please RSVP Early to avoid disappointment(there will be another section on 5/21);
as the repeat of all previous Hike(s) have filled quickly in less than 10 hours of posting; same day!!!
The joy of being on the trail again... there truly is nothing quite like getting away from it all on foot. If you love the outdoors like I do, then you probably will love getting to those places that only your two feet can take you. So please do join us in our next scheduled hike event and get a flavor of day adventure hiking:
Loantaka Brooks Reservation is a great hike experience for both those first time hikers or for those looking to return to active hiking this season with an organized group of hiking enthusiast(s) of all diverse experience levels.
Hiking also makes for a great overall body workout to increase ones overall stamina, improve ones general physical body conditioning, as well as "having a bit of fun" along the way while exercising and socializing with other like-minded hiking enthusiasts; all at the same time.
Hiking is perhaps the perfect activity to provide a low-impact, total body conditioning workout(using treking/walking poles), while reducing overall "everyday" daily stress and improving ones general cardiovascular health("just what the doctor ordered"), if ones uses hiking/trekking poles one can achieve an even better physical fitness workout experience.
Well to be completely honest, the beautiful always varying scenic outdoor setting is sure to do wonders for ones mental health and outlook as well as add some "fun, excitement and spice" to ones exercise and physical conditioning regimen and program.
Please join us by signing up below for and seeing what the Loantaka Brooks Reservation Hike has to offer the hiker, the hike offers relatively easy level hiking as it meanders and flows through a relatively narrow strip of woodland that is particularly scenic with the forested scenic setting and is quite pleasant both to see, photograph and experience; so please take the time to enjoy the great outdoors.
The hungry ducks and Canadian geese in particular are a very nice enjoyable touch to experience within the Loantaka Brooks Reservation that lends itself and gives this park its own unique charm and character for all outdoor hiking/photographic enthusiasts alike to enjoy and allow one to see the many diverse forms of a wildlife and plant life within the diverse Loantaka Brooks Reservation.
And also make for an excellent beginner hiking day adventure trip that is as compelling must see/do hiking outing for both outdoor nature hikers and outdoor enthusiast nature photographers alike.
The hiking trails of the Loantaka Brooks Reservation are fairly flat and easy for a beginning hike of approximately 3.5 miles in length with plenty of time(3hrs.) to explore and still see everything so definitely do bring ones digital cameras).
The Loantaka Brooks Reservation meets for the 1:00PM hike(SHARP!) in the parking lot at the Loantaka Way street access to the Loantaka Brooks Reservation parking lot.
and has been delayed from the usual noontime meetup hike time, so please be on time(no excuses please):
Loantaka Brooks Reservation in Morris County
Loantaka Way Parking Lot(from Loantaka Way) will be the scheduled meetup location
nearest cross street reference will be Shunpike Road(not to far away from Great Swamp on map)
Please reference and note there are multiple trail head parking locations within Loantaka Brooks Reservation, so please be sure to note and reference the actual Loantaka Way(street) Parking Lot on googlemaps.com to verify and confirm the actual correct hike meetup location prior to the hike meetup date.
Furthermore, please leave well in advance to allow for extra time to commute and transit to the hike meetup Loantaka Way(street) Parking Lot destination as the lunchtime traffic on Saturdays gets particularly congested if the using Route 24 Main St. routing access to get to Loantaka Brooks Reservation.
Please remember there are multiple trail head parking lot access points, but however there is in fact only one parking lot access point that comes from the Loantaka Way street address onto Loantaka Way access trail head parking lot.
So please do take the time to check the map as well as printing out the referencing map(so you can show provided map) information via www.googlemaps.com prior to departing for Loantaka Brooks Reservation the night before, in addition to leaving an hour earlier at 11:00am to ensure you can get there without risk of getting lost.
Hiking Outdoor Gear and Equipment with Introduction plus checklist
Please do bring comfortable outdoor clothes to layer with to keep warm, warm gloves, warm wool hiking socks, sturdy hiking poles, sturdy hiking shoes, water(at least 2qts.) and food(s) to bring(energy bars, gatorade, trail mix, etc.),
Also make sure to bring any needed medications, please note that no dogs are permitted in Great Swamp, please also RSVP in advance with a Yes response in meetup group.
One of the purposes of this Loantaka Brooks Reservation -"Pre-Season Hike" is to introduce regular hikers as well as people new to hiking, who are looking to enjoy the great outdoors by hiking with other like minded hiking enthusiasts; so please join us for our pre-season hike as an organized hiking group and discover some of the best hiking opportunities in New Jersey along with your digital camera to capture some of that natural beauty of the great outdoors; so you will have something to take home after the hike, as a souvenir.
Additionally, please do not hesitate to make new hiking suggestion(s) for hikes that you either have done yourself or would also like the meetup hiking group to do in the future collectively as a hiking group, as we progress thru the hiking season.
Basic Description of Loantaka Brooks Reservation Hike:
The Loantaka Brooks Reservation hike trail basically consists of a varied and interesting trails of approximately 3.5 miles in length with plenty of time(3hrs.) to explore and still see everything offered within the reservation as outlined from the above paragraphs.
The hiking trails for the Loantaka Brooks Reservation hike are fairly flat and easy for a first hike and the Loantaka Brooks Reservation has a parking lot for he 1:00pm sharp meetup time.
Basically, the approximately 3.5 mile(leisurely paced-to see everything) hiking trail being covered on Saturday will traverse both hiking/nature trails as well as section(s) of winding trails as well as equestrian trails, that will allow one to get a very close up nature view of our equestrian animal friend the horse(bring cameras) and also a stop at a horse stable, and also to examine/photograph potential area wildlife and plant life within the Loantaka Brooks Reservation.
Finally, many thanks goes out to the primary sponsor "Blue Ridge Mountain Sports", where there motto is; "Be kind, have fun and do the right thing"; for picking up all the costs for sponsoring the cost of our monthly meetup.com dues to make it possible to run/schedule these weekly scheduled hike(s) all throughout the hiking season which is basically all year(yes we hike in the winter- we even do snowshoe hiking).
Blue Ridge Mountain Sports will also be running very informative and enlightening "Day Hiking" classes inside the store throughout the hiking season especially for those hikers who are new to hiking, so please do check out their website and bring your questions and ideas regarding "day hiking"!
Learn about all the basics for trail time, including hiking gear, hiking safety, hiking nutrition, and general hiking preparation for hiking trips at this free in-store class regularly held throughout the season.
Attendees will receive a "Blue Ridge Mountain Sports" free t-shirt and a "special discount coupon" as well.
Class usually meets on Thursdays at 7pm throughout the hiking season.
And yes, I will be there as well; listening for individual meetup.com hiking group inputs, new hiking feedbacks, hiking ideas, and hiking thoughts and hiking suggestions; also as well!
Hope To See You All There!!
Pre-Hike Checklist Information::
Great Swamp Hike Destination Trip; things to bring for
the 3.5 mile, three hour easy hike to make it more safe/comfortable
and more enjoyable overall:
hiking/treking poles
layered warm outdoor clothing
warm gloves
sturdy medium duty ankle height hiking shoes with lugged soles
medium weight wool blend hiking socks(sock liner optional)
