In between
blizzards and before the recent monsoon season started in New Jersey the sun briefly shone outside and Pics of Me in Front of Stuff was able to get outside and enjoy the beautiful countryside...of New Jersey? Pics of Me in Front of Stuff was as shocked as the rest of you, but if you go far enough in New Jersey, away from the shore, the urban sprawl, and the chemical plants there are some beautiful state parks.
Keep in mind this is where New Jersey is close to becoming New York and Pennsylvania (i.e. not New Jersey) and that probably plays a role in the scenery. Pics of Me in Front of Stuff has seen it before.
This time, Pics of Me in Front of Stuff visited Wawayanda State Park.
Wawayanda is in northern NJ, not the north Jersey near New York City, but the geographical, actual northern New Jersey.
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That broken line cutting diagonally through the map is the NY-NJ border. And near that border is some beautiful scenery as promised.
Pics of Me in Front of Stuff's journey started out on the opposite side of this lake which probably has a name. Like most other or maybe all bodies of water, the lake also has a beach.
Fortunately, this beach was nothing like Seaside Heights and there was no Snookie or Situation to wreak havoc on the locals. It may have been a little cold for J-Wow and the rest of the Jersey Shore crew. It may have been a little too muddy for them as well since some of the snow from one of the first blizzards of the year had melted. It seems doubtful that many of the inhabitants of the Jersey Shore house handled mud well. Despite the wilderness some parts of New Jersey was unavoidable. Like many of the parks in the area Wawayanda State Park was once used for the iron industry. A large blast furnace still stands not far from the lake pictured above.
Sadly, there was also some urban sprawl dumped out in the woods, too.
Minus the junk that had been dumped out in the woods a long time ago Wawayanda was a beautiful state park on a sunny, warm winter day. Pics of Me in Front of Stuff followed some blue marked trails and managed not to get terribly lost in the woods. The Official GPS of Pics of Me in Front of Stuff was bought as a gift by the Official Mom of Pics of Me in Front of Stuff following a harrowing experience in the woods of central PA.
Pics of Me in Front of Stuff followed these and managed to get back to the Official Car of Pics of Me in Front of Stuff. Also, only photographs were taken and only footsteps left and maybe time was wasted. It was a good day to be outside.
Long Pond Ironworks State Park is located in Hewitt, New Jersey on land once owned by Peter Hansclever, just south of the NJ/NY border. The first half of the park consists of several hiking trails many of which border the Monksville Reservoir. Though the weather was warm, if a bit overcast on the on the day Pics of Me in Front of Stuff visited, the reservoir was frozen over and the ice's surface was dotted with ice fishermen. Some of us were not confident in the ice's thickness. Clearly, there was no need to worry about the safety of the fishermen and so the hike commenced near the shores of the horse shoe shaped reservoir. The hike was mostly uneventful, the usual hills and woods found in north Jersey. At about the midpoint of the trek, a side trail took Pics of Me in Front of Stuff to a wonderful view of the ice covered reservoir. Check it out below.
Thanks, Herr Hasenclever, for the awesome view!
on. Since these buildings had not been used since the mid-1800s, it is understandable that they have fallen into disrepair. I figure 150+ years from now, I can only hope I look half as good as these piles of rocks. Of course, 150+ years from now I hope I am dust in the wind. That's right, not only did I try to quote Poison but I also plan on being cremated when I die. You read it here first! Regardless of the plans for my remains, the ruins of the Long Pond Ironworks are beautiful in their own way. Like other piles of rubble, these represent the way things once were in our country. Sometimes what we learn is surprising. When was the last time you considered plantations in NJ? How about a plantation including neither cotton nor tobacco nor slaves from Africa? That was the iron planation of Herr Hasenclever. Other things I have learned are not so suprising. 
The Long Pong Ironworks were put out of business by the Pittsburgh steel industry...Damn you, Andrew Carnegie! Pittsburgh often ruins things, like the Super Bowl so who could be surprised that it ruined the burgeoning steel industry in north Jersey. However, if Pittsburgh had not caused this plantation to be shut down there may not be this lovely state park in New Jersey. Unfortunately, there is no bright side to Pittsburgh ruining the Super Bowl! My hurt football feelings aside, the path winding through these piles of rubble is a unique historic experience giving a view of industry in an era that is too often overlooked. I guess I am glad Pittsburgh ruined the steel industry there and gave me the opportunity to experience this walk through history.
Don't I look thrilled to be visiting these ruins?
It is no Niagara Falls. But then again, what is?
