You can also choose from a variety of items for sale in the barn and cottage sale. And there will be tours of the Manor House (for $5 per adult) on the hour, 11am - 2pm. The event is presented by the Heritage and Agriculture Association, Inc., in cooperation with the NJ DEP/Division of Parks and Forestry. 50 Neilson Road, Wantage.Click or call 973/262-4732.
Destiny's Place
Natirar, home of a clever name and the once and famous King of Morocco, stood for decades after a lifetime of industry and frailty within its elegant walls, until the Somerset Park Commission bought the 491-acre estate with the intent to preserve this crown jewel as open space. And although you might require a king's status to enjoy some of its offerings -- spa, restaurant and
resort accommodations on site -- hiking, horses and fishing and other outdoor pleasures remain available to the common man. More...
Rumblings in the Railroad Earth
The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad’s construction of a line that altered the contour of both the landscape and culture of Northwestern New Jersey has been a source of wonder since the first shovels hit the ground near the turn of the last century. More than a half-century has passed since the last passenger train rolled on the high line tracks, but the story, which has continued through sometimes bizarre twists and turns, promises many more chapters. The Lackawanna Cut-Off’s saga still stirs emotions, and, regardless of rampant political uncertainty, steps continue towards its future revival. Meanwhile, touring the Cut-Off, either all at once or in bits and pieces, is a worthwhile endeavor!
Cold-Blooded, Warm Hearts
Longtail salamanders (Eurycea longicauda longicauda) hide in rock crevices. (Photo: Allegra Mitchell)
As onset of spring eases into milder temperatures, all manner of creatures stretch their bodies and move more freely, searching for food and mates while they patrol their home turfs. Among these are some of the most rare, interesting, and beautiful animals in the Garden State. Often overlooked or misunderstood, reptiles and amphibians play a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems—but many of them are facing serious threats.
Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse produces regenerative and sustainable foods that nourish people in harmony with nature. You'll find 100% grass-fed raw cow's milk cheese; pastured meats and charcuterie; wood-fired rustic breads. Visit their website to learn more about our farm store, farmer’s markets, classes, events, and shipping. And visit the farm and store at 369 Stamets Road, Milford NJ.
Sign up for the Warren County Wanderings newsletter, your guidepost of discovery and a nexus of community in a culturally rich and environmentally singular area.
March 19 - 26
Balancing Act
Photo: Dan Bacon
It’s here! Spring officially begins tomorrow (March 20) as the sun crosses the plane of Earth’s equator—the Vernal Equinox—bringing day and night into perfect balance. These gentle days stir the blood, while the sweet sounds, enticing scents, constant temptations, and relentless optimism all signal that the new season has arrived.
Here's your essential guide to the adventures ahead. Keep our calendar close! It's filled with events that will help navigate this most gratifying of seasons. And go take a walk, it's Spring!
Schooley's Elusive Spirit
Mysteries of the woods: the Swack church ruins.
Running northeast for twenty miles from Glen Gardner to Lake Hopatcong, Schooley’s Mountain’s steep sides rise to a broad top between the Musconetcong River and, for most of its length, the South Branch of the Raritan. The mountain presents a dichotomy of striking scenes from the past, interspersed with groups of modern homes and stores. The mountain’s southern portion holds routes worthy of exploring, hamlets for artists to ponder, and natural areas for hikers, all shrouded in tantalizing lore that begs a historian’s query. Read on...
In the Loop
Signs of the workings at Ford Mine remain around this pond in Jefferson, which, at the surface of a former shaft, reaches depths of several hundred feet.
Present or past, time in Jefferson Township is easy to enjoy. You can get a feel for northwest corner of Morris County and have a nice afternoon adventure on a loop more or less around Bowling Green Mountain, starting in and up the Berkshire Valley to Petersburg, over the mountain through Milton and Jefferson (town), and back through the Weldon Brook Valley along Weldon Road towards Lake Hopatcong. Drive it!
Both Sides Now
Stone lime kiln along River Road near Carpentersville.
Follow the narrow, twisting back roads along both shores of the Delaware River -- from Phillipsburg south to Milford in New Jersey, and Upper Black Eddy back north to Easton in Pennsylvania -- through countryside rich in local history and lore, old hamlets of which little trace remains, past quaint homes and natural wonders along the way.
Get the real thing at Lusscroft Farm at next Saturday's Maple Sugaring Open House and Barn Sale. See how they tap the maple trees, collect the sap, and make the delicious syrup. Fresh maple syrup will be ready for purchase, as well as items for sale in the barn and cottage. Funds raised from syrup sales go to ongoing restoration projects at this historic farm. Presented by The Heritage and Agriculture Association, Inc., in cooperation with the NJ DEP/Div. of Parks & Forestry.
In a winter pose, the Asbury Mill used water power to grind grain, and later process graphite. It anchored the growth of Asbury’s Historic District, which includes a number of extravagant homes from the 19th century. The Mill underwent significant structural rehabilitation, completed in 2019, with plans to open as an Interpretive Center with exhibits. The Mill exemplifies people’s connection to the Musconetcong National Wild and Scenic River – a recognition based upon the Native American, industrial, agricultural, and recreational uses of the river. Photo: Alan Hunt
Warm greetings and best wishes for a year marked by achievement and fulfillment! We hope you keep the personality of the New Jersey Skylands near and dear when you need to freshen your horizon among the hills and valleys of Northwest New Jersey!
Original Thought
On November 20, 1824, legislation entitled “AN ACT to erect the southwesterly part of Sussex county into a separate county, to be called the county of Warren” was passed by the Council and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey. Warren County's origins are celebrated during this year's Bicentennial. And where did that name come from anyway?
Robert Lobe's Invisible Earth required excavation in order to expose a root system which got increasingly complicated and inspired the title.
