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Hacklebarney State Park

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Hacklebarney
State Park

Location:
119 Hacklebarney Rd
Long Valley, NJ 07853-9525
Chester

Mailing Address:
c/o Spruce Run Recreation Area
68 Van Syckel's Road
Clinton, NJ 08809
(908) 638-8572

GPS Coordinates
DMS 40° 45’ 05.04” N 74° 44' 09.63" W

Size: 1,186 acres

Fees: No entrance fee.
Link to the Related Fees page

http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?city=Long%20Valley&state=NJ&address=119%20Hacklebarney%20Road&zoom=6 Directions:
Route 206 to Chester. Follow Route 24/513 west for one mile to State Park Road for two miles. Turn right onto Hacklebarney Road and travel 1/2 mile. The entrance is on the left.

Facilities & Activities:

Hiking
Hunting & Fishing
Black River Gorge
(trout-stocked river)
Picnic tables
Playground
Related Links
FAQ's

Trails:

Hiking trails, sometimes rocky, along Black River

The freshwater Black River briskly cuts its way through rocky Hacklebarney State Park, cascading around boulders in the hemlock-lined ravine. Two tributaries, Rinehart and Trout Brooks, also course their way through this glacial valley, feeding the Black River. Even in the heat of midsummer, the temperature of Black River gorge is cool and refreshing.

Today Hacklebarney is a favorite place for avid anglers, hikers and picnickers, yet in the 19th century the park was a mined iron ore site. The gushing river against the grey boulders and dark green hemlocks creates a majestic beauty in any season.

Three rare and endangered plant species exist within the park: American ginseng, leatherwood and Virginia pennywort. Over a hundred bird species and wildlife such as black bear, woodchuck, deer and fox live in the park.

Horseback riding is not permitted in the park.

Hiking Picnicking Fishing Hunting

Keep Your Park Clean

Through the Carry-In/Carry-Out Program you can help us keep your parks clean and beautiful by carrying out the trash you carry in. Bags are provided throughout the site. Thank you for your cooperation and remember to recycle.

Access for Persons with Disabilities

Hacklebarney State Park has very limited access for people with disabilities. Only the parking lot and adjacent restrooms can accommodate wheelchairs. Please contact the park office for further information regarding disability access needs. Text telephone (TT) users, call the New Jersey Relay Service at (800) 852-7899.

Park Hours

Open daily dawn to dusk

Park Advisory

The park office at Hacklebarney is temporarily closed. Information regarding Hacklebarney State Park can be obtained by contacting Spruce Run Recreation Area at (908) 638-8572.

Deep in the ravines of Trout and Rinehart Brooks are remote places that one can view the glacial moraine of millennia ago, when an ice sheet covered the region. The rock strewn landscape is all that remains of that major geological event; it is also a place that is endowed with a fascinating history.

It is said that the word Hacklebarney has a Native American derivation. Depending on which source one reads, it may have come from the words haki, meaning “ground” and barney, a variation of bonihen, “to put wood on fire,” or hakiboni, “to put wood on a fire on the ground” or “bonfire.” Other explanations come by way of the area’s iron-mining history. The first concerns an iron mine foreman named Barney Tracey, who was lovingly but persistently heckled by his workmen – hence the name “Heckle” Barney. Another tradition says the name came from the Irish miners and their home village in Cork County. Finally, the land near the Hacklebarney forge may have been owned by a Barney Hackle.

Whatever the origin of its name, we do know that Hacklebarney Memorial State Forest Park Reservation, or Hacklebarney State Park, as it is now called, was established because of the generosity and vision of Adolphe and Sarah Borie. Their vision for Hacklebarney has endured long after their deaths and continues to guide the destiny of the park once described as “the most beautiful park in New Jersey.”

- Peter Osborne, author
Images of America: Hacklebarney and Voorhees State Parks

Hacklebarney Natural Area (465 acres)

Eastern hemlock dominates the cool shady slopes of this ravine and several trails provide access to this forest and the Black River. Steep ravines along the Black River and surrounding areas of mixed oak-hardwood forest and young woodlands comprise this area, which supports a variety of state endangered and threatened species.

Hunting and Fishing

View the State Park Service areas open to hunting for 2012-2013

The Black River provides excellent stream fishing year round. During the spring and fall, the NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks the Black River with brown, rainbow and brook trout. Anglers have the opportunity to catch fish due to the excellent holdover rate of trout in the river. Hunting is permitted within 628 acres of designated land that is separate from the day-use area. Fishing and hunting are subject to New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife regulations.

Picnicking

Picnic tables and charcoal grills are placed in scenic locations along the ravine with a playground nearby on the hillside. Charcoal fires must be confined to the metal grills provided or to grills brought by the picnicker. Wood fires are prohibited.

Hiking

Hiking trails in the northern portions of the 465-acre natural area offer breathtaking views of the Black River, which lies deep within a shaded hemlock ravine. Rinehart and Trout Brooks empty into the Black river and several small waterfalls can be seen from the high trails. The diversity of upland and wetland habitats provides excellent birdwatching opportunities, especially during migration, Since the topography of the park is rather rugged, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Homeowners Firewood Program

The Homeowners Firewood Program has been expanded to include park areas that sustained tree damage due to Hurricane Sandy. Fallen trees will be marked and made available to individuals as part of this program. Anyone interested in obtaining firewood must complete the below application form and pay the applicable $25 per cord fee.This program will be available until the supply is exhausted. Please contact the Spruce Run Recreation Area office at 908-638-8572 to reserve a cutting period and for additional information.

Homeowners Firewood Program Application form*

*To view this form, please download the most recent version of Adobe Acrobat

Related Links

• Division of Fish and Wildlife

FAQ's (Frequently Asked Questions)

Are bikes allowed on the trails?
Hacklebarney is a hiking only park, no bikes are allowed on any trails.
Can we picnic in the park? Hacklebarney has over 100 picnic tables located throughout the park. They are available on a first-come first-serve basis. There are no picnic shelters located at Hacklebarney.
Can we reserve picnic areas/tables? The picnic areas are not reservable and are available on a first come/first served basis.
Is there fishing in the park? The Black River has excellent trout fishing, with Brown, Brook, and Rainbow trout abundant. The Division of Fish and Wildlife stocks the Black River, please check with them for dates. The park has two wild trout streams: Trout Brook and Rinehart Brook. Check with the Division of Fish and Wildlife for questions about bag limits and types of bait allowed.
Is there hunting in the park? Hunting is allowed on a 620-acre parcel of land that is separated from the day use area by the Black River. The hunting area is accessible from three parking areas on Pottersville Road. Hunting is subject to Division of Fish and Wildlife regulations.
Are dogs allowed in the park? Pets are welcome, but must be leashed at all times.

Questions regarding our parks and forests can be directed to
Michele Buckley of the State Park Service.

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