Hacklebarney State Park
Directions to trailhead
Take I-80 West to Exit 27A and proceed south on US 206 for 8.3 miles to Chester. Turn right onto County 513 West (West Main Street) and continue for 1.3 miles, passing the entrance to Cooper Mill Park on the left. After crossing the bridge over the Black River, turn left onto Parker Road, then immediately turn sharply left onto State Park Road. Follow this road, with the Black River on the left, for 1.8 miles, then bear sharply right to continue on State Park Road. Proceed ahead for another 0.6 mile to the park entrance on the left. Follow the entrance road for about 0.2 mile to the main parking area.
Hike Description
Established in 1924 by a gift of local residents Adolphe and Sarah Borie, Hacklebarney State Park now includes 978 acres along the Black River. The park is heavily used on summer weekends, with many picnic tables along the trails, but at other times, there are few visitors. Trails run along three scenic streams – Rhinehart Brook, the Black River and Trout Brook - and this hike parallels all three streams.
From the main parking area, backtrack along the park entrance road to a gated road that heads uphill at a "Smokey the Bear" sign. Turn sharply left onto this road (its paved surface is now covered with moss and grass), marked with green blazes as the Playground Trail. In 350 feet, the Playground Trail bears left at a fork; the right fork is the route of the Upland Trail (pink), which begins here. The other end of the Upland Trail is on the right, 350 feet further along the Playground Trail, at a sign for an “overlook” (the view from the overlook has grown in). The Playground Trail now descends to a clearing, with playground equipment on the right and abandoned picnic tables on the left.
At the end of the clearing, you’ll notice a triple-yellow blaze, which marks the start of the Windy Ridge Trail. Turn right, passing in front of a park bench, and continue on a dirt path. The trail climbs gently, then descends gradually along the side of a hill. Towards the base of the descent, it goes down stone steps, curving sharply to the left, and soon begins to parallel Rhinehart Brook.
The yellow blazes end where the trail intersects a gravel road, with an abandoned stone water fountain on the left. Straight ahead, the gravel road is the route of the white-blazed Main Trail, but you should turn right onto the red-blazed Riverside Trail and cross a wooden bridge over the brook. On the other side of the bridge, bear left and follow the red-blazed trail uphill, with the brook on the left. After descending slightly, you'll reach another intersection, where you should bear left, continuing to follow the red blazes (the trail straight ahead leads in a short distance to the park boundary, marked by two stone pillars).
The trail now descends to the Black River. After crossing a wooden bridge over a small tributary and a longer footbridge over Rhinehart Brook, the graded trail ends. For the next half mile, you'll be following a narrow, rocky footpath along the river.
This section is the highlight of the hike, as the Black River is one of the wildest and most scenic rivers in the State of New Jersey. It is particularly spectacular after a heavy rain, but the rushing river, with its rapids, cascades and boulders, is beautiful any time of the year. You'll want to take some time to cover this stretch of the trail so that you can fully appreciate the magnificent scenery.
After passing a huge boulder in the river, the trail briefly joins a gravel road which comes in from the left. The road offers a welcome respite from the rock-hopping. Soon, a side trail on the right leads to a bench that overlooks beautiful cascades upstream in the river. A short distance beyond, the gravel road ends, and the Riverside Trail continues along the river on a rocky footpath.
The trail eventually emerges in a clearing, with a group of picnic tables and an abandoned restroom building on the left. At the end of the clearing, the trail joins a gravel road which curves left, soon reaching a footbridge over Trout Brook. The Riverside Trail turns right and crosses this bridge, but you should continue ahead on the gravel road, now following the blue-blazed Haki Trail.
You will follow this trail for only about 200 feet. Watch carefully on the right for a triple-orange blaze, which marks the start of the Wintershine Trail. Turn sharply here, leaving the gravel road, and continue on a footpath that passes a picnic table and crosses the brook on another footbridge.
On the other side of the bridge, the Wintergreen Trail bears right and crosses a rocky area. The trail soon becomes wider and smoother, proceeding through an area with both hemlocks and deciduous trees, high above the Black River (visible through the trees below on the right). The wooly adelgid has killed many of the older hemlocks, but younger hemlocks are replacing them.
In a third of a mile, the Wintegreen Trail swings left and ends at a junction with a paved road, the route of the red-blazed Riverside Trail. You should turn left and follow this trail along the road, which is nearly level. After descending slightly, the road begins to parallel Trout Brook, below on the left.
Soon, you'll notice stone steps to the left that lead down to the brook. It is worthwhile to take the short side trip down to the brook, as there is an attractive waterfall a short distance upstream that is best viewed from the brook level.
A short distance beyond, you'll come to a bridge over Trout Brook. Turn left, cross the bridge, then turn right and head uphill on the purple-blazed Waterfall Trail, which follows a paved road. At the next intersection, turn right and continue along the white-blazed Main Trail, which follows a paved road back to the parking area where the hike began.