High Mountain Park Preserve, NJ - Eastern Section

ABOUT THE PARK:
High Mountain Park Preserve - The Nature Conservancy
High Mountain Park Preserve - Township of Wayne
High Mountain Park Preserve Offers Escape Into Nature - NorthJersey.com

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.952038, -74.200523

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Nice hiker lot on College Road across the street from William Patterson University.  (Parking used to be in the university lot.)

TRAIL MAP:
High Mountain Trail Map - Township of Wayne
Jersey Highland Trails Map 125 - New York New Jersey Trail Conference

HIKE DISTANCE:  8 miles

THE HIKE:

The red trail starts at the kiosk in the parking lot.

Intersection with the white trail.

The white trail along the golf course.

A little pond off to the left ...

... with some very angry geese, most likely guarding a nest.

An archway of blowdowns.

This blowdown, with it's entire root ball exposed, is in full bloom.

A lot of blowdowns in the white trail/yellow trail intersection area but they have all been sawed through and the trail is clear.

Continuing on yellow to the western views.

Left at the fork around the huge mound for the views.  (The yellow rail continues right downhill.)

View of Point View Reservoir and mountains to the west.

Retrace back on the yellow trail all the way to a residential street.

Turn right and walk a short distance to about half way around the cul-de-sac, then continue on yellow to the right into the woods.

Approaching the view on High Mountain.

Unfortunately, it was pretty hazy on the horizon so it wasn't the best day the New York City view.

Some more views while descending on the yellow trail.

Heading back on red ...

... to the parking lot.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the red trail at the kiosk
[  0.70]  Straight on red when yellow starts to the right
[  0.75]  Left on white when red continues to the right
[  1.75]  Short side trail on left to pond
[  2.65]  White curves around section of blowdowns and ends at yellow (no blazes at intersection)
[  3.10]  Left at unmarked fork, yellow blazes resume
[  3.55]  Right at fork to view when yellow turns right downhill;  retrace
[  4.05]  Keep right on yellow when a trail goes left
[  4.55]  Straight on yellow when white goes right at unmarked intersection in blowdowns
[  4.70]  Turn right on residential road to half way around cul-de-sac, turn right into woods on trail
[  5.45]  Keep straight on yellow when red crosses over
[  6.40]  View on High Mountain
[  7.40]  Yellow ends, turn left on red
[  8.00]  Back at parking lot

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