Monk's Mountain



Monk's Mountain, Long Pond Ironworks (1/16/2010)

This is Hike #2 ("Monk's Mountain") in the book Best Easy Day Hike: Northeast New Jersey. We did this loop twice before, but at those times the white-blazed trail was only partial, with one end near the gate at Route 511 and the other end at a woods road which then led back to the long narrow parking area but at the point furthest from Rt. 511. Hence it used to require quite a bit of unblazed woods road walking, as well as parking lot walking. Now the 2.7-mile loop is a complete loop, with lots of new trail through the woods. It's a beautiful little hike affording a gorgeous view over Monksville Reservoir and the surrounding hills no matter what time of day.

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Western trail head

Ice fisherman on frozen reservoir

Laura on the reservoir

Almost totally frozen


Ice fisherman



 

Kahtoolahs are necessary ...

... for these sheets of ice


 


Power line cut

Climbing up Monk's Mountain

Taking a breather

 


Steeper here


Beautiful moss

Partial view NW
 


View SW


Power line cut west

View of reservoir from blue spur
 


Monksville Reservoir

Cactus at viewpoint


At the viewpoint
 


Lean to

Dan inside [photo by Laura]


 


On the blue spur trail

More snow on the colder side

Mine pit filled with water

Woodpecker hotel
 


Not much snow left here

Stream crossing

Monk/Winston Mine

A deep cut
 


Dan at the top [photo by Laura]

Gas line cut looking east

Power line cut looking east

Tree hugger [photo by Laura]
 


Shotgun casing

Tiny critter tracks

Snake warning

Our new SUV!
 

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