Pyramid Mountain County Park, NJ - Pyramid Mountain/Kakeout Reservoir Loop

ABOUT THE PARK:
Pyramid Mountain County Park - Morris County Parks

DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates to Boonton Avenue Field Parking:  40.968198, -74.365204
(Note:  The main lot for Pyramid Mountain County Park is always barricaded early in the morning and later in the day the lot is packed so I use the Boonton Avenue Field lot.)

View Larger Map

Park at the north end of Boonton Avenue Field.

TRAIL MAPS:
Pyramid Mountain Trail Map - Morris County Park Commission (does not show entire hike)
Jersey Highlands Trails Map #125 - NY/NJ Trail Conference (shows entire hike)

HIKE DISTANCES:
Pyramid Mountain to Kakeout Reservoir Loop - 10.75 miles
Pyramid Mountain Loop - 5 miles

PEAK BAGGING:
Pyramid Mountain - Peakery.com

THE HIKE:

At the north end of the parking lot, walk beyond the barrier and follow the gravel road towards a tan shed.

At the shed veer left on the grass towards the corner of the tennis courts where you will find three mint green blazes on a tree indicating the start of the trail.

The green trail goes through pretty woods heading towards Tarrytown Reservoir.

The orange trail will follow along Tarrytown Reservoir.

Tarrytown Reservoir

Tarrytown Reservoir

Tarrytown Reservoir

The blue trail ascends to views of the New York City skyline.

Farther along the blue trail, a blue and white side trail leads to views at Lucy's Overlook.

Tripod Rock along the white trail.

Whale Head Rock on the red and white trail.

The blue trail heading towards Kakeout Reservoir.

Kakeout Reservoir

Kakeout Reservoir

The blue trail skirts along Kakeout Reservoir.

Stone House Brook waterfall at a bridge crossing.

Tree growing over an old sign.

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  From north end of parking lot take gravel road beyond barrier towards tan shed, veer left towards back corner of tennis courts to trailhead for mint green trail
[  0.70]  Left on white when green ends at T-intersection with white
[  0.90]  Turn left on orange when white goes right
[  1.20]  Orange trail starts to skirt Tarrytown Reservoir
[  1.90]  Turn left on yellow when orange ends
[  2.15]  Cross power cut
[  2.25]  Turn right on blue when yellow ends
[  2.35]  Cross power cut
[  2.50]  Right on blue when white goes left
[  2.60]  Right on blue when red goes left
[  2.75]  At top of ascent when blue trail turns left, turn right briefly to view; retrace
[  3.05]  Left on blue/yellow when yellow goes right
[  3.10]  Right on blue when yellow goes left
[  3.15]  Left on blue/white at sign to Lucy's Overlook; retrace and continue left on blue
[  3.40]  Straight on white when blue goes left
[  3.45]  Tripod Rock on left
[  3.85]  Left on red/white when white goes straight
               *** stay on white to right on mint green back to parking for 5 mile hike ***
[  4.10]  Eagle Cliff
[  4.30]  Whale Head Rock on left
[  4.45]  Turn right on blue when red/white trail ends
[  4.75]  Cross footbridge
[  4.95]  Right briefly on paved road then left across road back into woods
[  5.30]  Turn left on paved road beyond chain link gate
[  5.40]  Turn left leaving paved road directly across entrance of Shepard School; walk along right side of large boulders; at end of boulders trails goes right into woods
[  5.50]  Blue turns right on narrow gravel road; when road veers left, turn right into field (turn not marked) towards blue blaze in the distance on tree (VERY EASY TO MISS THIS TURN!)
[  5.85]  Kakeout Reservoir
[  5.95]  Cross paved Fayson Lake Road
[  6.35]  Cross 3 bridges; after 3rd bridge with waterfalls, immediately turn right (unmarked)
[  6.85]  Rock hop over creek
[  6.95]  Rock hop over creek
[  7.05]  Blue trails veers left, turn right briefly to view over reservoir; retrace
[  7.45]  At dam blue goes straight, turn right and cross dam on blue/white blazed trail (3 blazes on guardrail)
[  7.50]  Stay left on blue/white when unmarked woods road goes straight
[  7.75]  Right on white at Pyramid Mountain sign when blue/white ends
[  7.85]  Stay left on white when unmarked goes straight
[  7.95]  Stay right on white when unmarked goes left
[  8.40]  Cross second dam and keep straight into woods to right of huge boulder (no blazes going across dam)
[  8.55]  Cross over unmarked trail
[  8.70]  White trial turns left just before a back yard then turns right on paved road
[  8.85]  Turn left on next paved road; turn right into woods beyond 20 mph sign
[  9.20]  White trail turns right on paved road; turn left on next paved road (Brentwoood Dr.)
[  9.35]  Left on Glenrock; left at next street
[  9.50]  Left at next intersection then almost immediately right into woods leaving paved road
[  9.90]  Obstructed view at top of hill
[10.10]  At bottom of hill after descending and before white trail ascends, look for mint green trail around boulder on left; turn left on mint green trail
[10.75]  Back at car

South Mountain Reservation, NJ: Locust Grove to Mayapple Hill

 

ABOUT THE PARK:
South Mountain Reservation - Essex County Parks
South Mountain Conservancy
The Lenape Trail


DIRECTIONS:
GPS Coordinates 40.727503, -74.304261

View Larger Map

This parking lot is right behind Millburn trail station so this hike can be done by taking the train.

