I was badly aching for a good hike; I hadn’t done it in a while. And so, with its variety of landscapes, the Terrace Pond Hike had me sold instantly. Astounded by the fact that within a few miles, we went through every possible terrain imaginable, the loop type moderate hike went on for about 4.3 miles. A less known New Jersey trail, it is well worth it, encompassing a swamp, wide flat woods, abrupt rock climbing up to peaks offering stunning views, eventually leading to a mountain lake.
The loop is entirely within the Bearfort Mt Natural Area. The highlight was unmistakably the Terrace Pond, a secluded lake on top of Bearfort Mt. The hike leisurely started out by going up a gradual climb, which was perfect to warm up our muscles for the day ahead. After about 20-25 minutes of hiking, we started a steady ascent. The first stop was at a swamp, which surprised me with its beauty; I never thought I would find one to be picturesque, but you can surely see what I mean in my pictures.
Right after the swamp, the trail went into a series of brief ups and downs. While it wasn’t too difficult, I did have to be extra careful to not slip, even given my heavy-duty boots. We then descended into a gully, which led to some rocky formations on top of the ridge. I did not enjoy this at all; it was narrow and being on the verge of falling down is not exactly what I call a good rush of adrenaline.
The following section was even worse; named by the book 50 Hikes in New Jersey “a roller coaster,” I could easily see why. The trail suddenly turned on us, going sharply up and down. It was once again quite abrupt and easily slippery, due to overgrown lichen and moss. By this time I was wondering, with the other people I was hiking with, what part of this hike is moderate? I didn’t mind it; it was certainly great exercise and only one of us was seriously challenged, but I pictured something more “gentle.” Once on top of some rocky peaks, the views looking down made our effort worthwhile.
After another short gully, the trail eventually led us to the Terrace Pond. The wide-open section made room for this scenic lake, surrounded by cliffs and rock formations. We stopped for a picnic and for some rest. Apparently, there were “no swimming” signs everywhere; I hadn’t noticed them, and by the looks of it, neither did others. And so, I took a chance to swim in the lake. I was exceptionally warmed up, and the lake looked too inviting (and clean!) to pas up. It was a bit slippery going in, given is completely enclosed by large stonewalls; however I absolutely enjoyed the brisk swim in the lake.
After our extended refreshing stop, we went along the lake, running into the other trails, and proceeded into a descent. After a while, we were back on street level, roaming through the woods like an Amazonian.
Given my experience, I would recommend you go prepared with proper boots, plenty of water (2 liters each at least) and sufficient food. Definitely don’t venture out alone, unless you are a hiking pro and have done it a million times before. It is not the easiest hiking trail, but it is surely one of the most impressive in New Jersey.
