New Jersey's Forested State Park Highlights Quiet Fishing Spots And Scenic Hiking Trails

Between its dense suburbs around New York City and Philadelphia and the popular Jersey Shore, New Jersey is not known as a quiet destination. Its nickname is the Garden State, though. So, if you look really hard, you'll find peaceful state parks far from the bustling population centers. One of them, Hacklebarney State Park, has fishing areas and hiking trails hidden within the forest.

Hacklebarney is a glacial valley in North Jersey's Morris County. The Black River, as well as two of its tributaries, the Rinehart and Trout Brooks, sculpted gorges deep in this remote hemlock and hardwood forest. In the 19th century iron ore was mined here, and later, after 32 acres of land were donated to New Jersey, Hacklebarney State Park was created in 1924. Since then, the state park has expanded to cover nearly 1,200 acres between the towns of Chester and Long Valley.

Despite being secluded, it is pretty easy to travel to Hacklebarney State Park. The closest airport, only about 40 miles away, is Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), the popular East Coast airport that receives nearly twice the average number of TSA complaints. Since it's New Jersey's largest airport, it receives nonstop flights from all over the world. Or, if you're coming from New York City, you can ride a NJ Transit train to Gladstone at the end of the Gladstone Branch. The Gladstone train station is less than 7 miles from the state park. There is no entrance fee once you arrive.

Hacklebarney State Park has nine short hiking trails, which, combined, cover almost 5 miles and are marked with easy-to-follow colored blazes. The Main Trail (white blazes) is an easy 0.7-mile trail that connects to all of the others in the park. The wide, gravel-packed trail starts near the parking lot, follows the ravine along Trout Brook, runs through the center of the state park, and ends up near Rinehart Brook. You'll even find picnic tables tucked among the trees along the way.

It's easy to combine the Main Trail with the Riverside and Windy Ridge Trails to create the Red, Yellow and White Loop. This moderate 2.6-mile hike starts on the Riverside Trail (red blazes), the longest trail in the state park. It hugs the edges of Trout Brook and the Black River, with scenic viewpoints and waterfalls en route, before crossing a bridge to connect with the Windy Ridge Trail (yellow blazes). You won't be on this hillside trail very long, though. In just half a mile, it meets the Main Trail to return to the state park's entrance.

Since the state park's trails easily link, don't be afraid to take a detour when you see blazes in other colors as you continue on your hike. You'll find pools of water enclosed by big boulders on the Wintershine Trail (orange blazes), flat-water pools on the Three Pools Trail (blue blazes), and a waterfall on the aptly named Waterfall Trail (purple blazes).

As you hike under the shady American beeches and yellow poplars in Hacklebarney State Park, you might notice some unusual things in the forest. The state park is home to some rare plants, such as American ginseng, leatherwood, and Virginia pennywort. Endangered wood turtles live here, too. There are also more than 100 species of birds and plenty of New Jersey's famed woodland mammals, including black bears and foxes.

You will probably also see anglers in the state park. The Rinehart and Trout Brooks are both designated Native Brook Trout Streams, while New Jersey Fish and Wildlife stocks the Black River with brown, brook, and rainbow trout each fall, making Hacklebarney State Park a popular fly-fishing spot. There are numerous access points for the river along the Riverside Trail (red blazes). To go fishing in Hacklebarney State Park, adults (age 16 and older) must purchase a New Jersey fishing license. A trout stamp is also necessary for salmon or trout fishing. These can be purchased in advance and online.

Now that you've finally found a quiet part of New Jersey, you should see what else is hiding out here. Morris County is home to Chatham, a diverse New Jersey suburb with international flair. It's also where you'll find Pompton Plains, a quiet village full of scenic parks and easy city access. Who knew there were so many peaceful areas in the Garden State?