Jockey Hollow Trail Historic Trip

When and Where

When: March 28-30, 2025, 7:00 pm — 12:00 pm
Nights: 2

Location: Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation, Site 02

Troop 23 is excited to announce our upcoming trip: a historical journey along the Jockey Hollow Trail. We'll explore significant Revolutionary War sites, participate in an engaging historical hike, and earn the Jockey Hollow Trail Award.

Plan

Friday Night
7:00 PM – Departure from OLA
Drive – 2 hours
Arrival at Camp – Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation, Site 02

Saturday
Breakfast – Prepare and eat at camp
8:00 AM – Drive to Jockey Hollow Visitor Center (30 mins)
9:00 AM – Begin 10-mile hike through Jockey Hollow Historic Trail

• Revolutionary War history exploration
• Estimated duration: 5 hours
• Scouts complete required tasks for the Jockey Hollow Historic Trail Award
• Hike counts toward Hiking Merit Badge (10-mile hike requirement)
• Lunch – On the trail

3:00 PM – Visit Ford Mansion – Washington's Headquarters
5:00 PM – Drive back to camp
Dinner – Prepare and eat at camp
8:00 PM – Campfire

Sunday
Breakfast – Prepared and eat at camp
Drive home – 2 hours

Cost: $30 per scout (permission slips and fees due March 17th)
Conditions: Expect cold weather typical for March; prepare your gear accordingly.

Ranger Notes

Water to the sites may be shut off due to freezing temperatures. Please check with camp a few days before your reservation to find out if water is turned on in your campsite.

Water lines are winterized when low temperatures reach 30 degrees Fahrenheit to prevent damage to the Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation water system.

Water to campsites will be turned on when weather allows, and low temperatures are consistently above freezing.

Running water is available year round throughout the Mt. Allamuchy Scout Reservation at multiple taps and spigots. Check with the Campmaster when you check in at camp to find out where the closest running water is to your campsite or cabin.

03/14/2025

Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation

Mount Allamuchy Scout Reservation (MASR) is one of the premier scouting facilities in New Jersey, offering year-round camping and outdoor programs for Scouts. The reservation is operated by the Patriots' Path Council, BSA and features two main camping areas: Camp Somers and Camp Wheeler.

MASR provides a rich outdoor experience with extensive hiking trails, lake activities, and numerous facilities designed to support scouting advancement and outdoor education. The camp hosts summer camps, leadership training programs, and various merit badge opportunities, making it a hub for scouting adventure.

Our troop will be staying at Site 02, which is conveniently located behind the Camp Somers Camp Office and Trading Post.

Site 02 Details

• Capacity: Up to 20 people
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible
• Shelters: Four lean-to shelters connected by ramps and wooden walkways
• Facilities: Camping platforms, on-site latrine, access to flushing toilets at the camp office
• Proximity: Near the Dining Hall, waterfront activities (boating & swimming), and parking

MASR is an ideal base for our historic hiking trip, providing comfortable yet rugged accommodations before we set out to explore Jockey Hollow and the surrounding Revolutionary War sites.

Official site: https://sites.google.com/view/mt-allamuchy-scout-reservation/home

Morristown National Historical Park

On Saturday, we will spend the day at Morristown National Historical Park, a site of great significance in American history. Often referred to as the “Military Capital of the American Revolution,” Morristown served as the winter encampment for General George Washington and the Continental Army during some of the war’s most challenging times. The park preserves key locations that played a pivotal role in securing American independence.

Morristown National Historical Park consists of several key sites that provide a deeper understanding of the Revolutionary War and the hardships faced by the soldiers who fought for freedom. Our visit will focus on two major locations:

Jockey Hollow Visitor Center

Jockey Hollow was the site of Washington’s harshest winter encampment during 1779-1780. Over 10,000 soldiers endured extreme cold and starvation, yet their perseverance proved crucial to the war effort. The visitor center provides exhibits on the daily life of the soldiers, and we will embark on a 10-mile historic trail hike through the area, exploring original encampment sites and key landmarks. This hike is part of the Jockey Hollow Trail Historic Award, which Scouts can earn by completing an educational challenge.

Ford Mansion – Washington's Headquarters

The Ford Mansion served as George Washington’s headquarters during the brutal winter of 1779-1780. This preserved colonial home was where Washington and his officers, including Alexander Hamilton, planned military strategies and diplomatic efforts. The mansion is now part of a museum, featuring period artifacts and guided tours that provide insight into the decision-making processes that shaped the war’s outcome.

Our visit to Morristown National Historical Park will provide an immersive historical experience, connecting Scouts with the sacrifices and strategies that helped forge the United States.

Official site: https://www.nps.gov/morr/index.htm

Jockey Hollow Trail

Our main activity for this trip is a 10-mile historic hike along the Jockey Hollow Trail, retracing the steps of General George Washington's Continental Army during the harsh winter encampment of 1779-1780.

Building on our experience from the Saratoga National Historical Trail, where we worked toward earning the Saratoga National Historic Trail Award, this hike is another opportunity to engage deeply with Revolutionary War history while fulfilling an award requirement. Scouts will complete a trail questionnaire along the hike, answering questions about key historical sites and events in order to earn the Jockey Hollow Trail Historic Award (patch and medal).

