Ogden Mine Railroad Path
Hurdtown (within Mahlon Dickerson Reservation), Jefferson Township, Morris & Sussex Counties, NJ

Directions:

From New York City, take Route 80 west to exit 34B (Sparta exit); this becomes Route 15 North. In about four miles, there is a Texaco station on the right; immediately after it there is a double exit. Take the second exit, Weldon Road, also marked as Milton-Oak Ridge. Continue on Weldon Road passing Saffin Pond parking lot on the right and Jefferson Township Middle School. Turn left onto Sparta Mountain Road which turns into Milton Road after passing into Sussex County. Turn left onto Haywards Road. Drive .2 of a mile and park. The entrance is on the left by an orange bar blocking the trail.

History:

Robert Ogden, distiller and mine owner.

1855  -- five iron mines active (including the upper and lower Weldon Mines near today's water treatment building).

1864 -- Ogden Mine Railroad (OMRR) built to service mines dealing in minerals. 

1890  -- iron ore mines in the area abandoned.

1900  -- Thomas Alva Edison tried to save the iron ore industry in the area but by this year he had to give up on his plans. 

Trail:

This 2.4 mile long rail line is a continuation of the one in Berkshire Valley WMA. 

Supposedly: The old Edison Mine abandoned railroad bed, which intersects with Haywards Road, off Milton Road in Sparta Township, provides access to the Weldon Brook WMA, as well as connecting to the Sparta Mountain WMA to the north and Mahlon-Dickerson Reservation to the south.

Going south down the trail you pass over a brook (with dark tea colored water) and pass by a marsh. Then you come to an intersection with the blue and yellow trail. The blue trail goes south and east, while the yellow trail goes south only from here. Following straight ahead takes one to the Weldon Road - Saffin Pond parking area by the huge marsh.