In Search of the Golden Gate Bridge – Lands End Hike

In honor of the Golden Gate Bridge’s 75th anniversary, I sought out a hike that would include glimpses of the Bay Area’s greatest icon. If you head west on Geary Boulevard until you see ocean, you’ll stumble upon a gem of a hiking area right in San Francisco! Lands End, no relation to the Yacht clothing company, is an easy hiking area with views of the Pacific Ocean and Golden Gate strait. It’s also a place of San Francisco history containing the ruins of the Sutro Baths, once the largest swimming pool complex in the world, and the Cliff House, a restaurant overlooking the ocean. You really have to visit Lands End to understand its name. Prepare for awe inspiring views and contemplation on tectonic plates, urbanization and your own mortality. I mean it!

Ruins of the Sutro Baths. 1896-1966.

A bride and groom capture the beginning of their life together at Lands End.

A little dog waited for his friend. Lands End.

The moody Pacific Ocean.

View from Lands End of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sun attempts to pierce through the fog.

A hipstalicious shot of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Looking down at Mile Rock Beach at Lands End.

A boat disappears into the San Francisco fog.

Lands End

The Coastal Trail is surprisingly floral.

There are plenty of rabbit holes to fall into while exploring Lands End.

A walk in Lands End might just make you forget you’re in the city of SF.

Camping in Yosemite for Idiots

If you want to camp inside Yosemite National Park, you must reserve a spot at one of the campgrounds beforehand*. You can reserve up to 5 months before your stay. For example, on the 15th of January, the permits for the reserve-only campsites during May 15-June 15 went live; nearly all sites filled up within minutes. May 18th was the weekend Brett and I wanted to camp in Yosemite. Unfortunately, up until 6 days ago, I had no concept of reserving plots of land to pitch a tent. Though I knew Yosemite is Yosemite, I didn’t quite understand the demand for staying overnight in the Park. On the ground. But it’s insane. Needless to say, 5 days before our trip we couldn’t reserve a spot in Yosemite.

*That left 3 options.

1. Stay at a first-come, first-served campsite in Yosemite. Yosemite has 7 first-come, first served campgrounds, but they are open depending on the time in the season and the trail conditions. Mid-May, only one rush site is open: Camp 4. You have to be there in person at 8:30 a.m. to register to pitch your tent at Camp 4. According to the Yosemite website, a line is usually formed way before then. This is clearly not a viable option for someone going after work on Friday. Camp 4 is also the site of rock-climbers in Yosemite. As I figure, if you were too oblivious to make your reservation 5 months ago, chances are the rock-climbers will be more hard-core about camping at Camp 4 than you.
2. Obtain a wilderness permit and stay in the wilderness. For people going on multi-day hikes, you can get a permit to sleep in the park overnight. It really depends what time in the season you go, but you can potentially stay where ever you hike to in the wilderness. There are some permits you can get ahead of time, and others that are first-come, first-served.
3. Camp outside of Yosemite and drive in for day hikes. There are multiple campgrounds outside of Yosemite in neighboring towns like Groveland on the west border and Lee Vining on the east. They each have varying levels of amenities.

Which option did we choose? Ding ding ding! #3. Though Camp 4 would be an experience, neither of us wanted to risk being turned away. And as thrilled as I was at the thought of an overnight backpacking trip, I had never slept in a tent–ever. The decision was easy. We camped outside of Yosemite in neighboring Inyo State Forest. Though it was like staying in New Jersey when you’re on vacation to see New York City, Inyo State Forest was gorgeous by its own right and deserves a trip beyond “Cause we couldn’t get space in Yosemite.”

In Inyo State Forest, there are also campgrounds available for reservation. Others are first-come, first-served. I made a list of roughly 9 campgrounds with pros and cons and Brett chose one I labeled “Cushy. Running Water, Flush Toilet, Swimming Beach, Bear Locker.” So, we reserved at Oh Ridge, a campground on June Lake outside of the town Lee Vining. Reserving felt good because we wanted to ensure having a spot to collapse after a long day’s trek. The area is speckled in deep blue lakes and dense forest. I was particularly impressed by Mono Lake, a large lake that’s gone down with time revealing two crater-like islands in the middle. The sight looks extraterrestrial and sent shivers down my back. I wish I could have captured it better on camera to share with you.

Mono Lake

After Yosemite kicked our butts the first day, we arrived at Oh Ridge with enough time to pitch the tent and grill some sandwiches for dinner.

