Mary’s Pad

We went hiking today at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. We wanted to spend some time with Jon and Hadassah, and what better way than meeting somewhere halfway and doing something fun together! Jon and Hadassah took the train down from New York and we drove from Philly, met up at Princeton Junction, and drove to the Preserve for a hike. We brought lunch and lots of water, found a trail we liked and set off!

A random picture that I took

Mary, Hadassah, and Jon chilling close to the trail head

Hadassah, me, and Jon standing on a rock

The 2,870 acre Sourland Mountain Preserve in Hillsbrough, in Somerset County, NJ is county owned and administered by the Somerset County Park Commission. It is a heavily wooded and rocky park, perfect for hiking and also for off-road biking. There are three trails:

Ridge Trail: Rises and descends moderately. Steep switch at intersection 6. Moderate difficulty rating. 5.0 miles.

Maple Flats: Generally level. Easy difficulty rating. 1.4 miles

Pondside Trail: Level to gently sloping. Easy difficulty rating. 0.5 miles

We picked the Ridge Trail, which is the longest trail and goes up to about 500 feet. The trail has a LOT of boulders, and at some point ascends very steeply, but it’s a sweet hike that is shaded and beautiful. We saw some beautiful scenery and birds, and it was heavenly being out in the woods with only the birds and the trees, and good friends.

Because of how wooded the trail is, I was in the shade for the most part during the hike, which was a good thing. I did get really hot and winded on the steeper parts of the trail, and had to keep pouring water on my head to cool down, but for the most part I was fine and didn’t experience any of the stuff I have before.

We stopped and had lunch by a brook, talked for a while, and then got back on the trail. Afterwards we went into Princeton and walked around before heading back to Princeton Junction and parting ways after a wonderful day.

If you like to hike, the Sourland Mountain Preserve is definitely a great choice. If you’re not sure of your physical condition, the Park Commission recommends starting with the shorter trails, because the Ridge Trail is definitely a work out.

See more pictures here under the Somerset Hike set.