Take an afternoon to explore the exhibit New Sculpture/New Jersey at the Morris Museum, open through February 2. Showcasing just over forty works from eleven sculptors together with short video interviews with the artists, the exhibition connects visitors with the purpose, context, and meaning driving their work and motivating their choices. One of the featured artists is Robert Lobe whose fascinating technique was largely developed in the woods of Northwest New Jersey.
The shortened days of winter in the Skylands afford a chilly but unequaled opportunity to draw closer to nature and to enjoy the quiet that descends with the withdrawal of activity to the indoors. On these cold days, while local countryside vistas remain open and unshrouded by their canopy of leaves, the fields, forests, and woodlands of our region are prime for the pastime of winter birdwatching. More...
Breaking the Ice
Looking for a new relationship? Well, how about you and Northwest New Jersey; Perfect Together? The landscape is frigid and quiet, yet stunningly attractive. Somebody's got to take some action here. If you don't do it, somebody else will!
If rarely seen, the coyote is frequently heard. In the winter, during the January to March breeding times, listen for nocturnal howls when coyote are at their most vocal. They are happy to tell other coyotes, and the world, their location. Stop and listen. They'll fall silent all too soon.
Consider
Hamburg Mountain from Pinwheels Vista along the Appalachian Trail in Sussex County. Photo by Dwight Hiscano. A lifelong conservationist, Dwight has served on the boards of several conservation organizations in his home state of New Jersey. He has volunteered hundreds of hours and raised thousands of dollars for charities and conservation efforts. He founded and curated the Annual Highlands Juried Art Exhibit with the New Jersey Highlands Coalition.
The New Jersey Highlands hold countless stories from the past, but what about their future? The answer is both urgent and clear: climate change. Despite stark warnings, including this year’s devastating fires in Sterling Forest, many of us respond with passive acknowledgment, as if immune to the looming crisis. Meanwhile, local communities face mounting pressures—expanding development and a growing demand for living space—threatening the very values that define this cherished region.
For many, winter is a season for reflection. The challenge of the season strips away pretense, and offers a time for learning. The word “consider” traces its roots to the early French term for “star-like,” derived from the Latin word sidereal. Originally, its use implied that significant thoughts, judgments, and decisions should be guided by the wisdom and perspective of the stars. Today, we might say the meaning of “consider” has expanded—suggesting that by adjusting our perceptions, we can also be inspired to transform our actions.
December 19 - 26
Hark the Herald!
The High Point monument; photo from the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress.
A winter landscape and ancient holiday traditions blend to evoke a sense of wonder, reflection, and renewal as the winter solstice officially greets the new season on Saturday, December 21.
Tripod Rock on Pyramid Mountain
The annual solstice seems to have inspired ancient people to observe the year's shortest day with carefully aligned markers on a sight-line that points to the sun's low point in the sky. The most famous of these is Stonehenge in England, but there are local monuments that may have had a similar function. On the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, overhanging rocks form a shelter perfectly placed to observe the sun rise out of the center of the Water Gap on the winter solstice. A large obelisk protruding from the earth near Hainesville in Sussex County might have been similarly used. And three “sighting stones” near Mt. Bethel in Warren County seem to align with the winter solstice sunrise. Along the shore of Mountain Lake in White Township is a large flat rock outcropping on which legend claims the Lenape stood in ceremony to “bring up the sun”.
And the 170-ton Tripod Rock resting on top of Morris County’s Pyramid Mountain suggests use as a "calendar site" long ago.
The Owls Have It
Snowy Owl. (Brian E. Kushner, Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
During the winter months fewer people venture outside to explore the forests. What many don't realize is that this season opens up a whole new opportunity for the nature lover. Since the canopy of leaves is gone, there is visibility for spotting owls. Owls draw us in with their big, soulful eyes and luxuriously soft-looking feathers, and we appreciate how that spark of interest can be nurtured into the type of informed appreciation that leads to conservation action. These amazing birds have earned their moment of fame and the platform it provides for education. Wisdom on the fly!
Watershed Moments
Pohatcong Creek flows past the historic Hixson-Skinner Mill near Springtown.
Geologic record helps understand the human history and impacts of settlement and lifestyles in each of our watersheds, which take on regional characteristics of their own, connecting communities by a shared vital resource. The intrinsic appeal of their landscapes is enhanced by a heaping portion of openly accessible recreation facilities, either publicly owned or privately managed with the visitor in mind.
Following Pohatcong Mountain, another of the many Appalachian ridges that run through Warren County, the Pohatcong Watershed lies parallel and between those of the Musconetcong River to the south and the Pequest to the north. Follow the river!
Go with the grain
Loaves and baguettes at the Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse include (counterclockwise from right): Garlic duckfat ciabatta, local baguettes, cranberry walnut breadstick, rosemary epi, heirloom Fife, medieval baguette, Flax Armadillo loaf, rustic olloaf, Petit levain, cranberry walnut loaf.
There is now a proliferation of literature telling us to avoid wheat altogether, but the great news is that the nutritious and varying flours can be baked into nutritious and varying breads, season by season, loaf by loaf. It just requires that food makers relinquish their expectation that flour be exactly the same from harvest to harvest. See how its done, and look forward to an informative trip to Bobolink Dairy and Bakehouse, where Nina Stein White and her staff have produced millions of healthy and delicious breads! and where they also produce grass-fed beef and make artisanal cheeses is also the place where 369 Stamets Rd, Milford (Hunterdon County), 908/86GRASS. Or order online!
Schedule an elegant holiday celebration, a tasty visit to a brewery or winery, dinner and a show, or your winter sojourn along the Appalachian Trail! Sign up for the Warren County Wanderings newsletter, your guide post of discovery and a nexus of community in a culturally rich and environmentally singular area.