June Lake and our Campsite at Oh Ridge

If you’re like me and don’t own any camping equipment, you can rent some decent stuff from REI. If you live in the Bay Area, there’s also Sport Basement. We rented a tent and stove from Sports Basement and got sleeping bags from REI. I can’t remember the brands, but the tent was easy enough to construct, the stove worked with propane and the bags were soft and everything I’d want after a long day’s hike.  The whole camping thing was so simple I couldn’t believe it! However, we did have Brett’s car nearby to house extra items and did not have to make big decisions concerning weight.

Brett setting up the tent. I helped after taking this photo!

I saw a bear locker for the first time in my life.  You have to put all your food and anything with a scent inside the locker whenever you are not actively using it. Fruit? Toothpaste? Chapstick? Our bear prevention literature instructed us to stow it all.

I woke up to the birds chirping and sun roasting us like pigs in our tent.  I couldn’t believe that we were both alive and didn’t get attacked by bears in our sleep. Relishing my second chance at life, I jumped out the tent to check out the bear locker, get a start on breakfast and sort things out for the day.

We sipped hot tea and gazed at mirror still June Lake– nearly our own private view for the morning. Brett and I compared our bruises and pains. It turned out Brett’s legs hadn’t fared well from the 12 miler yesterday. He wasn’t able to sleep on his side due to the pain in his legs and he had to waddle instead of walk his normal gait. Those trekking poles I used had spared me from the worst of a grueling hike. True be told, I felt great!

First camping trip = Success!

As dazzling as our campsite was, we left Oh Ridge around 9 a.m. to get back to Yosemite and take on the big sights in the Valley. More about day 2 in an upcoming post. Have you camped in Yosemite? Or stayed in a neighboring town? Or took your chances at a first-come, first-served campground? Let me know! I’m especially interested to learn more about hikers who have used the wilderness permit in the park.

Majestic Yosemite: A Hike in Tuolumne Meadows

Five hours outside of San Francisco in Friday afternoon traffic, Brett and I ended up in Groveland, CA for the night. We were out by 8 a.m. Saturday for the 30-minute drive to the west entrance of Yosemite National Park.  Before we left, the cook at the inn told us, “God had His way with that place, Yosemite. He had something to say.” As we neared the park, I realized what she meant. He had something to say indeed.

We drove east from the west entrance along Route 120 to the Tuolumne Meadows Campsite. The road squiggles through the woods and mountains cutting the park down the middle. Brett had a rough time keeping his eyes on the road because the sights were so incredible to see. We had to pull over on several occasions to gawk at various vista points.

Tenaya Lake in Yosemite.

Brett taking it in.

Brett gazing at Half-Dome.

At around 10 a.m., we were parked in the Lembert Dome Parking & Picnic Area lot and geared up to hike. The trail I mapped was ambitious, and in the end, we weren’t able to complete it. It would have been a nearly 16 mile loop from Tuolumne Meadows to Vogelsang High Sierra Camp and then over to the Pacific Crest Trail/John Muir Trail all the way back to Tuolmne Meadows Campground. I thought ending with the PCT would make the trek especially worth it and even before we decided to turn back, the thought of reaching those special trails motivated me to keep hiking through the 1,400 ft incline, the snow, mud and over river crossings like I’ve never seen them before. Here, the National Park Service recommends a similar 13.8 mile day hike from Tuolumne to Vogelsang and back without crossing over to catch the PCT back. Had I seen this particular write-up, we might have known this trail is labeled strenuous. We ended up turning back just shy of Vogelsang.

The first section of our hike included 2 miles of the Pacific Crest and John Muir Trails!

Brett and I had this unnamed, but marked trail to ourselves. The trail to Vogelsang was marked by diamond shaped cuttings in nearby trees. We only saw one other hiker during the 12 miles we hiked. Yep, I just said TWELVE MILES! A NEW RECORD! The hike started at 8,600 FT with a steep rise which we later read was about 1,400 ft. At that point in the hike, I could feel the altitude change affecting my breathing. Eventually, we got used to it, but I was wary to climb too quickly and over-exert since I don’t have much experience at high altitudes. Even in Tibet, I don’t think I experienced such fast and extreme changes in altitude.

The threat of Black Bears in Yosemite was real and present as we saw their poop along the trail many times. Luckily every time we saw a large load, Brett hollered out “Woooooooo!” and terrified all wildlife within 3 miles. In fact, we did not see any wildlife along the nameless trail.

