mike helbing

Mike Helbing (forefront) plans to complete a several hundred mile hike around the perimeter of NJ by the end of 2015. Helbing is seen here leading a group down Marble Hill in Warren County on Jan. 1, 2015

(Courtesy Photo | SGF Studios)

Some people set out to hike the Appalachian Trail or traverse the Rocky Mountains. Warren County native Mike Helbing wants to walk around New Jersey.

An avid hiking enthusiast, Helbing plans to complete a several hundred mile journey around the perimeter of the state this year.

Helbing works for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and is a chairman for the Warren County Board of Recreation. He began leading group hikes in 1997 at the age of 17 and he continues to lead 15-mile hikes almost every weekend.

Many of Helbing's journeys led him along the various county and state parks that line New Jersey's borders. Eventually he got the idea to follow the state boundary all the way around.

Helbing has completed over 100 hikes along the state borders and he has 18 more planned in 2015 that will complete the perimeter.

"It's something that's never been done before," Helbing said. "It's about seeing different places. I've always been about seeing what's off the beaten path."

For each leg of the journey, Helbing keeps a detailed map of his start and end points to make sure doesn't miss a step and follows the boundaries as closely as possible.

New Jersey's border with New York is about 103 miles and its border with Pennsylvania is about 150 miles. Walking the coastline along the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean is harder to calculate since the hikes follow the contour of the multiple inlets and estuaries but the journey will likely be more than 500 miles in total.

When private property abuts the border, Helbing does detailed research to make sure he follows as close to the outskirts as possible on public land.

Helbing is also the founder of Metrotrails, a nonprofit organization that assists in the planning, development, maintenance, and promotion of local trail systems.

Helbing, with machete and pruning clippers in hand, has been instrumental in developing the Warren Highlands Trail. His work has expanded the trail that starts near the Northampton Street bridge in Phillipsburg and goes across much of Warren County.

Matthew Davis is a freelance photographer from Washington who has gone on many hikes with Helbing.

Helbing does more than just walk. He will stop and point out interesting natural features or historical tidbits about a farmhouse or railroad, Davis said.

"He's the best that I've found as far as being knowledgeable about the trails," Davis said. "He never makes it boring."

Helbing believes he will be the first person to walk the entire state perimeter and he hopes that his accurate and detailed record keeping of the journey can be used as a resource for others who would like to take the hike.

"I hope that my hikes can showcase some of the great open spaces we have and pave the way to show other people they can do it too," Helbing said.