Historical Background

Jockey Hollow was the site of the coldest winter of the 18th century, where over 10,000 soldiers endured extreme cold, starvation, and supply shortages. The encampment was strategically chosen to protect Morristown, which served as the Military Capital of the American Revolution. Soldiers built over 1,000 log huts, forming an organized military camp spread across several brigades. Washington and his officers, including Alexander Hamilton, coordinated war strategies from the Ford Mansion nearby.

The Jockey Hollow Trail

Originally designed in 1962 by Boy Scout Troops 25 and 27, this trail has been a Scout hiking tradition for decades. The hike passes through key Revolutionary War sites, including:

• Wick Farmhouse – General St. Clair's headquarters, where soldiers lived alongside a local family.
• New Jersey Brigade Site – Encampment location where troops endured severe winter conditions.
• Stark’s Brigade – A strategic lookout point with views extending toward New York City.
• Soldier Huts – Reconstructed log cabins showing how soldiers survived the winter.

Scout Award & Hiking Merit Badge

To earn the Jockey Hollow Historic Trail Award, Scouts must complete a trail questionnaire, answering questions about key historical sites. This hike also fulfills the 10-mile hike requirement for the Hiking Merit Badge. Scouts working on advancements should review their progress beforehand and notify leadership of specific requirements they wish to complete.

At the end of the hike, Scouts will submit their questionnaire and a 250-word essay on one of the following topics:

• "What part did Morristown and the Jockey Hollow area play in the American Revolution?"
• "Why did Washington select the Morristown area for his encampments?"

Official link: https://ppcscouting.org/programs/trails/

What to bring

Conditions: This is March. So conditions will be cold, which is normal course for T23. Review your equipment and make adjustments. If you have any questions, please address with your youth leaders and, if needed, to adult leaders.  

• ⧠ Ten essentials (navigation, sun protection, insulation, illumination, first aid, fire, repair kit and tools, nutrition, hydration, emergency shelter)
• ⧠ Backpack as always
• ⧠ Class A for travel
• ⧠ Class B
• ⧠ Executed Troop permission from the Scoutbook  (if not submitted already)
• ⧠ Sleeping bag
• ⧠ Sleeping pad
• ⧠ Cooking gear (portable stove, fuel, pot, utensils) 
• ⧠ Personal hygiene items (toothbrush, toothpaste, biodegradable soap) 
• ⧠ Extra clothing (layers, socks, underwear) 
• ⧠ Rain gear 
• ⧠ Map and compass (or GPS)
• ⧠ Headlamp or flashlight with NEW batteries
• ⧠ Pocketknife or multi-tool
• ⧠ Comfortable shoes
• ⧠ Writing instrument

Goals

Jockey Hollow Historic Trail Award

To earn the Jockey Hollow Historic Trail Award, Scouts must complete a trail questionnaire, answering questions about key historical sites and write a 250-word essay.

Hiking Merit Badge

4. Take four 10-mile hikes and one 20-mile hike, each on a different day, and each of continuous miles. Prepare a written hike plan before each hike and share it with your merit badge counselor or a designee for approval before starting the hike. Include map routes, a clothing and equipment list, and a list of items for a trail lunch. You may stop for as many short rest periods as needed, as well as one meal, during each hike, but not for an extended period such as overnight.*

* The required hikes for this badge may be used in fulfilling hiking requirements for rank advancement. However, these hikes cannot be used to fulfill requirements of other merit badges.

Second Class

(!) A lot of items will be covered. Please read ahead and be ready. Most important:

3a. Demonstrate how a compass works and how to orient a map. Use a map to point out and tell the meaning of five map symbols.

3b. Using a compass and map together, take a five-mile hike approved by your adult leader and your parent or guardian.

3c. Describe some hazards or injuries that you might encounter on your hike and what you can do to help prevent them.

3d. Demonstrate how to find directions during the day and at night without using a compass or an electronic device.

4. Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (such as birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your local area or camping location. You may show evidence by tracks, signs, or photographs you have taken.

First Class

(!) A lot of items will be covered. Please read ahead and be ready. Most important:

4b. Demonstrate how to use a handheld GPS unit, GPS app on a smartphone or other electronic navigation system Demonstrate how to use a handheld GPS unit, GPS app on a smartphone, or other electronic navigation system while on a campout or hike. Use GPS to find your current location, a destination of your choice, and the route you will take to get there. Follow that route to arrive at your destination.. Use a GPS to find your current location, a destination of your choice, and the route you will take to get there. Follow that route to arrive at your destination.

5a. Identify or show evidence of at least 10 kinds of native plants found in your local area or campsite location. You may show evidence by identifying fallen leaves or fallen fruit that you find in the field, or as part of a collection you have made, or by photographs you have taken.

9c. On a Scouting or family outing, take note of the trash and garbage you produce. Before your next similar outing, decide how you can reduce, recycle, or repurpose what you take on that outing, and then put those plans into action. Compare your results.

Historian's notes