The Jockey Hollow Trail: Appreciating the Beauty Around You
A beautiful forest with lots of “ups and downs” for the ideal workout…
A lovely section of the trail that follows alongside a beautiful stream…
And a view to the East of the NYC skyline…
There are so many reasons to love the Jockey Hollow Trail in Morristown, New Jersey, no matter the season and no matter your skill level. Everyone who loves to walk can and should take this journey at some point. The views are stunning, the history is rich, and with FreeWalkers, the company is always great!
My name is Louise Karger, and, as many FreeWalkers come to appreciate, the reality of what a small a world it is never ceases to amaze me. My friend who introduced me to the organization happens to be a cousin of Mark Olinsky (husband of FreeWalkers’ President, Risa Olinsky). Walking and hiking in the great outdoors has been a central part of my life for the past 50 years, and has helped me in all aspects of my life, both physically and mentally.
The Jockey Hollow Trail has always been one of my favorite places to hike, and I hope you will join me on Sunday, June 30 for the Summer Hike in Jockey Hollow, Morris County — a fun and challenging 8-10 mile FreeWalkers adventure (with some shorter options available as well).
We will start and end at the Jockey Hollow Visitor Center, where there is plenty of free parking and bathrooms available to the public. The group will meet at 10 a.m. (and Risa will have some FreeWalkers merchandise for purchase if anyone is interested).
This is a great hike for both advanced and beginner hikers. I plan to keep a pace of about 2.5 miles per hour, and I would also recommend bringing hiking poles if you have them, as there are some hills and streams to cross. Plus the trail can get a little muddy depending on the weather.
Having coordinated this walk several times, I always get excited to see people enjoy it for the first time. If that happens to be you, there are a few both practical and motivational tips I would share.
First, the practical. As remarkable as the views can be (which may bring about the inclination to stare upwards or straight ahead), be mindful of the rocks, roots, and other aspects of nature on the ground so you avoid tripping over them or stepping badly. Make sure you bring plenty of water (and snacks if you know you’ll get hungry). On the flip side of that, use a bathroom whenever it’s available to you. Finally, if you are at the front of the group, stop whenever another trail crosses and wait for the leader to catch up and direct where to go. It takes a while (sometimes years) to learn the layout of any trail/series of trails, and if you are unfamiliar, the safest bet is to wait for the person who is.
Along with my love of walking, I also love to motivate both new and experienced hikers. If I had to give advice that applies to everyone, there would be three things.
Don’t be afraid to rise to a challenge while, at the same time, keeping your abilities and skills in mind. You know your body the best, what feels right, and what may be too much at one time.
Appreciate the beauty around you and the uniqueness of where you happen to be at the time. Jockey Hollow is an absolute treasure of 3200 acres (including the adjoining county park), and I have always loved sharing this experience with others so they, too, can experience the beauty and health benefits of this particular journey.
And talk with your fellow hikers – it truly does make the time fly by.
So I do hope you will join us on Sunday the 30th for a fun and challenging journey through the beautiful and historic Morris County and its Jockey Hollow Trail!!!
