b"($$$),El Tule($$$), TacosCancun($),Meta Caf (closes at 2 p.m.), Lambertville Station, and More than Q. For coffee, she recommends Union Caf, Lambertville Trading Company and Bucks on Bridge. In addition she contends that OwOw-Cow has the best ice cream ever.HACKLEBARNEYSTATEPARK,LONG VALLEY, NJMaplewood resident Joy Yagid belongs to four different hiking groups, spends weekends driving to hiking trails of all kinds and can rattle off a bundle of great designations in un-der a minute. Asked to pick just one, she lands on Hacklebarney State Park: Its close to stuff; it has bathrooms and it has a variety of trailsIts a lovely place. She is not alone in thinking so. The park has been described by others as the most beautiful in New Jersey. The five miles of trails are in the northern section of the park, where the Black River cuts through deep ravines. The park is also part of American history, since its hiking trails were built and cleared by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps, FDRs Depression-era workThe Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the United States.corps that gave jobs to thousands of out-of-work Americans who were tasked with developing and maintaining areas of natural beauty across the country. Yagid notes that in ad- 5 p.m., after many of the sun-drenchedRiver as particularly good, while also dition to the trails, the CCC built benches along particularly scenic sections soseabathershaveheadedhome.Itisnotingthatthebestspotschange hikers can stop to enjoy the beauty of the river cascading beneath them. Thethen quite possible to have the beachbased on the time of year and the rela-park allows dogs and there are picnic tables, although Yagid recommends a stoporif youd ratherthe bay mostlytive conditions. Glynn is the owner of in nearby Chester, with its charming shops and restaurants. The area is richto yourself as you walk or sit in thoseSuburban Fly Fishers, which organizes in apple farms, andlong, lazy golden hours before the sunday trips to some of those great fishing TheHacklebarneygoes down (the park is open until 8spots. On a full day trip, says Glynn, FarmCiderMill,p.m. every day). You may miss the foodWe hit at least two rivers. The trip with fresh productstrucks that populate the peninsula foris about the experience as much as the madewithcider,hungry beachgoers; but as long as youfishing, giving its patrons a glimpse of isopenweekendscarry out what you bring in, you canNew Jersey not always seen. And while inthesummer.Ifalsopackyourownsnacks.Thereisits not exactly fine dining, the trip may youre hankering forhistory to be had here, and good walksinclude a stop at Hot Dog Johnnys in something stronger,as well, although some of the exhibitsButtzville,an80-year-oldroadstand BurntMillsCiderare currently closed. Also, in the laston the side of Route 46, in an area so Company, a bit fur- several years, a few of the officers hous-ther south on Routees that sit at the end of the park, and Hacklebarney State Park is a lovely destination for hiking206inBedminster,enjoysomeoftheparksbestviews, and to learn about its place in American history. offersanarrayofhave been renovated and are available hardcidersinitsfor overnight stays. And the thought tasting room. Other favorite hikes Yagid recommends are High Point Stateof having not just a whole beach but Park; the walk out to the lighthouse in Saugerties, NY; and, for teens and up,a whole national park more or less to the hike to Kaaterskill Falls. yourself feels like the greatest getaway in the world.Sandy Hook, NJSince Sandy Hook is the perennial field trip destination of every fourth-grade class in the district, this little slice of heaven that is part ofVarious TroutStreamsinNorth-the National Seashore is hardly a secret. Still, isnt sitting on an undevelopedwestern New JerseyThe first thing beach with an unrestricted view of the Atlantic a few miles from one of theto know is that Tim Glynn, like fish-biggest cities in the world always a revelation? Theres no doubt that Sandyermen the world over, is not going to Hook does not offer the thrills and chills of many a Jersey shore town. But forrevealhisfavoritefishingspottothe those who prefer the basics of a day at the beachsand, sun and waterit iscasual reader. What he will say is that impossible to improve on the laid-back thrills Sandy Hook does provide. Ofwe are blessed in New Jersey with an course, since the number of visitors is limited each day (which is part of whatabundanceofgoodfishing.When For a glimpse of northwestern NJ, stop by makes the experience so grand), one needs to get going early, or as Yagid argues,pressed, he offers up South Branch ofHot Dog Johnny's in Buttzville on country late. She contends that one of the best times to arrive at Sandy Hook is abouttheRaritanandtheMusconetcongroad Route 46. 40/ matters magazine / summer 2022"