Way to have fun at Wawayanda State Park!!!

Wawayanda State Park
Hewitt, NJ

On one of the nicer weekends we've had this summer, the UFC was lucky to finally have a little picnic. We picked Wawayanda because it's relatively close, and we wanted to scope it out for canoeing later on.

Wawayanda (Lenape for "water on the mountain" or "winding water") sits in the northern part of Passaic County at the NY/NJ border. The terrain is mostly very hilly. The NY/NJ Trail Conference lists 29 miles of park trails, including a bit of the Appalachian Trail, in 17,500 acres. Besides hiking and canoeing, there is a beach area for swimming, some picnicking and camping facilities, and plenty of fishing spots (the lake is even stocked with landlocked salmon!).

Most of the picnic/grill areas were already taken by the time we got there (1 pm), so we had a short trek along the lake to reach a second, less crowded picnic spot.

Most of the picnickers here look like regulars, with tents, hammocks, camping chairs and coolers and coolers of stuff. Lots of kiddies on bikes, and a lot of furs too! Chibby and Babams were so excited!

Furs hanging out in Wawayanda.

Superfatty grillin' some kick-ass chickens.

"Is them chickens ready yet???"

This is what we had for lunch: cold ampalaya (bitter gourd) in black bean sauce, rice, some kick-ass bbq chicken, and some home-style bbq ribs. Everyone was really hungry!

After lunch, DJKung and his dad tried their luck fishing. They did not have any bait with them, but it was not so bad foraging for worms and bugs for bait. The furs went for a lilttle swim and fetched some sticks.

The furs relaxing by the water after a nice lunch.

Babams and DJKung fishing. It was too bad that the fishes here were just too wily--- they were fast and readily gobbled up the bait.

Wayayanda was a great experience. We have to try the hiking here with the furs next time... I remember from past hiking trips that the rocks here are pretty spectacular. I'm sure the furs would love it!

Four paws for Palisades Interstate Park!

Under furs:

Last weekend was simply gorgeous for a field meeting for the Ultimate Fun Club. We've read that the Palisades Interstate Park is great for hiking with your furry friends, so we went to check out the hype.

Palisades Interstate Park has a lot to offer. For geology buffs, there's plenty of interesting rock formations and gorgeous cliffs. For history buffs, the park has markers where the British forces tried to pursue George Washington's troops they tried to flee Fort Lee. And for us, well, there's lot of rocks and trails to investigate.

We parked at the Alpine Boat Basin. Entrance is free, and they have picnic areas overlooking the Hudson River. Furs are allowed on the trails as long as they are leashed. It alsoo looked like camping was allowed, but we need to look into it more. Since it was already late in the season, there were not a lot of boats moored. Some kayakers, were out, though.

Of course everybody was so excited. Babams just jumped out of the car and leaped on the storm wall (trying to be like Chibby, no doubt). Unfortunately, Babams did not know that it was just water on the other side, and from his sheer momentum, promptly fell in.

Babams on the wrong side of the fence. He's the shiny-looking rock on the water. Chibby is of course is showing how to properly balance, and not fall in. DJKung was panicking, and I had to perform a daring rescue.

After the rescue. Babams was not too fazed, I think.

We were prepared with poopie bags and of course, our handy-dandy "Hudson Palisades Trails" published by the Trail Conference. We decided to take the white trail, which runs along the water, and headed south. The fall foliage was very pretty.

Babams and DJKung enjoying the hike.

Who da top dawg in Palisades?

Oddly enough, we did not run into too many hikers on the white trail. We relaxed a little bit on a nice stretch of beach and played a few rounds of fetch.

"By the powers vested in me by The Ultimate Fun Club, I claim this beach for the use of all furry animals now and in all perpetuity."

Admiring the river view.

Back on the trail.

From the Alpine Boat Basin to the end of the white trail, I'd say it took us about 45 minutes, including the rest break at the beach. The white trail was pretty flat, at the river level. Some parts were rocky, and other areas had stone steps.

We then made a right to the red trail, which zigzagged uphill, till we got to the Alpine Lookout. The official altimeter reading at the top was 560 feet.

Small lookout close to the Alpine Lookout.

The Alpine Lookout is accessible from a rest stop/parking area off of the Palisades Parkway. We encountered a lot of daytrippers and tourists from that area. The view is of the upper reaches of Manhattan, maybe Yonkers.

