Swartswood Lake Trail (Sussex County)

Trail Map

This diversified trail will take you from Swartswood and Little Swartswood Lakes where you can enjoy the trails and look for wildlife on or around the lakes, up to the pristine forest of the Bear Swamp WMA and then over to Stokes State Forest on Route 206. Stokes is a mecca of wildlife opportunities including Sunrise Mountain and Tillman’s Ravine. Route 206 is the main highway through this area so now is a good time to stock up on food or gas before continuing on to the unique bog habitat of Mashipacong Bogs Preserve.  From there you will travel eastward to Lusscroft Farm, where agricultural history was made.  Last stop is a driving tour of the Wantage Grasslands known throughout the birding community for its grassland bird species. Before turning off Route 23 for the Grasslands driving tour, if need be, you could continue south on Route 23 for approximately four miles to the town of Sussex, a good place for food, gas and restrooms.

The Trail Directions are in the first posting of the forum below.  Please use the forum to enter any comments or feedback regarding this trail. Registration is required.

 
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New Post 4/12/2008 9:13 AM
  Administrator
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Trail Directions 
Modified By Administrator  on 4/12/2008 1:42:12 PM)

To Swartswood Lake

Interstate 80 to Route 206 North.  After approximately 11.8 miles turn Left at the light onto U.S. Route 206 North (Spring Street).  At the next Light turn Right following signs for Route 206 North.   Less than 0.5 miles turn Left onto CR 622 West (Swartswood Road).  After 4.3 miles turn Left onto CR 619 South.  After 0.6 miles entrance to park is on your right. 

To Little Swartswood Lake

Turn left out of Swartswood parking lot
After .6 miles turn left onto CR 622 West
After .4 miles turn right into parking area for Little Swartswood Lake 

To Bear Swamp WMA

Turn right out of drive.  After .5 miles turn Right at stop sign onto CR 521 North. 
After 2.7 miles turn Left at stop sign onto CR 521 north.  After .9 miles stay to your Right for CR 633 North.  After 2.8 miles turn left at the traffic light onto CR 655 North (Morris Turnpike).  After .5 miles turn left onto Stempert Road.  After .3 miles the road will turn to dirt, proceed to parking area. 

To alternate parking for Bear Swamp follow directions below.

To Stokes State Forest

Return and turn left at the stop sign onto CR 655 North.  After .3 miles turn left onto Union turnpike – CR 630 West. After .6 miles turn Left onto U.S. Route 206 North.
After .1 miles find parking on Route 206 south side (left) for Bear Swamp. After 2.1 miles turn right into Stokes State Forest entrance.

To Mashipacong Bog

Turn right onto U.S. Route 206 North when leaving Stokes.  After 4.8 miles turn right onto CR 675 North.  After 3.6 miles turn right onto CR 650 East (Deckertown Road ). 
After 2.6 miles turn left into Trail Blazers camp 0.1 miles west of entrance is trail entrance.

To Lusscroft  Farm

Turn left out of parking onto CR 650 East which becomes CR 647 East. 
After 5.0 miles turn Right at the stop sign onto CR 519 South.
After .4 miles turn right onto Neilson Road.  After .8 Lusscoft is on your Left.

To Wantage Grasslands

Turn Left onto CR 519 North.  Ater 2.0 miles turn right at stop sign onto State Route 23 South.  After 0.1 miles turn Left onto CR 651 North.  This begins the driving tour of the Wantage Grasslands.  If you want to view the area make sure you safely pull over to the side of the road.

After 0 .1 miles turn Right onto Rose Morrow Road. 
After 0.7 miles turn left onto Beemer Road
After 1.6 miles turn Right at stop sign onto Sally Harden Road
After 1.3 miles turn Left onto Quarry Road
Go to end and then return to Sally Harden by turning Left.
After .3 miles turn left onto Rose Morrow Road stay to left, this becomes Lott Road
After 1.5 miles turn Left onto Wolfpit Road.
Take first right onto Quarry Road.
After 1.4 miles turn left onto CR 561 South (Unionville Road) at the yield sign (look for Wantage Township Line sign on your left)
Follow CR Route 651 South to State Route 23.
 

 
New Post 4/24/2008 9:32 AM
  rdinnen
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Re: Trail Directions 

Are any of these trails accessible by public transportation such as NJ transit, etc? Thanks, Rich

 
New Post 5/7/2008 8:31 AM
  nlawler
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Re: Trail Directions 

I find the description of the trail a little hard to follow--it could use some more editing.

 
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