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The Friendliest Cat on Earth
by Mary Jasch
I meet John Grob, NY/NJ Trail Conference trails supervisor, at the Jockey Hollow Encampment Area in Morristown to take a walk in the winter woods. There is deep snow on the ground, but the sunny woods beckon. Jockey Hollow is one of five units that comprise Morristown Historic National Park, New Jersey’s first national historical park.
Today Grob brings two GPS units to add even more interest to a hike through hilly deciduous forest where a dramatic piece of American history took place. We'll track our course on the units, which will drop blips on a screen like Gretel’s crumbs so we can find our way back should we get lost on the Primrose Brook Trail. The map will be drawn by connecting the dots or “seed dropping.” The GPS units will also show us, at the very least, a direct route over hill, stream and dale back to the car. And all we need are three satellites and we have five.
We pick up the trailhead next to the Primrose Brook and head into the leafless woods. A favorite skinny understory tree grows here – ironwood, also known as msuclewood – especially interesting in winter with strong, sinewy limbs. There is a thorny black dogwood or viburnum here, we have been informed, that kills all plants within a short radius of its base.
The forest trees are black and yellow birch, black locust, tall straight tulip poplar, red maple, hickory, oak, and American beech, some without scars. Japanese barberry spreads through the understory in some seemingly distinct patches, and bittersweet and grape vines are rampant.
The area is comprised of foothills in the 600-foot elevation range, but we mostly walk along the side of one on an undulating path. In this ravine, the Primrose Brook trickles under snow and ice and appears sporadically, then hides again under the snow. Its sound accompanies us. It is a state-designated “Trout Quality” stream and they want to keep it that way. Once a week, officials do water quality tests to track what’s coming in and going out of the stream. The Passaic River has its pristine headwaters here and the Great Swamp also drinks from the hills.
There is water everywhere here. Among his responsibilities as trails supervisor, grob must keep the water off the trails by diverting it with water bars and he must gather the volunteers to do it. “Water is our enemy,” he says. “We come out in the rain and see where the water is coming from, then come back and take care of it.”
A huge oak lays dead on the side of the trail. Grob says it fell three years agoand took down four other trees, one a living black birch – a strange occurrence for a live oak. As part of the maintenance, Grob’s team cut only the part that crossed the path.
The trail crosses the steam periodically, over large natural stepping stones and built foot bridges. Soon it meets an old woods road where a cross-country skier glides by. We look at the map, cross the road and continue on the red dot Primrose Trail. “Ten years ago, there was not a blaze in the park,” says Grob.
Up ahead, we meet two hikers – Hudson, a Golden Retriever, and Dave, his owner. The park is used heavily by locals and this pair hikes daily.
At the crossroads, we check the map on the sign that NY/NJTC volunteers put up. Every intersection has one, and each map has a “You Are Here” arrow so you know you won’t get lost. There were no signs ten years ago, because a historic park is not a recreation park and has no budget for trails. That was when Grob wrote to the park’s superintendent and then convinced the NY/NJTC to adopt the park’s trails.
Now we take the white Grand Loop Trail, which is the longest in the park. This part is a spur of Patriots Path, a Morris County trail that goes from Lewis Morris Park to Audubon Park.
We check our electronic wizards, pretending we’re lost. I press #1 and hit “Enter.” An arrow points the way to my car and gives the mileage and direction in a straight line. All we have to do is follow the arrow. It just so happens, it’s in the same direction as the trail. GPS is fun. Grob says that some GPS units come with an external antenna, which improves satellite signals. He hooks his antenna on his hat and puts the unit in his pocket. “Tree cover is our enemy,” he says. “It blocks the signal from the satellite.”
Along this way, signs designate the encampments of Washington’s troops during the winter of 1780. These snowy grounds must have looked much the same then when brigades from New Jersey and other states each set up their own campsite. Washington and his 10 -13,000 men came to Morristown because of the resources – the ample water supply in these wet hills, the 600 acres of trees they chopped to build their huts from, and the foothills and surrounding swampland that protected them from the British. ”Morristown was close enough to New York City to keep an eye on the British to prevent a surprise attack on the soldiers,” says John Hazel, park guide.
Soon the ground levels off and we reach Tempe Wick Road with .43 miles to go. The old Wick family farmhouse where – no, not Washington – one of his generals slept is straight ahead. A snake fence surrounds an old orchard, whose historic trees are periodically replenished with cuttings. The Herb Society of America, Northern New Jersey Unit, maintains the historic herb garden. Two horses and “the friendliest cat on earth” live in the barn.The farm is maintained as it was in the late 1700s when the troops were here. The restored farmhouse is open for exploring but visitors should call the office in cold weather. In summer, a docent dressed in period garb awaits.
“This is an ideal place to take a first hike because we’re surrounded by roads and you can’t get lost,” says Grob. “All the trails are marked with maps; there’s plenty of safe parking and it’s heavily patrolled.”
Grob and I check the GPS. Yes, we’re here.
Two car loop: park one car at the Visitor Center parking lot. Drive up Sugar Loaf Rd., make right on Grand Parade Rd., and right onto Jockey Hollow Rd. Park here at the Trail Center. Cross the street and begin the hike.
One car: Park in Visitor Center lot and walk up Jockey Hollow Road to trail Center. First go in building and get map.
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published February 16, 2004
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