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Black River. Hacklebarney State Park. Chester, New Jersey. April 2011.



Does it really matter where this is? It's a lovely place wherever you want to place it. Something good can be said about running water. It is soothing and cathartic. Stagnant water translates to trouble, but a raging river is an adventure. Active is better than passive. In its grander form, running water is a natural wonder. I am, of course, not talking about a leaky faucet. Think Niagara Falls, Colorado, Mississippi, and Susquehanna. These mighty rivers have been incorporated in our folklore. They are the subject of poems, songs, and myths. Rivers also teach us to flow, to adapt, and to carry on. It's all water under the bridge, as some say.

This is actually the Black River. It runs through the Hacklebarney State Park in Chester, New Jersey. If you follow the Red Trail for approximately a mile from the parking lot, you'll come to this spot. It's a good hike but not challenging by any means. The trails (there are several) take you down picturesque ravines with picnic benches at cozy spots along the river. The park makes for a great family outing. Dogs are allowed as long as they are leashed.

I made my way along the rocks, down the river, and unto an open area where another trail took me out of the ravine via a slow climb back to the parking lot.

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