July 26, 2024| Community, Recreation
By: Holly Odgers
Have you downloaded OuterSpatial yet?
In our ongoing efforts to make it easier to find and enjoy recreational opportunities around Lake Hopatcong, we've partnered with OuterSpatial, a go-to app for information on parks, trails, and natural areas, which also includes a fun social aspect where you can share your experiences and photos with fellow outdoor enthusiasts.
Over the winter, our dedicated volunteer, Rob Bond, worked hard to add tons of useful information and coordinates to the app, including the entire Lake Hopatcong Trail. Thanks to Rob, you can now easily find trails and hikes in our area right from your mobile device.
To shine a spotlight on this new resource, we created the Liffy Island Challenge this past spring, a self-guided hike along the Lake Hopatcong Trail, starting from Prospect Point Park & Preserve to Liffy Island and back. Along the way, participants checked in at specific points by snapping photos. Everyone who completed the challenge was entered into a drawing for two tickets on one of our summer eco-cruises.
We’re thrilled to share that more than 50 participants took part in the challenge, and we’ve emailed the lucky winner! So, if you joined in, check your inbox to see if you’ve won. We look forward to hosting the winner and a guest for a free eco-cruise on our Floating Classroom this summer!
Even though the Liffy Island Challenge is over, there is still plenty to discover on OuterSpatial. A great place to start is with one of the outings in our area. Log into the OuterSpatial app and choose the New Jersey community. Once there, choose "explore" from the buttons at the bottom of your screen. Then hit the "location type" button and choose "outings" from the list. You should get a list of outings closest to you! (You can also find all of our outings under "organizations" and then Lake Hopatcong Foundation!)
There is a selection of outings in our area, like the 2-mile Bear Pond Hike, which takes you along the beautiful shores of Bear Pond, or the 2-mile Cowboy Creek Loop, which features a trail that winds through a 40-acre wetland, that serves as the headwaters of Cowboy Creek in Hopatcong. They are both great options to explore hiking in our region!
If you haven’t already, download OuterSpatial, and plan your next adventure today!
OuterSpatial is a free resource funded by SNAP-Ed through Zufall Health. SNAP-Ed, which is administered by a collaboration between the New Jersey Department of Human Services and Department of Health, is a federally funded nutrition and physical activity program.
