Slow afternoons, done right

Start at dawn on the river with a fly rod — the Musconetcong's trout water is stocked and wild in turns, and the morning mist does half the work of making it memorable.

The Columbia Trail, a rail-trail built on the old High Bridge Branch railbed, runs nearby through forest and past the Ken Lockwood Gorge — one of the prettiest walks in Hunterdon County.

In between: kayak the gentle stretches, cycle the back roads past farms and cornfields, or simply sit on the bridge and watch the water go by. Hampton rewards the unhurried.