Laurie Chauncey Trail/ETS

Mercer County Trail Number 17

Summary

Distance: 2.5 miles
Time: Approximately 45-60 minutes
Markings:

Light green markings on posts are found only where the trail crosses a road or another trail.

Additional trails are possible along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail. Visit the following website: Lawrence Hopewell Trail

Trail Usage: Walking/Hiking, Dogs permitted on leash
Elevation: Elevation gain of 100 feet
Difficulty: Easy, although trails are not well marked in all places.
Parking:

Use the parking lot by Lord Hall. There is no sign to indicate parking for the walking trail. The parking places on the inner rim of the parking lot are closest to the trail.

Tips:

Trail is not easy to see in places, especially in the summer.

Amenities:
Overview:

The circular trail winds along the Stony Brook through young and mature woods to the gas pipeline right of way where the trail turns into a mowed path through a meadow. Along the way, there are many bridges over intermittent streams, beautiful views and access to the stream and one area of nice outcropping of red shale and argillite.

Additional trails are possible along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail. Visit the following website: Lawrence Hopewell Trail

Directions:

Education Testing Service (ETS) is located at the intersection of Carter Road (County Road 569) and Rosedale Road (County Road 604).

From Hopewell: Take Route 569 for 2.1 miles to the ETS entrance .4 miles after crossing the bridge over Stony Brook. Turn left and follow the ETS Road .3 miles. Turn right on the first paved road and follow signs to Lord Hall. Park on the inner rim of the parking lot.

Description:

Locate the path of the gas pipeline indicated by a series of three tall yellow pipes in a row. The pipes in each group of three are about 4 feet high and are placed periodically along the mowed right of way. The pipeline right of way cuts across the area between the parking lot and building L. Facing the building, turn left and follow the mowed pipeline path across the road. The mowed pipeline takes a sharp turn to the right. When the mowed path takes a sharp left, continue straight ahead on the path into the young woods.

The wide pathway is easy to follow first through a young swampy woods dominated by red swamp maple. There are a number of trails in this first section of the hike; at the initial fork, just after entering the woods, keep to the right, paralleling the edge of the woods on the right. At the second fork, go straight ahead rather than to the left. When reaching the entrance road, the trail jogs ot the left for 50 yards or so along a grass strip, then crosses the road (look for signpost) into a more mature woods of white ash, basswood, elm and red maple. Look for wooden posts under a power line, as the trail approaches and then parallels Stony Brook, the trees along the way get older. Look for double or triple trunks on the trees indicating this woods had once been cut down. Shortly after crossing a footbridge, look for some very large white ash on the right. The trees are in a straight row and were along an old road, traces of which can be seen in the flatness of the ground between the trees. The path periodically crosses intermittent streams on bridges or stepping stones, and in several places trails or stairs on the right go up to a loop road. As the path and stream swing around to the right, hickory, maple and ash begin to dominate. As the path starts to climb look for a rock outcropping on the left with a lovely overlook of the stream. This is the easiest access to the stream. The trail turns uphill after passing a building on the right and crossing a bridge. At the fork in the trail, keep to the right along the little stream and across several more bridges. (The left hand fork crosses another bridge and runs uphill along an old jeep trail, through private land to a paved driveway. Approximately 35 yards to the right is Province Line Road. The road beyond this driveway is closed to cars, but is a scenic way to cross Stony Brook on foot.)The main trail eventually comes out in a meadow along the gas pipeline right-of-way. Turn right and follow the pipeline(and/or the driveway) back to the parking lot.