West Essex Trail & the Abandoned Overbrook Insane Asylum

Also check out our West Essex Trail Hike from November 2012 here

Steve and I once again explored the West Essex Trail. It's become one of my favorite places for an easy, flat and beautiful trail. You remain connected to "real life" as for most of it, you're practically in residents' backyards, making it a really perfect place to walk, clear your head and recharge your batteries (but not have to worry about bears).

West Essex Trail is also ideal to run and jog, the latter of which Steve and I attempted at the very end. Yes, really, we both jogged for like 1/8th mile. As someone who is fascinated by runners yet has always loathed the act myself... I have to say, I actually enjoyed that 30 second jog! I've always run on the street or on a track, never in the woods or on a trail.

Here are some pictures of Steve attempting to swing on a long vine:

Here is a picture of Steve pointing to "where it hurts" after swinging on said vine:

During this trek, which was about 2.5 hours long, we ventured off-trail to explore some buildings we saw in the distance, which turned out to be the abandoned Overbrook Asylum aka Essex County Hospital Center. We honestly didn't know what we were looking at until later that day after we were home. There were no No Trespassing signs or tape or fences by the trail- it wasn't until we got close to the actual buildings that we saw the signs and backed off. I'm all for adventure but definitely respect the law (plus I'm a wuss and abandoned places really creep me out).

The building we saw from the trail looked like an open-area gazebo type of building, which we learned later was the old bandstand. It wasn't until we got to the bandstand that we realized, behind us, were tons of HUGE, beautiful brick buildings.

We decided to go a bit closer and try to at least figure out what these buildings were (or once were). We saw that many of them were numbered and that they were definitely abandoned- many of the windows on the lower levels were broken, Building 11 was fenced off (but with an open door...???) and crude  graffiti covered one of the side buildings, which we later learned was the Activity Center.

I got a nauseated feeling of unease as we approached the large building (Building 2). We saw the No Trespassing signs and so didn't cross them, but even being in that area was very unnerving, and this was before we knew what the buildings were and their history. Steve and I used to watch Ghost Hunters religiously (back when Grant was still on the show and he and Jason actually worked for Roto-Rooter... remember that?), and I thought, Wow, they really need to explore this place.

 Egon, this reminds me of the time
you tried to drill a hole through your head.
Remember that?

And they have! The Asylum was even featured on one of their annual live Halloween specials, as well as Ghost Hunters Academy and the non-related show Ghost Adventures. Not sure if they found anything, but I must tell you, the place is wildly creepy. The buildings are spectacular, with intricate brickwork and stone detail. They're massive and form a giant complex that is seemingly never-ending. Even after we got back on the trail and headed down aways, we were still seeing buildings in the distance. 

The history is fascinating, and there are several people who have had... encounters? while on the premises (including crew members of the 2008 film "Choke" who filmed on-site). All that being said, here's a Public Service Announcement from the Essex County Sheriff's Office:

Please be advised that the Essex County Sheriff’s Office will continue to conduct plainclothes surveillance operations at the county’s old hospital center in Cedar Grove. Please take particular note that persons found on hospital center grounds will be arrested and prosecuted. 

As we know now, this is one Weird NJ site we've got to love from afar. Here are some resources on the Asylum if you'd like to read more:

• 9/24/10 Infamous Overbrook Asylum/ Essex County Hospital Center to be Razed
• Wikipedia
• Amazing photos at Vacant NJ, North Jersey Exploration and Shadows and Rust

After we took some pictures of the buildings and got back on the trail, we went farther down the main trail then we did last time; instead of making a right up and into the woods we continued on the straight, flat trail down a bit past the Essex County line into Passaic County then turned around and came back. We met lots of nice dog owners, saw many X-country runners once school let out and at one point went down under the bridge by the water, which was beautiful.

The one real shame of the WET is all the graffiti. There are several abandoned shacks right off the trail that are just covered. Many rocks, trees, the entire area under the bridge... it's just unavoidable, it's everywhere. I suppose that's part of the trail being so connected to "the real world."