Finding this cache will take you for a nice walk in the Cushetunk Mountain Preserve. This is a small Hunterdon County nature preserve which backs up into Round Valley Reservoir State Park. It is open from dawn to dusk only, so your Geocaching activities are limited to this time period. The lower trails here are quite nice, with a slight grade, but if you continue past the cross trail you will encounter some steep grades as you go over the ridge at the top of the mountain and enter the State Park.
Cushetunk Mountain Preserve is part of a horseshoe-shaped mountain that was formed by volcanic activity during the Triassic Period 200 million years ago. The Lenni Lenape called this area “Cushetunk,” meaning “place of hogs,” due to the settlers’ hogs who at times escaped and roamed the mountains. Settlers simply called the area “Hog Mountain.”
Parking is in the lot found on Old Mountain Road just before you cross over the NJ Transit train tracks if you are coming from the west, otherwise just over the tracks if coming from the east. Park in the southwest corner of the lot (the nearest to you as you come in), and the cache is less than 100' away. The cache is along the trail going into the woods at this location and is just a few feet off it. No bushwhacking is required, and poison ivy should not be an issue. It is not necessary to move or otherwise disturb any natural features to find and replace the cache. This should be relatively easy, but because of the nature of the container I have rated the difficulty as a 2 1/2. Please bring your own pen or pencil. Please also replace the cache as found and not backwards. You will see why when you find the cache.
Note: Because of the tree cover, your coordinates may drift a bit.
Happy Geocaching!
Mac Carter, Cokesbury, NJ