Throughout the hike, we were surrounded by snow capped mountains and blue sky. You can tell by the pictures, that the snow on this trail is still melting. This meant that there were more water crossings and several sections where we had to judge the strength of the snow piles. Here’s a typical crossing. You can see the trail continue on the other side.

You may have noticed something else in the photos…

Trekking Poles! Like I said in an earlier post, I bought all this backpacking equipment for my first trip in 2011 meaning I had a large credit with REI for future purchases. Last weekend, they had their big annual sale and so the time was right to snatch up a pair of poles. They ended up costing $10 with my credit. I later learned the investment was more than worth it for the sake of my legs.

That’s all for the first leg of our Yosemite adventure. Even though we didn’t complete what we set out to do, the Garden State Hiker has now hiked higher and farther than ever before! Stay tuned for camping and a hike in Yosemite Valley.

My Secret Obsession with Pacific Crest Trail Travel Memoirs Part I

It became clear my passing interest might be an obsession when my friend Nicole saw me reading and asked, “What book are you reading?”

I shrugged saying, “Oh, it’s just this travelogue about a young woman hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.”

“Oh Yeah,” Nicole said “I remember you were reading that last week. I read about that book online somewhere.”

“Well, actually this is a different book about another girl hiking thru-hiking the PCT.”

“So this is the second book you’re reading about the same trail??”

“Hm, no. The third—”

The cat’s out of the bag. I’ve gone from being someone who would have said “The pee see what?” to someone who can name several of the re-stock towns, trail-heads, the length, history and issues surrounding thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. And I’ve never seen it.

The Pacific Crest Trail goes from Mexico to Canada all along the west coast. Some people call it the Appalachian Trail of the west coast, but really it’s just another long-distance trail that people take on for the extreme challenge of it. It’s a commitment hiking the PCT. It takes around 3-5 months to complete. You need to prepare all your meals in advance and divide them into increments that you will collect along the way at post offices. Think about it; it’d be nearly impossible to hike with 5 months of food on your back.

So what, you say, is this Jersey raised young woman who has never hiked more than 8 miles and who has never even slept in a tent doing fantasizing about a 2,650 mile long trail on the other side of the country?

I’m sharing all this as a clue for the next hiking adventure I’m going to share with you… Stick around for Part II of the Garden State Hiker’s obsession with the PCT. I’ve got to get to sleep because tomorrow we will be hiking the PCT!!! Coming up I’ll also go into detail about the books I’ve been reading for those of you who want to read about intense hiking journeys. (A Blistered Kind of Love: One Couple’s Trial by Trail; Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail; The Trail Life: How I Loved it, Hated it, and Learned from it) Until then, I’ll be out on the trail.

Go, get your hike on.

Toto, We’re Not Hiking in New Jersey Anymore

It was like every New Jerseyites’ dream. I woke up after days of clouds and rain and felt the warm California sunshine. Quite literally, I was squinting desperately after leaving SFO. That’s right–the Garden State Hiker has temporarily assumed the role of Golden Gate Hiker.

I’m not sure it’s fair to compare the hiking I’ve done in New Jersey to the mountains surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. In California, you expect beauty, awe and a camaraderie of like-minded outdoorsy hikers on any given trail. But fairness and State Park jealousy aside, after 7 miles of Mt. Tam, I’m in love with the Bay Area’s natural playground.

Nestled in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area is a state park called Mount Tamalpais, or Mt. Tam to locals, featuring giant redwoods, waterfalls, Stinson Beach and several panoramic views. It’s best known for being the home of Muir Woods, drawing thousands of tourists daily. After “hiking” through the tourist section of Redwood National Park last fall with SJ and Brett, I was adamant about hiking a section of Mt. Tam that was less like Disney World and more like the plain ole wilderness. Real hiking can’t be done in 3 inch stilettos or in a 3 piece suit.

With the advice of one of Brett’s co-workers and a certified SF local, we parked in the Bootjack Lot a few hundred yards down the road from the Pantoll Ranger Station and Parking Lot (which was full.) Bootjack Lot, located near the top of Mt. Tam, was half full. We only saw hiking families and Zip Car driving young professional types. At the rangers’ station, we picked up a free trail map and asked the ranger for recommendations. She suggested we hike 4 miles of the Matt Davis Trail to Stinson Beach, then find the Dipsea Trail and hike that to the Steep Ravine Trail for a total of 7 miles. We started hiking at noon and finished at around 5 p.m. The ranger’s advice was perfect, but we did notice that most other hikers seemed to do the same route in reverse. Steep Ravine-Dipsea-Stinson Beach-Matt Davis.

