Chimney Rock

From mtbNJ.com Wiki

Contents 1 General Information 2 Google Map 3 Details and Info 4 Trails 5 Routes 6 Reviews 7 Discussion, Events, and JORBA 7.1 MTBNJ 7.2 JORBA 7.3 TM Dates 8 Bike Shop(s) and Good Eats 8.1 Shops 8.2 Food 9 Maps 10 Videos 11 Pictures 11.1 General Pics 11.2 Points of Interest 11.3 The TTF

General Information

Chimney Rock (properly known as Washington Valley Park) is a small network of rugged intermediate trails that earns its name as "the rock" by some locals. Like its central Jersey couterpart Six Mile Run this park does not drain well so avoid after heavy rains. While all the logs have recently been removed by the park, new ones are starting to fall into place and a Technical Trail Feature (TTF) was put in during the summer of 2009 which JORBA rep Kirt hopes to be the first of several.

Google Map

The map above shows Norm's GPS route which covers just about every trail in the park in both directions. There are some connectors not included in this loop but everything else is in there.

Click the desired marker on the map above for directions (via Google Maps).

Details and Info

Miles: 13 unique, up to 20 depending how you loop it. A full tour of all trails with most in both directions will yield you well over 20, closer to 22. A single pass on everything is probably more in the 13 realm.

Difficulty: Intermediate

Trails: Singletrack

Surface Dirt (Hardpack, Loose Hardpack, Mud)

Obstacles: Trail Obstacles, Rock Garden, Water Crossing, Technical Trail Features

Special Features:

Detailed Overview: Assorted climbing, rocks, logs, and roots. Very few "easy" miles. In 2009 a Technical Trail Feature was install on the blue loop. If you are time limited it is best to park in the Newmans Lane lot and do loops of the red & blue trails, and maybe white time permitting. This gives you a good cross section of what the park has to offer. You will get a well marked loop on both sides of the road with the TTF on blue and some light climbs on both sides.

Park Website: Somerset County Parks

Trails

Trail Name	Blaze	Distance	Description
Blue Loop	Blue	3 miles	Most go in counterclockwise and come out the way they came. The Technical Trail Feature is on this trail. Rocky descent on the far side eats sidewalls. Trail starts with a climb then rocks await. Can be wet on the lower sections so many people avoid that as much as possible.
Red Loop	Red	3 miles	Figure 8, loop it any way it flows well. Can avoid blue and climb up fire road next to cell tower for extra lung & leg fun. Starting at the top and bombing back down is fun. Middle crossover trail offers a way to switch things up. Generally not too wet here.
White Loop	White	2 miles	Aka Coney Island, a fun set of play trails that were clearly build by local BMXers. Good way to warmup for the day. Major reroute recently alleviated some of the wettest spots on this trail.
Orange Loop	Orange	2 miles	Mainly a connector from the backside of the reservoir to the yellow trails. At the top of the climb go right then make your first left. Drop down to the river for more technical riding though there is a hike-a-bike section in there.
Yellow Loop	Yellow	4 miles	The developing side, where the IMBA crew did it's work. Tough climb up but once there it is solid riding. The Chimney Rock Hawk Watch is often at the Overlook at White Rock in the fall. Fun downhill run from top to intersection as well as small but tough rock garden on the other side.

Routes

Rider: Norm

Description: This is a solid ride but it's broken up quite well for anyone who wants to follow it. It starts in Newman's Lane, then cuts across red, and brings you through orange, then into the yellow trails. It hits every trail up there, including the new one. It also gives you the overlook. Most of the yellow stuff you'll get both ways with this loop. Then it takes you back to the lot, through red. That's roughly halfway. You can grab another bottle or quit. It jumps back in and hits the red trails, so that you've just about done all of them both ways. Then back to the lot, then across the road to blue, where you then do all of them both ways with a small exception. At that point, you're about 17.5 miles in, and back at the lot. That's 17.5 miles of solid trail, all that CR has to offer. The last 4 miles are the white trails and then behind the ballfield which isn't what I would call the best the park has to offer. Nice enough, but I just tacked it on at the end to make this loop complete. I left out the trail along the river, on the orange side. Just wasn't in the mood to drop down there today. There are some connectors on the red side that are left out, maybe a few hundred yards worth. In the blue, I don't do much along the stream. Other than that this is about everything. You also get both ways to access the ballfield area - behind the house or through the fence at the top of the hill. This also does not cross the stream from the ballfield trails over to the yellow/orange.

Link: Motionbased

Files: kml

Rider: Glancing Aft

Description: A good "three leaf clover" ride to do up in Chimney Rock. Two great climbs, and some good single track as well.

Link: Motionbased

Reviews

Discussion, Events, and JORBA

MTBNJ

Forum: MTBNJ forum

Calendar: MTBNJ events

JORBA

Events: JORBA events

Info: Somerset County Parks at JORBA.org

Forums: Forums

Contacts: Kirt

TM Dates

11/21/2009: details

Bike Shop(s) and Good Eats

Shops

EMS Bridgewater

Efinger Sporting Goods

Food

Chimney Rock Inn

Manville Pizza

Maps

Norm's Candyland Version

Color-Coded Park Map

Crude Park Map

Videos

Pictures

General Pics

Points of Interest

The TTF