the great outdoors

Hiking

Father’s Day meant a quick hike at Hacklebarney State Park in Long Valley, NJ before family time. The park was loaded with people hiking and picnicking with their dads. It reminded me of all my childhood hikes with mom and dad (and sister, when she joined the pack). 

I need to get them out into the woods again soon.

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Harriman

Harriman State Park is an enormous, beautiful spot just across the NJ/NY state line. Much like Ramapo and Pyramid Mountain, Harriman is full of steep inclines and plenty of boulders.

I know you’re not supposed to pick favorites, but Knox is by far my favorite dog to hike with. Dexter is great for off-leash hikes, but he tends to wander and pee on everything. Denali is way more focused, but she never stops pulling.

Knox, on the other hand, keeps a steady pace without pulling me over. He also seems to love climbing mountains as much as I do. I call him my little “billy goat”. He’s my usual choice for the longer, more intense hiking trips.

About two hours into our hike, I was pretty lost. We were on a trail, but Harriman is a huge park with many, many miles of trail. They don’t mean much if they don’t lead back to your parking lot. 

Luckily, we hit a road that cut through the park, and I was able to follow that for awhile before dipping back into the woods, onto a trail I knew would lead us back. Also, props to a dad and his two kids for steering us in the right direction.

The whole hike lasted over four hours and probably close to nine miles. I’m already eager to go back, though, since the park is so gigantic and has so many more awesome spots to see.

Full album on Flickr.

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