Either way, hiking onto the foggy Matt Davis trail felt like stepping into another world. Looking above and below, we saw all sorts of creatures.

     

If you’re going to hike the Matt Davis trail, bring layers! The current weather in San Francisco does not apply to the shaded, damp forest of Mt. Tam. We dug out our fleeces right at the start of the hike. I wished I had brought a light rain jacket as well. Later on, after passing through Stinson Beach, the trail became much warmer and we had to shed our layers again.

After a mile or so in the forest, we emerged to these meadows that may or may not have contained a view of the Pacific Ocean. The fog was so strong that as we walked, we soon lost sight of where we came from.

Back in the forest, we were motivated to complete the next 2 miles by the promise of ocean and snack stands. According to our free trail map, just beyond the foggy meadows are two Hang Gliding Sites. Wouldn’t that be cool?

There’s Stinson Beach and the Pacific Ocean!

After completing our 4 mile leg on the Matt Davis Trail, we entered Stinson Beach, population 486, a coastal town thriving on tourism–not much different from the quirky shore towns of New Jersey. I realize, I’ve probably offended at least 400 of Stinson Beachers by comparing it to the Jersey Shore.

After the beach, it all became vertical: the trees, the upward climb and even most of our photos. We took the Dipsea Trail to the Steep Ravine Trail which then brought us back to the Pantoll Ranger Station. Fortunately, the trail was so beautiful that we hardly noticed all the hiking we were doing until the 7th mile. The redwood trees in the Redwood National Park were by far larger than the ones we saw on the Steep Ravine Trail, however, seeing them out in nature flourishing as abundantly as maples or oak trees was incredible.

  

I love the ferns!

Huge Redwoods

The Steep Ravine Trail braided itself along the Webb Creek. Since we hiked up the mountain during the return trip, we were in the constant presence of waterfalls. Just imagine being desensitized to the soft trickle of water running down a mountain.

Brett was particularly excited for a 10 foot ladder that requires climbing next to a waterfall. Once we got to the ladder, I needed to touch the water we had been following since crossing onto the Steep Ravine Trail. Here’s my second Baptism:

Mt. Tam: if the Garden State Hiker can do it, so can you. This location is perfect for the beginning hiker from San Francisco, New Jersey or anywhere. The landscapes and variety of terrain warrant a visit and the trail is easy enough that a newbie can complete a longer distanced hike. We hiked 7 miles! I now feel confident we can conquer even more in the future. I admit, squatting down hurt a little today, but editing all of my photos for this blog entry was even harder.

Know of any other hikes I should check out while I’m in the Bay Area? Let me know!

Happy Hiking!

Jockey Hollow and We Saw a Bear

If you live in Morristown, NJ and you’ve never been to Jockey Hollow, you’re missing out on some great New Jersey hiking only 5 minutes from the town green. Our hike today was embarrassingly short; combining the entire lengths of the red and yellow trails, we hiked just under 3.5 miles, but the brief hike was packed with action. With 10 brook crossings, 3 bears, 5 reconstructed Revolutionary War huts and an apple orchard that once fed George Washington, Jockey Hollow, though easy on the legs, was vibrant in attraction.

We took the Yellow Grand Parade trail into the Red Primrose Brook trail and then hiked the rest of the Yellow trail back. The Primrose Brook trail is a 1 mile trail weaving in and across the brook 8 times. Most of the crossings were easy enough–I do think children could do it– but a few required more attention. Nellie had to be carried across two crossings and fell into the brook once when she misjudged a jump. We saw a more experienced hiker using a pole to help him cross over.

Meredith crossing the Primrose. Nellie later fell here.

After mastering the art of brook-crossing, we crossed Jockey Hollow Road to reach an information booth and the start of the Yellow Trail. Sara and Meredith had water, while I took out a sandwich from my pack. About twenty paces in from the head, while I’m stuffing my face with peanut butter and Nutella sandwich, we heard a rustling in the brush to our left. Meredith and Sara both yell, “Bear!” “No, three bears!” “Shea, get rid of that SANDWICH!” Grabbing at my backpack to dig out one of Nellie’s poop-bags to hid my sandwich in, I looked up and saw two black bear cubs climbing up a tall tree, one after the other. Below I could see branches and leaves shaking and moving about–the signs of a larger bear, but I feared making eye-contact. Instead, I snapped a picture of the second bear cub before Sara, Meredith, Petrified Nellie and I hurried on.

Here's the second black bear cub climbing after its sibling while Momma Bear stands at the base of the tree-- protecting them from us.

