Tatum Park



Tatum Park (2/26/2011)

An additional 6" of snow fell this past week (in northern NJ and upstate NY), followed by temperatures in the 50s and lots of rain over the past few days. This made us very hesitant to head north this week. I figured the snow that was still packed (for the most part) last weekend was probably a very soft, slushy mess by now. So we decided to head south where the snow was mostly all melted.

This park is a peaceful little oasis ... and it was a delight walking on firm ground after about two months of snow! Using the map supplied online, I put together a hike that used almost the entire Meadow Run, Tatum Ramble, Dogwood Hollow and Holly Grove trails. In essence we covered almost every trail in the park, save the India Springs trail which parallels Red Hill Road far too close for our tastes. Early signs of spring were in abundance at every turn, after a very tough winter. The highlight was the holly tunnel on the amazingly beautiful Holly Grove trail. It's one of the prettiest places in all of New Jersey.

Total distance hiked today was 5 miles in just over 2 hours.

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Everything yields to horses

Bridge on Meadow Run

Not sure what this is

Ascending to upper meadow


Typical trail marker

Early buds

Red-winged blackbird

 

Heading south ...

... on Meadow Run

Remaining snow [photo by Laura]

Intersection looking south
 


Heading west

Some ice here

Heading NW on Meadow Run

Swamp
 




Bat house

Snow along southern meadow edge
 


Hunting ended last weekend


Woods road east of Van Schoick Road

Beachy sand on this road
 


Yaktrax anyone?

Twisted trees

Heading east on Tatum Ramble

 


Heading east on Tatum Ramble


Green on Tatum

Fossils in rock on Tatum
 


Graffiti tree


More graffiti

Old foundation on Tatum
 



Winding north on Tatum

Winding trail looking west

View of meadow
 


Heading north on Tatum along meadow

Laura finds ...

... a deep hole

 



North on woods road


Bridges on Dogwood Hollow
 


Looking west

Huge trees ...

... on Dogwood Hollow

Ice only on trail!
 


Holly trees ...

... on the ...

... gorgeous ...

... Holly Grove trail
 


Hollies off trail

Hollies on trail

Playground off Red Hill Road

Huge trees on Dogwood Hollow
 


They dwarf Laura

Ascending to ...

... ivy-covered trees

 


Culvert on Dogwood Hollow trail

Beautiful buds

Patterns in sand

Visitor's center on Holland Road
 

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