Tripod Rock

Tripod Rock, Pyramid Mountain Natural Historic Area (4/1/12)

I lost track of how many times we have been to Pyramid & Turkey Mountains. This large rugged area is about 20 minutes from our home, so we find ourselves heading back here whenever we don't feel like driving far and/or the weather is a bit threatening. Of the ten or so times we've visited this area, at least half of those times we managed to work in a visit to the always interesting Tripod Rock, as we did once again today. In fact, after I got my very first digital camera way back in 2004, the very first hike we did and photographed was there. And the second was to Turkey Mountain on the other side of Boonton Avenue (Route 511). Wow! That was eight years ago. Time surely does fly when you're having fun.

Usually we park at the visitor's center but today we parked at the baseball field at least a mile further north on Booton Avenue. From here we took the Green trail (which begins along the 1st base line) into the woods all the way to its end at the White trail. We made a right on White in order to "bag" the vista denoted on the NYNJTC Jersey Highlands map #125. After a steep climb, we were rewarded with a partial view east. Continuing further along White, we saw no other vista so we turned back and headed SW on white, visiting Tripod Rock. After a steep descent down to the huge Bear Rock, we took Blue (Mennen trail) north to the rocky Red-White trail climbing steeply to reach Whale Head Rock, then descending from Eagle Cliffs back to White. From here we retraced our steps NE (on White and then Green) back to the car.

Total distance today was about 5 miles in 3.5 hours.

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