At the end of the red trail, we took the teal trail. This was the lengthiest part of our hike. It was a neverending single track trail that went alongside the highway. So it was unnerving to hear the cars whizzing close. What was interesting with this trail was that we passed by so many stone fences, some of which looked pretty old. DJKung pointed out that plateau farming was attempted in the area. We saw remnants of old stone retaining walls, dirt roads and waterways are visible

From the teal trail, we took the orange trail going down. It was a bit steep with a lot of loose rocks, and led right back down to the boat basin. We saw quite a few people fishing at the bottom.

Sheridan House, which is an old log house/museum, is another attraction. What's great about this cute small house is that it is completely open to visitors. You can go in, touch the furniture (but don't open anything), and gawk at how homes were like back then.

Sheridan House. I wish I took a better picture. This house has a six-foot tall ceiling, so this picture makes it look much bigger. It looks more like a dollhouse, actually. There is also an outhouse outside, and a bid hunk of rock inscripted with the date it fell from the cliff (circa 1600s).

The hike, about 8 miles, took us roughly three and a half hours. Great walk, great views... we're definitely going back!

Finally--- the Trifecta of Summer 2008!!!

Under funs:



The Trifecta has been an elusive goal these many years. 2008 has been the lucky year when the fates have smiled and the members of the Ultimate Fun Club finally made it!!! For the rest of you who do not know what the Trifecta is, it is the achievement of all the fun activities ---slumming at the beach, canoeing and camping --- in one summer season.


Slumming at the beach is the easy part. We like going to Island Beach State Park because the beach there is usually less crowded, more pristine, and of course, furs are allowed. Unfortunately, as with most NJ beaches, horse flies can be a problem. Good thing we went late in the season, and it was pretty clear.

"I know I look good!" (Babams)

Canoeing was possible this year for two reasons. First, DJKung now has a trusty truck to conduct official club activities with. We also took the plunge this year and got a canoe, which we have christened "The Mighty Miss[issippi]." (Can you tell that we have grand ambitions for her?)

In any event, The Mighty Miss' maiden voyage began in Barnegat Bay, which is within Island Beach. All members of the Ultimate Fun Club were accounted for. Unfortunately, we have no photos to commemorate the event, which was just as well. Despite her heroic efforts, the Mighty Miss succumbed to the elements within five minutes of her lauch (dang dogs!).

To the aspiring canoer, the Ultimate Fun Club has two pieces of advice. First, make sure your furs have their sea legs before launching on saltwater. Chibby had not been in a canoe for so long, and was never able to calm down. Essentially, he entered into this feedback loop where he became anxious --> tried to stand/lean on one side of the canoe which led to tipping-->making him more anxious--> resulting in a death grip on that side of the canoe, which led to more tipping, etc. Babams was surprisingly calm, but being a puppy, could not help but be affected by Chibs.

The second piece of advice we have is to do your research. Our canoe was designed for flat waters. Barnegat Bay, with its calm-appearing waters, looked like a good first choice. This was deceiving. Parts of the area we covered had choppy waves from motorized boat traffic; the currents were swift at certain crossroads; and, there were lot of low-lying areas where you can run aground. Suffice to say that we tipped over twice and ran aground countless times. The furs had more fun off the boat than in, and it was hard lifting heavy wet dogs back on the canoe. Overall, the trip was an unqualified success.

This is The Mighty Miss sailing off at North South Lake, Catskills, NY (see below). Note Chibby leaning to the right of the boat.

Camping this year was excellent. DJKung had heard of this fantastic park in the Catskills that reputedly had the best camping in the area. North South Lake (that's not a typo) used to be two separate lakes: one private (North Lake), and one public (South Lake). The government ended up buying the former and connecting both bodies of water together. The park attendant explicitly told us that we were so lucky to end up with the best camping spot in the entire park. She was right.

Grilling chicken for dinner. Our menu that evening consisted of grilled spicy chicken (chili paste, paprika, cumin, tons of garlic, salt, olive oil), vegetarian chili and rice. We had an Entemann's cake for dessert.

Furs looking out into the water. It's silly how they kept crying for their papa (DJ Kung was out fishing), when they hated being in the canoe anyway. Notice (in background) how close the camp site is to the ledge, which overlooks the water.

Wake up, furry face!

Yup, this campsite was awesome. It is pretty large, with over 100 campsites, although only a few border the water. There are toilets, bathing and dishwashing facilities (with electricity, woo hoo!) and potable water. The camp sites are drive-in, which is convenient if you have a lot of gear. The camp grounds have fireplaces, and wood cannot be brought from the outside. They have: fishing, canoeing (on site rentals), trails galore and swimming (two bathing beaches). There is a supply store roughly a mile before the entrance, where you can stock up on food, supplies and beer (allowed in the campsites). Most importantly, furs are welcome in North South Lake. Yippee!!!!

Hope 2009 will also be a great year!