Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area • Hiking Trails
Probably the least-used, most underrated hiking location in New Jersey is the Hamburg Mountain Wildlife Management Area. This is hard to understand, considering the numerous small mountains, ravines, cascades, cliffs, rock formations, and highlands swamps, as well as opportunities for spotting deer, turkey, black bear and other wildlife. Hamburg Mountain presents outstanding opportunities for hiking, bouldering, and photography, yet it seems that hunters are the only people familiar with the area.
It's surprising, because a significant trail network leads quickly to most of the scenic highlights. Unfortunately, this network is an unmarked maze that extracts a few misfires before you'll really know your way around. Paths lead indiscriminately in and out of private land, but the area is so isolated that it hardly seems to matter. The trails are cobbled together -- not by design -- from old farm and logging roads and present day 4-wheeler and hunting use. The 4-runners are illegal but infrequent, and don't present any real problem for the tramper.
One advantage to this maze-type trail network is that you can bushwhack at will, taking comfort in the knowledge that you'll stumble onto a path in a half-hour at most. That doesn't preclude getting "lost;" it just means that you'll end up on a path that connects to one that eventually leads somewhere. If you aren't comfortable hiking without knowing where you are, or you aren't familiar with Highlands terrain, bring a compass.
The best access point for this area is at a large NJ Division of Fish & Game parking lot located on NJ Route 23, about 1.2 miles south of the junction of Rts. 23 and 517 in Franklin. (If you have trouble, there is a State Forestry office at that intersection.) The often-empty parking lot is on the northbound side.
As you enter the parking lot, you'll see a wood pole-type parking barrier on your left. Trail access is at the far right corner of the parking lot near a large tree. The trail begins climbing immediately. You'll know you're in the right place if you spot some small but unusual standing rock piles on the left within about 20 yards of the trailhead.
Staying with the main trail can be confusing in this area, so I'll spell it out a little. Within a few hundred feet, a spur trail leads to private property on the right. Continuing on the main trail, and continuing to climb, a side trail you may not notice forks in from the left near the crest of the first rise. Turn around and make a mental note, because this spur trail will look like it is the main trail on your return.
Next, two sizable trails fork in from the right in short order. The first is disused, the second appears well traveled. Once you pass these junctions, you come to a clear forward fork -- take the less-traveled trail to the left. For reference, we'll call this the "high/low fork." The right hand trail keeps to high ground; the left heads downhill soon afterward.
Using the left trail, you'll angle downhill for a couple hundred yards. The trail switches back through a brief, dense pine canopy and soon arrives near a stream bed at the bottom of the hill. (In mid summer this stream is often bone dry) You'll be just about where the stream divides and becomes a little swampy -- move a little to your right (upstream) and you'll find easier crossing. Make a strong mental note of your crossing spot. Remember, all of this is unmarked, and there is no trail at all to connect the one you just came down to the one you are headed for.
Proceed straight ahead through the underbrush after you cross the streambed. You are not on any trail, but as long as you proceed straight across toward the opposite hillside, you will connect with a new trail in a scant 20 yards.
MAP 1: Overview of the area, showing the key junctions and approximate route to the Franklin Ridge.
Once you've rejoined the trail, you'll want to turn right, more or less uphill (and in the upstream direction). At this point, if you continue to make right hand turns at every trail junction, you'll eventually circle back to the "high/low" fork.
The trail parallels the stream, which is heard quite easily during the spring or after a rainfall. The trail can get quite wet as well during these conditions.
For those who enjoy exploring stream and ravine environments, this is an ideal place to leave the trail. You can bushwhack upstream for about 3/4 of a mile of unspoiled cascades, rockfalls, and other charming scenes. Nobody does this, so there is no trail -- only unspoiled beauty -- and periodic tangles of blowdowns, briar bushes, and poison ivy. When you arrive at a trail that crosses the stream at the outlet of a swamp, follow that trail to the right, then keep turning right until you arrive back at the "high/low" fork.
Other than this potential trek, you may want to bushwhack to the stream in a couple of noisy spots. The first is where the rill is channeled through a narrow defile. The second is a quasi-waterfall about 150 yards upstream.
If you stick with the trail, you will soon begin climbing and pass over some glaciated granite laid bare by erosion. In a minute or two you'll arrive at a moderately flat open area where the trail seems to scramble and criss-cross. We'll call this the "central fork." If you bear right continuously you'll loop back to the "high/low fork."
Bouldering Area & Franklin Overlook
Turning left at the "central fork" leads quickly to another uphill section. Once you've reached the plateau, you will see a serious glacial rockpile on your right. As you cross through a wet area, the path bears right and passes below an outstanding cliff for bouldering enthusiasts. The granite appears to be a stack of giant cubes. Chunks are piled atop one another as if they were cleaved right from the mountain.
At yet another intersection, which we'll call the "rockpile fork," you're faced with further choices. Bearing right leads quickly to an incredible highlands bog. Bearing left winds along a ridgetop; open at first, then rolling up and down like a roller coaster. If you do bear left at this point, you can hike for another 15 minutes then bushwhack across a steep ravine to the top of Franklin Ridge overlooking the town of Franklin. This ridge is immediately above the Black Bear golf course, and the view is quite nice.
Hamburg Mountain High Point
Back at the "central fork," (after paralleling the stream, the trail scrambles over bare, eroded granite, then forks in a semi flat, semi open area) bear right and follow the trail for about 5 - 10 minutes to a "T". Turn left at the "T". Here the trail goes immediately down into a swampy area, and the ATV riders have been kind enough to re-route the trail at the wettest, nastiest spots.
After a few minutes you'll arrive at a 4-way intersection. Take the immediate left. This climbs steadily uphill, and the trail becomes grassy. In but a few minutes you'll step into an open area, similar to a "bald" in the southern Appalachians. This is the high point of Hamburg Mountain, 1200'+, with a commanding view of numerous ridges to the southeast. An outstanding spot, despite the evidence of hillbilly fires and ash cans. Lake Mohawk can be seen in the distance. From certain vantage points, a small portion of the Kittatinny Ridge/Mt. Tammany is visible, as well as Jenny Jump Mt. on a clear day. An amazing spot.
MAP 2: Specifically, how to get to the outstanding view at the high point of Hamburg Mountain WMA. This is a closer view of the map above, with a little more north. Refer to map above to locate "central fork." Although you may be tempted to bushwack to the high point from the trail, it is not recommended unless you have enough time in the day to be somewhat lost. From the trail along the base, a lot of spots look like the high point, and you can be easily attempted to strike out off the trail. Heed this warning -- the ridges string together, they all look similar, and you can get quite confused. Stay on the trail unless you have time to kill. For the experienced adventurer, however, have at it! Remember, as long as you walk in one direction you will certainly run into a trail. If you become completely, thoroughly lost, be sure to walk Southeast.
As mentioned at the outset, the trails are clear, but completely unmarked. Be prepared for a couple of "exploratory" hikes.
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