New Jersey State Parks

Allamuchy State Park

7/20/2009 Musconetcong Wild & Scenic River

Barnegat Lighthouse State Park

7/23/1995 Drove through nice ocean towns and stopped at Barnegat Lighthouse State Park (NJ Coastal Heritage Trail). Had our doughnuts watching boats and fishermen in the inlet. Climbed the 217 steps of the lighthouse for a beautiful, if hazy, view.

Me, donut, lighthouse

A better view

View from the top

Back towards the land

One more towards the water

Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park

6/2/2012 Stopped for a bit in the Delaware and Raritan Canal SP along one of the canal locks[, this being on the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park NRT].

The park sign

Looking along the canal

The locks

Locking through ...

Edison State Park

10/5/2008 On to 27 in Elizabeth and to Menlo Park [in Edison State Park] at 9:17. Right off the LH is a tower monument commemorating Edison’s laboratory and the inventions that came of there.

The park sign

Ken photoing ...

... interpretive signage

The tower ...

.. and closeup of lamp

Great Falls State Park

7/2/2007 Stopped in Paterson and went to a parking area near the Great Falls SP [Great Falls of the Passaic NHL]. Walked down near the top of the falls – really pretty and surprising in the middle of the city. Drove around and after getting lost parked at the other end of the falls for a nice view back to where we were.

The river and ...

falls from upstream

The mill and falls ...

... from downstream

Liberty State Park

6/11/1995 Drove back to NJ and stopped at Liberty Science Center [Liberty State Park]. Excellent science museum - saw IMAX film The Living Sea, a 3-D laser video show on The Brain, many hands-on exhibits, and a touch tunnel. In this you crawl around in a pitch black tunnel, feeling your way (on hands and knees) along while the tunnel goes up and down and around weird corners - very eerie, a little disturbing, and fun. Lunch and snack there.

This shape ...

... can really expand!

Maureen on TV

Pete pitching

One small step for me

A view of NYC

8/23/2008 In the car and drove a short way to Liberty Science Center in Liberty State Park. Got tickets and right into an Imax “Adrenalin Rush”, about sky-diving and risk-taking. Wandered the exhibits until the museum closed at 6.

The Science Center

Kim doing calligraphy

Ta-da!

Monmouth Battlefield State Park

3/28/1999 Took secondary roads to Freehold and the Monmouth Battlefield State Park [NHL]. Didn’t spend much time here, just a look at the museum displays and dioramas (Molly Pitcher got her name here).

6/3/2012 Back on the road zigzagging again up to Freehold and Monmouth Battlefield SP, with a lunch stop at McD nearby first. This is the site where, on June 28, 1778, George Washington and his Continental Army troops plotted an ambush on the rear column of Sir Henry Clinton's British Army soldiers, and where was created the legend of Molly Pitcher who took her husband's place at the cannon. Given the number of people just hanging out on a nice day we couldn’t even find evidence of the historical part of the park. The visitors center was being renovated, but nearby we found some interpretive signage, and a statue of Von Steuben.

The park sign

Me and Von Steuben

Molly Ptcher monument

Mom with signage

A view of the battlefield

Princeton Battlefield State Park

6/2/2012 Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area

3/14/2014 Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area

Ringwood Manor State Park

8/4/2014 then continued back west and into NJ to Ringwood Manor State Park for ... Ringwood Manor NHL. The 1807 manor house is on the site of an ironworks and home to a number of well-known ironmasters from the 1740s to the late 19th century. The manor house is not huge, but has a lot of details and interesting architecture. Out front, overlooking a sloped property with stream and small bridge, is a collection of forged iron items from the ironworks, including a cannon, mortar and huge chain for blocking a river.

The park sign

The front of the house

Some of the ironworks

Nice view out front

Ken on one lion ...

... and me on another

A look inside

Very creepy statue!

Twin Lights State Historic Site

4/25/2014 Navesink Light Station NHL – Located in Twin Lights State Historic Site, the 1862 lighthouse was important for ships navigating the treacherous entrances to New York Harbor, with the non-identical towers and two beacons allowing ready identification. We climbed to the top of one of the towers, and enjoyed an even better view of New York.

The Twin Lights towers

Looking down on the climb up

The other tower

Ken ...

... and me

View of NYC

Washington Crossing State Park

2/20/2013 Lower Delaware National Wild & Scenic River