TRAIL MAPS:
South Mountain Reservation Trail Map - Essex County Parks
Purchase a laminated color map from the South Mountain Conservancy

HIKE DISTANCES:
Locust Grove to Mayapple Hill Loop:  11.3 miles
Locust Grove to Oakdale Loop: 10.3 miles
Locust Grove to Hemlock Falls Loop:  5 miles (click here for NY/NJ Trail Conference version)

PEAK BAGGING:
Mayapple Hill - Peakery.com

THE HIKE:

The hike begins on the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail.  Follow this trail for 6 miles all the way to Mayapple Hill.

The yellow-blazed Lenape Trail climbs up to paved Crest Drive and continues to the left of the kiosk ahead.

Revolutionary memorial to the right of the kiosk.

Overlook at Washington Rock - view obstructed by foliage

View of Watchung Reservation from Washington Rock

The Lenape Trail continues down the steps from the viewing deck.

The Lenape Trail now enters the woods for a long stretch.

Remnants of a 1908 picnic shelter at Ball's Bluff.

Hemlock Falls

Footbridge over South Orange Avenue

Yellow and orange trails merge briefly through an attractive pine forest.

You will pass through a picnic area after which the yellow blazes of the Lenape Trail are confusing and often missing.  Here is how to stay on the trail:

Walk straight through the picnic area towards a grove of trees with a field on either side.  Stay to the right of the grove of trees.  The trail will go inside the grove and come out at the other end.  There are some blazes but they pretty much stop in the open field.

After coming out of the grove of trees, veer left towards the traffic intersection.  There is no defined path through the field.  Cross Cherry Lane almost at the intersection, just to the left of the trees, and continue across a field.  There are no blazes at all in this area.

Stay to the left of the guardrail which is the end of Valley View Drive (no traffic).

Around the other side of the guardrail the yellow blazes start again and the trail turns right just behind the Oakdale sign.  This can be hard to see if it is overgrown.

The trail will go through a neat tunnel where foliage has formed a canopy overhead.

"The Crag" with limited views.

A footbridge over Northfield Avenue.

The Lenape Trail ends at Mayapple Hill - it should pick up again but I do not know where unless that connector section is not complete yet.  Across the field is a picnic area, convenient or taking a break before heading back.

Retrace on the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail, cross the footbridge, then turn left on an unmarked trail where you will start seeing red blazes.  Follow the red blazes to the right into the woods after the Oakdale sign post which you will approach from behind.

Oakdale sign post of the red blazed trail looking back the way you came.  The red-blazed Oakdale Trail will meet back up wtih the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail. 

The white-blazed Rahway Trail.

Rock hop over the Rahway River.

Some fall color on the Rahway Trail.

Cross back over the Rahway River on a bridge.

Rahway River

HIKE SUMMARY:
[  0.00]  Take the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail at the far right corner of the parking lot
[  0.30]  Trail levels out at concrete tank before ascending again
[  0.50]  Left on paved Crest Drive then keep left at fork
[  0.65]  Leave Crest Drive to left just before kiosk; revolutionary memorial to right of kiosk
[  0.70]  Washington Rock overlook on left; yellow trail continues down steps
[  1.40]  Left at fork when unmarked goes straight
[  3.15]  Yellow makes sharp right turn then forks, keep left at fork when red/white goes right
[  3.25]  Hemlock Falls; cross bridge then trail turns left when stairs go straight; at T intersection turn left
[  3.55]  Yellow goes right at Rahway Trail
             *** take white-blazed Rahway Trail for 5 mile hike; continue from 9.05 below ***
[  3.60]  At fork keep left when straight goes to parking lot
[  3.70]  Cross footbridge over South Orange Avenue; trail now orange/yellow although yellow seems to leave randomly - stay on orange when this happens as they come back together
[  3.95]  Keep straight on yellow when orange leaves to the right; cross through parking lot then cross creek on bridge; veer left after bridge, go through picnic area on gravel road then stay to right of tree grove - blazes start to become confusing and/or are missing
[  4.35]  Come out at other end of grove of trees into field and veer left towards traffic intersection, cross Cherry Lane almost at intersection, enter field to left of row of trees, keep to the left of the guardrail ahead
[  4.50]  Turn right behind Oakdale sign post on yellow trail; keep straight on yellow when red comes in from right (return route)
[  5.50]  Yellow trail goes through tree tunnel; "The Crag" shelter on the right
[  5.70]  Watch for trail going to the right just before footbridge - this will be return route; cross footbridge
             *** turn right on unmarked for 10.3 mile hike; continue from 6.65 below ***
[  6.00]  Yellow-blazed Lenape Trail ends at traffic island; continue straight through field to picnic area on Mayapple Hill; retrace
[  6.20]  Back on yellow-blazed Lenape Trail after traffic island
[  6.65]  Cross footbridge over Northfield Avenue then turn left on unmarked
[  6.80]  Turn right on red-blazed trail at Oakdale sign post
[  7.00]  Watch for trail to veer to the right away from the road - unmarked, blaze on back of tree
[  8.00]  Red ends at yellow, left on yellow-blazed Lenape Trail; come out on field, veer left through field
[  8.15]  Cross over Cherry Lane to the right of line of trees almost at intersection; veer left across field to grove of trees between two fields where trail enters grove
[  8.35]  Exit grove and cross field towards picnic area
[  8.60]  Proceed through picnic area; cross bridge; continue through parking lot then pine grove with orange and yellow blazes
[  8.75]  Cross footbridge over South Orange Avenue
[  8.95]  When yellow goes left, turn right on white-blazed Rahway Trail
[  9.05]  Rock hop across Rahway River, turn left on trail through overgrown section
[  9.55]  Left on gravel road
[  9.65]  Cross stone bridge, turn right immediately after bridge at double white blazes before reaching the woods road
[10.95]  At an unmarked fork, keep left
[11.30]  Back at parking lot