Shortly after, we arrived at Grand Parade Road where we dutifully warned an approaching family and Boy Scout troop of the black bears. The family was grateful for our warning. Two of the Boy Scout Leaders said “Cool, Bears. Let’s Go!” and rushed on in the direction we came from. Another laughed saying “No worries, we can out-run these boys.” A sensible leader in the group eventually re-directed the troop down Grand Parade Road instead of to the bear family. We bid them good-bye.

This hut, along with several others, was reconstructed to resemble huts in which the Continental Army would have stayed as they waited for the British Army. It’s interesting to imagine what it would have been like eating and sleeping in those bunks. Throughout Jockey Hollow, we read plaques and signs with historic information. We even learned about the Irishmen who served in the Revolutionary War.

Trivia: Wick Farm fed the Continental Army when they stayed in Morristown. Pictured--Apple Orchard

Jockey Hollow certainly wasn’t a rigorous hike. Granted, we only hiked the Red and Yellow trails which added up to be about 3 miles. I’d love to hike the 6.5 mile White Trail next time. That one promises New York City views and bigger brook crossings.

I’d recommend Jockey Hollow to history nerds and people looking for wildlife. Besides the bears, we saw more birds and chipmunks than on any other northern New Jersey trail. The hikers in 50 Hikes in New Jersey wrote that they came face to face with a deer in Jockey Hollow!

Lastly, I’ll mention that the trails were incredibly well marked. Not only are the trail blazes clear, at every junction you can find a printed trail map with an arrow saying “You are Here.” I heard from other Morristown hikers that JH had previously been confusing to hike. No Longer.

That completes hike #6. Have you hiked Jockey Hollow? Did you encounter a deer or bear? Is the White Trail better than the Red and Yellow? Let me know!

Here's the little guy again zoomed in.

Happy hiking!

Is this how they do hiking on the West Coast?

http://www.hulu.com/watch/335494/portlandia-get-the-gear#s-p1-sr-i0

Funny video I thought you’d all enjoy. I have yet to be this prepared to hike. Happy Earth Day!

Jersey Girls in the Woods: South Mountain Reservation

It started with an innocent “Hey, let’s go for a hike!” Four hours later with nothing but drops in our water bottles, no food and an increasingly slow pace, Mr. Knightly sat down in the middle of the trail refusing to go on. My friend Nicole looked at me with a similar question in her eyes “When will this torture end?”

Two months ago I convinced friends Nicole and Meredith to come out hiking. We picked South Mountain Reservation in northern New Jersey because Meredith and I had already been to High Point recently and it was one of the only other hiking trails we could think of. I carefully mapped out a trail on a map printed off the internet.

Meredith leading the hike.

The hike started out swimmingly–well, once we found the trail head. Save for some mud, everyone was excited for a day out in nature.

Once we had fallen into a rhythm, hiking farther and farther from the parking lot, did the hike reveal itself for what it is: a really long walk in the woods. Nicole had not anticipated the rocks, inclines, overhanging branches, mud, lack of pavement and she was not pleased with the discovery. I had failed to include these details in the Upcoming Attractions at South Mountain  and now my hiking buddy was feeling unprepared. That wasn’t the only mistake.

Halfway into the trail we came upon a river crossing that seemed more intermediate than easy. There was no bridge in sight and the rocks intended for crossing were far apart from each other and slippery. We walked to one possible “crossing” and then backtracked to another. Neither crossing seemed straight forward, and both seemed so difficult for our abilities that we’d end up soaked in the river. Not to mention our Westie terrier with short legs. We saw one man across the river attempt to cross it, but we never saw if he succeeded. Minutes after we spotted him, he disappeared into the woods.

After checking our map over and over to figure out if, yes, we were supposed to cross here, we decided to take the plunge. Fortunately, it was not a literal plunge. All of us made it. Embarrassing video was taken. Nellie, who had been terrified during most of the trail, forged the river as if she had been born to do it. After crossing, she shook herself and swelled with pride.

We took on a 6 mile hike that day and didn’t pack any food. Not one power bar or fruit. All of us felt the tightening of our stomachs by the end of the trail. Even the dogs were hungry.

Hunger and surprises aside, all of us had a memorable day. On seeing the parking lot, we were all giddy with excitement. It wasn’t until the drive home that we considered our small victories. We forged a river! Finished a six mile hike! Found the waterfalls! Didn’t get lost!

South Mountain has some great features to experience such as a waterfall, reservoir, and several trail systems. We saw two waterfalls that day!

