Tourne Loop (4x) (Tourne County Park)

 Tourne Loop (4x) (Tourne County Park)

Distance: 5.21 miles
Elevation: 1,206 feet

Time: 1 hour, 42 minutes 
Hike Type: Lollipop Loop
Hiking Challenges: N/A

The Hike

Time for one more hike at the Tourne to wrap up this part of my summer! It was a cool 68 degrees and humid, and it was fun to see the sun rays through the trees facing a different direction (this is the first time I've been here in the morning all summer!). This was also the swan song for my hiking shoes - they were DONE. I wish I tracked them better on my Garmin app - I will make sure to do a better job for the new pair! 

I was really enjoying how different the "sound board" for the morning was different than the afternoon. Different bird sounds, different insect sounds, and different critter sounds. Overall, it was much quieter in the morning. I was feeling much better than the past couple of days, too. I saw more people than expected, but that was okay. I did have to deal with one dog who had no recall skills which was a bummer. I ended up picking up my pace for lap three to get ahead of a few people and their wild dogs. I also noticed the morning Tourne people were much friendlier than the afternoon folk, but still nowhere near "hiker friendly."

After this hike I'd be embarking on an exciting and TIRING next 18 days. August 1st-3rd I would be BACK in Atlantic City for a Bachelorette Party (and my birthday), August 3rd I would drive back to north Jersey and then fly to London for a trip to London, Blackburn, and Edinburgh, primarily to scatter my grandmother's ashes in her hometown, but also for some fun tourism. I would fly back on August 11th, land in NJ, drive to Boston, and then wake up early on August 12 for band camp through the 17th. My next true day of rest was a long ways away!

Step-By-Step

- Park at parking area on the Old Denville Side of McCaffrey Lane.

- Start hike on Yellow Dot trail from parking lot.

- At terminus, turn left onto Yellow trail to hike the loop.

- After four loops, return to car via Yellow Dot trail.

Map of Tourne County Park (2024)

Photo Album