Columbia Trailhead

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Hunterdon's Highlands

Columbia Trailhead

County Road 513/Main Street, High Bridge, NJ
Phone: (908) 782-1158
www.co.hunterdon.nj.us/depts/parks/ParkAreas/ColumbiaTrail/info.htm

OWNER: Hunterdon County; Borough of High Bridge

DIRECTIONS: Exit park by turning Right onto CR 513 South and after 2.0 miles turn Right onto Church Street following signs for CR 513 South. Turn Left onto CR 513/Main Street and take immediate Right turn into the Municipal Parking Lot. Walk out of parking area and cross the street to where trailhead begins. Map

ACCESS AND PARKING: Open daily from dawn to dusk. There is good parking at the High Bridge Municipal Parking Lot at the southern end of trail. There is no parking at junctions of trail with area roads. During inclement weather the trail may not be accessible. No motorized vehicles of any kind are allowed. No hunting, camping, fires or alcohol allowed. Dogs must be leashed.


Yellow-throated Vireo	Scott Elowitz

SITE DESCRIPTION: This seven-mile trail is formed from the roadbed of the old High Bridge Railroad, which for almost 100 years carried iron ore from the mines of Morris County to local forges; it ceased operation in 1976. The Columbia Trail parallels the South Branch of the Raritan River, passes above Ken Lockwood Gorge and continues through mostly-upland deciduous forests north to the Morris County line. Designated as part of the Highlands Trail (HT), it is now theoretically possible to hike north from High Bridge on the Columbia Trail, connect via the HT to the Appalachian Trail (AT) in North Jersey and hike north to the trail’s terminus on Mt. Katahdin in northern Maine, or for that matter, south to the AT’s southern end at Springer Mountain in Georgia. Bald Eagles are a familiar sight in the region. They often are easier to spot in winter when trees are bare of leaves. Check the trees along the trail; seasonal sightings include Brown Creeper, Eastern Phoebe, Ruby- and Golden-crowned Kinglets, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Palm, Pine and Yellow-rumped Warblers and Yellow-throated Vireo. Look a little deeper into the woods for Hermit and Wood Thrushes, Veery, Ovenbird and Red-eyed and Blue-headed Vireos and Pileated Woodpecker.

DON'T MISS: Several miles north of High Bridge, the trail passes over Ken Lockwood Gorge Bridge, built 80 feet above the gorge floor. This steel span was built in 1930 to replace the original wooden trestle bridge, which was the site of a memorable 1886 train wreck.

SPECIAL FEATURES: In the future, look for a Taylor SteelWorkers Historical Greenway sign within the first ½ mile of the Columbia Trail. This trail is a work in progress and when complete will wind 6.4 miles through High Bridge criss-crossing a number of historical sites, the perfect trail for wildlife watchers and history buffs alike. For more information about this trail and its estimated completion date, contact Union Forge Heritage Association at 908-638-3200 or High Bridge Environmental Commission at 908-638-6455.