SPLITROCK RESERVOIR
Rockaway Township, Morris County, NJ
1,500 acres (625 acre reservoir)

Directions:

A new parking area (2003) opened along Split Rock Road at the southern end of the reservoir. 

History:

Splitrock Bloomery was located on Beaver Lake about four miles northwest of Boonton.

1770 -- slitting mill at Split Rock owned by David Ogden.

1790 -- Split Rock Bloomery built by Ebenezer Ferrand on lands that were on a tract located by James Parker and Andrew Bell (and including the Durham Forge lands).

Land bought by Col. Lemuel Cobb (3,000 acres; went to his three heirs: Andrew B. Cobb, Mrs. W. C. H. Waddel, and Mrs. Benjamin Howell. Andrew B. Cobb got the forge itself. He enlarged and improved it.

1816 -- Lemuel Cobb operate a forge.

1822 -- John Dixon assessed for taxes on two forge fires, known as Dixon's Forge, at Split Rock.

1837 -- ironworks built.

1850 -- A. B. Cobb runs an ironworks here.

1862 -- last charcoal blast furnace in NJ erected here, but soon abandoned.

The area is owned by Jersey City, but the acres are protected by the DEP's Division of Fish and Wildlife under a conservation easement purchased by funds from the department's Green Acres Program.

Trails:

The parking area has a trailhead for a 13.8 mile loop trail around the reservoir.  It is also a launch site for fishing, kayaking or canoeing. 

Horseback riding, mountain biking and ATV use not permitted.

PLANT LIST:

David Snyder reports Triphora trianthophora at Splitrock Reservoir