Pyramid Mountain, Kinnelon/Boonton, NJ

This weekend's trek brought us to the pristine area of Pyramid Mountain in the Kinnelon/Boonton, New Jersey area.  Marveled by scenic overlooks, glacier erratics, (and plenty of new smells for the pups), we all truly enjoyed this hike.  Although it was rainy and cloudy for most of our journey throughout the trails, the sun did peek through towards the end of our hike to allow a few good shots off one of the overlooks (see above).  The rain left Pyramid Mountain completely vacant of visitors until the very end of our hike when we saw a fellow few hikers on the trails.  It was quiet and peaceful...especially at the scenic overlooks and sitting along side the Taylortown Reservoir.  This area truly has the markings of untouched nature.  We highly recommend this trek for avid hikers as parts of the trail were tricky due to rocky elevation climbs.

A Little Bit of History

Highlights from Skylands Visitor's site, a detailed history of the entire of Pyramid Mountain and the surrounding areas*:

• Designated in 1987 as the Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area, nearly 1,500 acres of wooded terrain dotted with brooks, swamps, glacial deposits, rock outcroppings glens and vistas. 
• The area attracted hunters, adventurous hikers, and youthful trespassers not only with its collection of massive boulders, but also with natural beauty, seclusion, and a hint of magic. To the north, hikers could climb to an impressive landmark of mysterious though disputed origins: Tripod Rock, one of the state’s largest erratics, a mega-boulder balancing atop much smaller rocks on Pyramid Mountain. (While some believe early Indian inhabitants assembled it as a solstice oriented worship site, others simply credit a powerful glacier). 
• Two disturbances affected Pyramid Mountain, one being the Ice Age which led to the famous Tripod Rock, weighing close to 160 tons, plus its companions, Whale Head and Bear Rock, the largest of the three.  The second was in 1920's, a man-made disturbance during the Electrification, where high towers were strung with electrical lines piercing the northwest corner (the ambitious national effort resulted in roughly 70% of households having electricity by the 1930s).
• In the 1980's, Lucy Meyer, along with the help from her husband Karl, both ardent hikers, organized a grassroots campaign that rallied support to preserve the Pyramid Mountain area. Founding The Committee To Preserve Pyramid Mountain, Meyer ultimately succeeded in putting the property in public hands by knitting together municipal, county and state resources to purchase it. Honored with a Pride In America award by President Ronald Reagan for her efforts, Meyer was also memorialized with Lucy’s Overlook, a scenic lookout at an 841 foot elevation, south of Tripod Rock, with a long view of the mountains she loved. (And, us fellow hikers, are certainly glad she fought).

 *Note: there is more history of this area that can be found on the Skylands Visitor's site, we have just highlighted parts to the trail that we trekked. 

The Details

Parking: See Google Maps Location below.

Trail Map: Pyramid Mountain Trail Maps

Our hike is highlighted above...

The Hike 

The trek is moderate to difficult (at times in rocky areas as show below).  See highlighted map to follow the hike we took.  The trails were very well marked and it seemed to be that there were freshly painted trail markers on the trees. 

From the parking area we walked around the closed gate (to the right of the baseball field) and back towards the batting cages (see pictures below) to pick up the trail head (Green Trail).  We followed the Green Trail to the Orange Trail along the Taylortown Reservoir.  We took a sharp turn at the end of the Orange Trail and headed on to the Yellow Trail to the Blue Trail.  We took a short walk on the Red Stripe (RS) Trail to the Whale Head Rock.  We backtracked our steps and came out to the White Trail and back on to the Green Trail towards the parking lot.

Check out our adventures below!

   

Boonton Ave Field Parking

Green Trail (not marked)...

Follow on behind the batting cages

Beginning of the Green Trail 

One of the viewpoints...unfortunately we didn't get the best pictures due to the cloudy weather.
It was so quiet up here though, it's worth the hike just to be up here.

Tricky rock climb down 

Taylortown Reservoir 

Enjoying the quiet moments...

Another rocky climb...

We took the small trek out to see this overlook but there was nothing to see...we'll have to try it again in a different season.

Tripod Rock 

Some creatures along the way...

On our way back to the car! 

Hacklebarney State Park, Long Valley, NJ

Hacklebarney State Park is by far one of our favorite hikes in New Jersey.  Make sure to get to the trails early because this is a popular hiking spot especially when it gets nicer out.  We ran into a few other hikers during our hike but, as I always say, surprisingly the trails were pretty empty even on this beautiful day.  I wonder sometimes if people are just not aware all of the amazing hiking opportunities that exist in New Jersey but I'm hopeful that our blog will spread the word!  

This park covers 892 acres of land with 5 miles of trails passing over Trout and Rhinehart Brooks.  The Black River runs along the Red Trail and is serene sight to see.  Take a break at any of the benches overlooking the Black River and enjoy the sounds of the rolling waters.  Although, the trees were all bare still, there is a mix of poplars, birch and oak.  As it is still quite cold, the dogs were unable to get a great swim in but Piper was courageous enough to fetch the stick a few times!  

Hacklebarney State Park is family (including the pups) friendly.  There are several picnic areas with permanent grill sites and tables.  There is also a nice playground for the kids.  Enjoy your hike and if you have time, stop over at the Long Valley Pub & Brewery for a tasty beer and bite to eat!    

A Little Bit of History

According to the Department of Environmental Protection site:

It is said that the word Hacklebarney has a Native American derivation. Depending on which source one reads, it may have come from the words haki, meaning “ground” and barney, a variation of bonihen, “to put wood on fire,” or hakiboni, “to put wood on a fire on the ground” or “bonfire.” Other explanations come by way of the area’s iron-mining history. The first concerns an iron mine foreman named Barney Tracey, who was lovingly but persistently heckled by his workmen – hence the name “Heckle” Barney. Another tradition says the name came from the Irish miners and their home village in Cork County. Finally, the land near the Hacklebarney forge may have been owned by a Barney Hackle.  Whatever the origin of its name, we do know that Hacklebarney Memorial State Forest Park Reservation, or Hacklebarney State Park, as it is now called, was established because of the generosity and vision of Adolphe and Sarah Borie. Their vision for Hacklebarney has endured long after their deaths and continues to guide the destiny of the park once described as “the most beautiful park in New Jersey.”- Peter Osborne, Images of America: Hacklebarney and Voorhees State Parks

The Details

Trail Map: Hacklebarney PDF Trail Map

Parking: See Google Maps Location below.

The Hike 

The trek is easy to moderate.  The moderate part comes when the Red Trail turns into a rocky trail about an hour or so in.  If you're an avid hiker, you will have no problems navigating over the rocks.  We followed the Red Trail from the parking area all the way around, passed the waterfalls, following the Black River back to the parking area.     

   

 Check out our adventures below!

Beginning of hike...

Large set stairs to begin the Red Trail

One of the several picnic areas

Testing the waters!!

Black River

Playing fetch...

A place to take a rest and enjoy the roaring river.

On our way back to the car!