Wyanokie Tourne to Osio Rock (Norvin Green State Forest)
Hike Type: Lollipop Figure-8
Distance: 3.11 miles
Elevation: 728 feet
Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes
Hiking Challenges: N/A
The Hike
I had the day to myself in New Jersey while everyone else in my life is working, so I headed over to one of my favorite spots in the state - Norvin Green State Forest! I had been eyeballing this figure-8 loop with the Tourne Mountain for a couple years, but my AT challenge last summer took over my priorities. It wasn’t until I was pulling into the parking lot when I realized I had been here before, multiple times! The top part of the figure-8 is the Stone Living Room, a classic NJ hiking destination, and the lower half is Osio Rock, where I had been at least once before. I parked at the Otter Hole Parking area with three other cars, crossed the street, and got started on the blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail.
Right away the trail follows one of the defining characteristics of the trails at Norvin Green, rocky and right on up. It climbs a small hill before descending, both steeply, and then comes into a col where the blue and the red Torne Trail meet. I hiked the small spur of the Torne Trail to the road and back, just inches I decide to hike all the trail this summer(?!), remembered when I was young in college me and two friends hiked up to the stone living room, but we missed our fourth friend, so we printed out a photo of her and taped it to a piece of cardboard to bring her with us. Sadly, when we crossed the footbridge to the road, we dropped her into a stream (RIP).
The Hewitt-Butler Trail has been rerouted in recent years, I assume to account for erosion. The trail moderately climbs through some nice, rocky woods in some dense humidity. It was 34 degrees when I started but was quickly climbing into the 40s, then 50s, and eventually topping out in the 60s. Nearing the top, I poked the height-of-land in case I decide to start working towards a modified NJ1k Challenge (?!), and then leapt toward the Stone Living Room, which seems smaller than I remember? I also realized that the Stone Living Room isn’t on the Hewitt-Butler Trail, which I can’t remember if that’s a new thing or if it's always been that way (I’ll need to check some old photos).
Coming down from the Stone Living Room, there are some nice views away from NYC/Wanaque Reservoir, but I wanted to get that specific view. There is a trail split where the blue trail turns left for an easier descent and the blue-dot trail follows the original footbed steeply down - I chose the easier route as it ventured in the direction of the view that I wanted - and thankfully I got it! There was a great view of Osio Rock, the fog-covered Wanaque Reservoir, a town center (maybe Bloomingdale’s?), NYC, and the rest of Norvin Green. I was equally impressed with how well-blazed this trail was.
The easier route rejoins the steeper route, and then continues to descend into a daunting col, which doubles as the intersection with the red-blazed Torne Trail. Very rocky with a drainage going through the middle. Continuing on the Hewitt-Butler Trail, the good blazing continued up through the cool and moderately as the Hewitt-Butler Trail ascended to Osio Rock. The one positive of the humidity was that the forest smelled of spring, which of course is false hope, but exciting nonetheless. There are a few viewpoints in the upper stretches of the trail, but the best views are from Osio Rock, which doubles as the high point (I think… there was an impressive boulder just before the summit also…).
There is a short scramble coming down from Osio Rock and then the trail follows a narrow footbed down the hill, descending into a dry wetland area. The Hewitt-Butler trail used to continue over a bridge further on, but it has since been closed (in the past 10 years at least). Here, I turned right onto the red-blazed Torne Trail which started by following the peaceful, quiet forest floor, before ascending to the same impressive col as before. Through the col and drainage, footing can be a bit sketchy and confusing, but nothing absurd. Soon enough I topped out at the height-of-land on the trail and began to descend to the original junction with the Hewitt-Butler Trail.
I turned right back onto the Hewitt-Butler Trail to complete the figure-8, and now completing the lollipop. Two people were right behind me, so I gunned it up and over that little hill. When I got back to the Otter Hole parking lot, I had grand plans to then travel down to the falls and to Wyanokie High Point, but “plans with a friend” took priority - I took a short side trip to the Otter Hole, and then back to the car to get home and cleaned up! I’m looking forward to exploring the forest much more this upcoming summer. My final take on this hike is that it’s like a chihuahua, small but mighty. The mileage wasn’t rough at all, but I was beat from the ups and downs.
Step-by-Step
Park at Otter Hole parking area, cross road to start hike on blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail.
Follow blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail up a hill and back down.
Hike out-and-back on small spur of red-blazed Torne Trail to road and back.
Continue to follow blue-blazed Hewitt-Butler Trail up the Wyanokie Torne Mountain, with a side trip to the Stone Living Room.
From Torne Mountain, follow the Hewitt-Butler Trail down, and take the easier route bypass for a great view of NYC and a bit of the Wyanokie Reservoir.
Continue along the Hewitt-Butler trail to interesting and rocky col, and then climb up to Osio Rock.
From Osio Rock, continue to follow Hewitt-Butler Trail down to a stream where it terminates.
From terminus, turn left onto red-blazed Torne Trail.
Follow red-blazed Torne Trail back to original junction with blue-blazed Hewitt Butler Trail.
Turn right onto Hewitt-Butler trail and return to parking lot, with a side trip to the Otter Hole.
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