Stanhope has a secret. It is a beautiful secret, called Furnace Pond, nestled behind the commercial stores and firehouse of Main Street in a beautiful gorge just south of Lake Musconetcong on a dammed portion of the Musconetcong River.
There you will see a wide array of flora and fauna, scenic vistas, the haunting remains of an old mill and the historic remains of a watered section of the Morris Canal that once fed coal to a hungry iron works.
The problem? It is hard to access. Overgrown with plant life, steep hills, and the lack of maintained trails, Furnace Pond’s isolation keeps it from becoming a recreational and economic engine for Stanhope.
The borough is currently seeking grants to cover the cost of permit fees that would unveil Furnace Pond’s natural beauty to the public and create a recreational jewel for the region.
To help them, a grassroots organization has been formed called Friends of Furnace Pond. Our mission is to support the borough in any way we can to make Furnace Pond a recreational destination for the region, with passive trails and preserved natural beauty.
Check us out on Facebook at Friends of Furnace Pond and see the proposed trail map developed by the borough’s environmental commission or email us at furnacepondfriends@gmail.com to join our group. Together, we can make Furnace Pond, Stanhope’s “diamond in the rough,” shine.
Tom Smock
Stanhope