I would love to hike South Mountain again. Once I cross off a few other hikes on my list, I will return! As if I didn’t make enough mistakes during that hike, I forgot my camera too! These pictures are all courtesy of Nicole’s phone and if you’d like to check out her other adventures she keeps a health blog here.

Just keep hiking, just keep hiking.

Wells Mills County Park– Waretown NJ

Ticks, ticks and ticks, oh my. Whatever other information I read about Wells Mills County Park in Ocean County was blurred out by the redundant warnings of ticks in the park. I’ve always hated insects. Blood-sucking insects scare me even more. For a moment, I thought about skipping Wells Mills, or putting it off until next December when it might be under a foot of snow. However, since we were in the area and I want to complete all of the hikes on my list, we loaded up with insect repellent and drove to Waretown, NJ.

I can’t tell you much about the trail because, well, we booked it. Despite having a small group including my little brother Finn, we finished the 3.5 mile Green Trail in less than an hour and a half. I think we were all anxious about ticks and eager to push through it. Also, Finn wasn’t so eager to come hiking in the first place. As soon as he got the trail map, he named himself leader and sped off into the woods.

Perhaps our fearful motivation paid off because as of this time, after several thorough reviews, neither the people nor dogs came out with a single tick! Enough about ticks and more about the Pine Barrens…

We took the Green Trail which a Park ranger told us would be the most scenic. The trail goes in a loop and is extremely easy to follow. The terrain alternates between a bed of soft pine needles, sand and boardwalk. The boardwalks take you through swamps and the pine trees surround you through the whole trail. There is also an option to hike an 8.4 mile White Trail. We saw a few cross-country runners, but not many other hikers.

We saw these geese as we finished up the hike.

In short, the Pine Barrens were beautiful, but I will not be back.

Hiking the Jersey Shore: Island Beach State Park

2 miles beyond the amusement park and bungalows of Seaside Park, to others known as the set of the Jersey Shore, lay an 8-mile stretch of what the entire shoreline could have looked like centuries ago. Island Beach State Park located in Seaside Heights, NJ is a refuge for native coastal birds, an outdoor recreation hot spot and a breath of fresh air in the midst of the increasingly developed Jersey Shore.

   

On Friday afternoon, my sister, Ying, and I drove through the sleepy shore towns of Ocean County arriving at the tip of the Inlet. A friendly park ranger greeted us and took our $5 for a map and afternoon of exploring. After driving south for 8 miles, we parked in section A-23 and continued south by foot.

After hiking Schooley and Pyramid Mountains, I was thrilled to get on some new terrain: the beach! We followed an easy trail in the shape of an “L.” First we walked south to the jetty and then west toward Barnaget Bay. On the way to the jetty, Nellie cut her paw on a shell so we whipped out our old lifeguard skills and first aid kit. Here she is with the first bandage that lasted 5 minutes.

We didn’t see anyone else hiking but we did see loads of fishermen, a kayaker, picnickers, bird-watchers, bikers and someone out in the birds’ cove. Speaking of the birds’ blind, it felt as if we were trespassing through a secret nature preserve. Hundreds of birds rested in the area where Barneget Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. The map we had boasted that Island Beach has the largest colony of osprey in the state. Several information stands along the trail highlighted the many other species of birds native to the area. Just beyond the sea of birds we had a great view of the Barneget Lighthouse. I later learned you can visit the lighthouse up close in Barneget Lighthouse State Park. I’d love to check it out someday.

When we stopped for water and snacks near the birds, Nellie tended to her wounds again. She laid on the sand and licked each of her paws. She and Mr. Knightley enjoyed their biscuits, but Nellie wouldn’t get up to complete the hike.

Halfway into the hike and Nellie refusing to budge, Ying and I decided we had to carry Nellie the rest of the way back. It was impossible to look into her sad big eyes, watch her lick the wounds on her paws and not feel terrible. So up she went and unfortunately, because she is a rescue dog not accustomed to being carried, carrying her was much like hoisting a bag of potatoes.

Don’t these pictures make you want to go to the beach?? I know I can’t wait to go back. Maybe next time I’ll check out the Barneget Bay Lighthouse. I’ll also make sure Nellie has booties on her feet–that is, if she ever let’s us drag her onto the beach again. Last night, she would not put one paw into the sand… hopefully, we haven’t traumatized the poor dog.

Yesterday, we completed one more hike! Stay tuned for my update on Wells Mills County Park also in Ocean County. Have you hiked today?