From The Record

Dec. 7 , 2007

Hiking: Apshawa Preserve in West Milford

By DANIEL CHAZIN

FEATURES: This hike follows woods roads and footpaths through the preserve, looping around the scenic Butler Reservoir.

LENGTH: About 4.5 miles.

DIFFICULTY: Moderate.

TIME: About 3½ hours.

MAP: Apshawa Preserve map available at njconservation.org or from kiosk at trailhead.

DOGS: Permitted on leash.

HOW TO GET THERE: Take I-287 to Exit 53 (Bloomingdale) and turn left onto Hamburg Turnpike. As you enter Bloomingdale, the name of the road changes to Main Street. After 1.3 miles (from Route 287), you'll reach a fork; bear right, but at the next fork (in another 0.1 mile), bear left to continue on the same road, which is once again Hamburg Turnpike. Follow it for another 1.3 miles, then turn right onto Macopin Road. In 1.9 miles, turn left onto Northwood Drive. After 500 feet, turn right into the parking area for the Apshawa Preserve.

DESCRIPTION: The Apshawa Preserve is a rugged 576-acre tract owned by Passaic County and the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, featuring about seven miles of trails. This hike uses the trails in the northern section of the preserve, which loop around the Butler Reservoir. The trails have two markings -- colored plastic diamond blazes with the logo of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation, and older rectangular paint blazes.

At the northern end of the parking area, you'll see three white blazes, which mark the start of the White Trail. Follow this trail as it enters the forest on a woods road, then continues on a footpath. A short distance ahead, you'll notice three green blazes on a tree to the left. The Green Trail, which begins here, will be your return route, but for now, continue ahead on the White Trail.

Just beyond the intersection with the Green Trail, the White Trail bears left and descends to cross a stream, then climbs a hill on a woods road. It bears right at a high point; look for interesting rock formations on the left. The trail then turns left, leaving the woods road, and descends steeply into a ravine, where it joins another woods road.

Reservoir viewpoints

A short distance ahead, follow the White Trail as it turns right, leaving the road, and begins to climb (the Green Trail, which ends here, continues ahead on the road). At the top of the hill, you'll pass through an area studded with cedars and soon reach a west-facing viewpoint, with the Butler Reservoir visible below. You'll be hiking along the shoreline of this reservoir later on.

The White Trail now descends steeply to the southeast corner of the reservoir. Here, the Red Trail begins on the left, but continue on the White Trail, which turns right and heads north parallel to the eastern shore of the reservoir, offering several viewpoints over it.

At the northern end of the reservoir, the White Trail bears right, briefly follows a stream and reaches a junction with the Yellow Trail. Switch to the Yellow Trail, which circles a small pond, offering several viewpoints over it. At the eastern end of the pond, the trail traverses a rocky area and comes close to Macopin Road, so you may hear the sounds of traffic.

Upon reaching the northwest corner of the pond, the Yellow Trail ends at a second junction with the White Trail. Continue ahead on the White Trail, which follows a woods road. Soon you'll reach an open area to the left of the trail that provides a broad south-facing view over the Butler Reservoir.

Just ahead, be alert for a junction with the Red Trail, which begins on the left (at this writing, the trail junction is just beyond a large blow-down -- a tree that has fallen across the trail). Turn left to follow the Red Trail, which crosses the wide inlet stream of the reservoir over rocks. This crossing may be tricky if the water is high.

Steep rock face

The Red Trail heads east to the shore of the reservoir, where a rock ledge provides a nice view. Just beyond, the trail climbs briefly to avoid a steep rock face, but for most of the next half-mile, the trail closely parallels the shore.
After several private homes appear on the right near the southwest corner of the reservoir, the trail joins a woods road and soon reaches a north-facing viewpoint over the reservoir. You'll next come to a gravel road that leads to the reservoir dam. Continuing to follow the red blazes, turn right onto the road and then bear left. The Green Trail soon joins from the left, and you should follow both red and green blazes along the road.

When the green blazes bear right, diverging from the red blazes, follow the Green Trail as it descends on a narrower woods road, but watch carefully for a left turn. Follow the Green Trail as it climbs briefly, then descends to cross Apshawa Brook on rocks just below the dam of the reservoir (again, this crossing can be difficult in times of high water). Due to safety concerns, the historic stone dam has been breached and a concrete spillway constructed to lower the water level of the reservoir.

After crossing the brook, the Green Trail turns right and briefly parallels it, then turns left on a woods road, crossing a broad expanse of open rock and passing a steep rock face on the left. Continue on the Green Trail as it diverges from the road to the left, climbs a hill, then descends to reach another woods road. The trail turns left here, but you should turn right onto the Yellow Trail (not the same as the Yellow Trail you followed earlier), which begins here.

After following the road for a short distance, the Yellow Trail ends at another junction with the Green Trail (this is a different section of the same Green Trail that you just followed). Turn left and follow the Green Trail, which descends steeply on a woods road. At the base of the descent, a small pond is visible on the right. Follow the Green Trail as it climbs briefly, then turns right, leaving the road, and descends to cross a stream. It climbs the opposite bank to end at a junction with the White Trail. Turn right and follow the White Trail, which quickly leads back to the parking area where the hike began.

"Hiking" is provided by Daniel Chazin of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference. The trail conference is a volunteer organization that builds and maintains more than 1,700 miles of hiking trails and publishes a library of hiking maps and books, including the "New York Walk Book" ($22.95) and the "New Jersey Walk Book" ($19.95). The Trail Conference's office is at 156 Ramapo Valley Road (Route 202), Mahwah; 201-512-9348, nynjtc.org.

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